Final update Publication 2nd Annual Something JazzZee Exibition The Spirit of Art (7)

Second Annual “Something JazzZee”

Presents

The Spirit of Art Exhibition

Featuring

Antoinette “Toni” Stroman
Aziz Diagne

James Johnson
Nancy Smith
Otis Smith
Roscoe Lee Owens
Oct 16– Nov 1, 2018
At The PVAA Art Place

Montclair Place, Montclair, CA.

“Most of These works have evolved out of a near-death experience and reflections
during the physical and mental therapeutic healing process”.

Antoinette “Toni” Stroman

We first told you of Antoinette “Toni” Stroman this exceptional child, an artistic, bright and gregarious
young lady, Toni seemed destined to be successful back in 1990. She was just entering her first
year of high school when she contracted viral encephalitis, a virus causing severe inflammation of

the brain. She was hospitalized and slipped into a coma for more than
three months. Doctors told her family that Toni would die and if she
lived, she would be left with little or no mental capacity.
Faith, love and prayers seemed to be the only prescription that worked
to bring Toni out of the coma that left her unable to walk, talk or move
independently. The hospital where she had been treated could not pro-
vide the long term care she needed. And when the insurance ran out
Toni was transferred to a state hospital. It was in this setting that Toni’s
personality began to assert itself and her mother,
Michele Stroman-McGuire, began a long and
frustrating battle for adequate rehabilitative care.
Her mother decided to play the hand she was
dealt. Always looking for whatever crack in the
system that would allow for new and innovative
Michelle and Toni
programs that would serve the special needs of her child. They discovered
the world of the Special Olympics and Toni went on to win many gold, silver
and bronze medals in wheelchair races. Then Mayor Tom Bradley proclaimed
“Toni Stroman Day” in Los Angeles and she re-
ceived a resolution from then State of California As-
sembly woman Maxine Waters. Not stopping there,
after graduating from Palm Springs High School in 1990, that December
she was awarded NAACP’s Image Award “President’s Award”.
This lead to the discovery of a very unique art program, founded on the
proposition that human potential for creativity and artistic expression is not
limited by physical or developmental disabilities. The Tierra del Sol Foun-
dation believe that through cultivation of artistic
expression, people with even the severest of dis-
abilities develop creatively and make important contributions to the cultural
and economic life of their communities.
Toni has participated in more than 35 shows over the past 15 years. Toni’s
works include works with collages, watercolor, ceramic tiles and litho-
graphs. Art is a medium of expression that doesn’t require the ability to
speak, hear, see or walk. For the developmentally disabled artists at
Claremont’s First Street Gallery and Art Center, their work is a kind of visu-
al poetry that reaches out to an appreciative community.
Toni’s story does not end here: the development of technology in the use of augmented devices
such as the iPad for communication will be the next area for exploration.

Aziz Diagne

My latest work examines the relationship between the mystic and reality at this cru-
cial point in time. Some of These works have evolved out of a recent near-death
experience and reflections during my subsequent healing process. For me art is a
lifelong journey, a daily expression of energy, prayer and a labor of love. It is a

spiritual force that records an experience and preserves
the moment. It has truly been my therapy. It is particularly
comforting at an epoch in which we are experiencing
struggle, protest, and change. Art provides the opportunity
for open discussions that have the possibility of leading us
to a world in which caring for each other reigns eternal.
I am so grateful for all the help and prayers before, during
and after my rehabilitation.
Aziz is a multi-media artist who specializes in print making, glass painting, oil and
acrylics. Through his unique and dynamic talents, Aziz, a self taught artist, estab-
lished himself as one of the premiere contemporary glass painters. Aziz has trav-
eled extensively throughout Africa, Europe and South America, absorbing the art
and cultures of diverse environments. These experiences have greatly enhanced the
artist’s seemingly limitless repertoire and creative energy.
About The Work
Theissoise, reversed painting on glass, is a process that involves applying color to the glass in the exact re-
verse process involved when painting on any other surface. The process is a detailed and painstaking meth-
od as each color is applied separately. Brushes and various other tools are used to give continuity, contrast
and texture to the finished work. Rich in symbolism, the artist’s work captures the spirit and ambiance of the
universal experience.
Other Mediums
Color-graph is a unique art in and of itself. The artist has designed and developed a
printing press that enables him to produce original color graph print with multicolor in a
single run. The illustration is carved from various materials with an illustration board.
Due to the process of extreme pressure being applied in the making of the print, the
plate has very limited use. Each color graph is an original.
Additional mediums include, water color, mixed media and oil.
Accomplishments
• Selected by the National Black Arts Festival to create advertising materials, including
the huge festival billboards and banners that decorated the city of Atlanta during the
two-week event. • Selected as the official artist for the 1995, 1998 and 2003 New Or-
leans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which is one of the most widely attended international festivals.
• In 1995 and 2002, commissioned by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs to create a commemo-
rative poster for the anniversary edition of the African Marketplace.
• Commissioned artist for the 1996 Olympic Games Cultural Olympiad.
• Works have appeared on several compact disc and book covers for the University of Auburn (St. Martin
Press); Featured in various motion pictures (Antoine Fisher story, directed by Denzel Washington); (Carol Du-
val show on Home and Garden TV); The National Arts Festival 2000
(Featured Artist) Essence Musical Festival 2000; (Featured Artist) Tom Joyner Foundation Annual Fantastic
Voyage
Galleries: La Belle Gallery – New Orleans, LA; Joyce Gordon Gallery – Oakland, CA

www.azizart.com

James Johnson

Unique Pic Creations

Hello , I'm James Johnson. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Alt-
hough our family moved around a lot, somehow, we'd always end up back in L.A. Growing up in Los
Angeles, I was exposed to a lot of experiences no child should ever have known. I grew up having
never met my father. My mother raised me and my three other siblings by herself. Over the years,
although our family didn't have much, we were creative in making do with what we did have.

At age of 17, I moved out and got my first apartment. It wasn't much to look at, but while dec-
orating it, I discovered I had a knack for arranging and balancing color. Friends and family, after see-
ing rooms I'd created, would seek my advice on how to decorate their own spaces.

Years later, I became a father of four and am happily married to a beautiful, awesome wom-
an. I became a registered nurse / respiratory therapist. In 2014, My brother and I started a process-
serving business. We served subpoenas for our attorney clients. Often, our company attended con-
ventions for the process service industry. In order to attract potential clients to our booth, we'd hand
out promotional giveaways. After a while, I began noticing other process service companies handing
out similar promos. To separate our company from the others, I invested in some special equipment
used for sublimating images onto various textiles and surfaces. Through Youtube, I quickly learned
about the sublimating process and began producing our own, signature promotional gifts.

In March 2017, I was involved in a terrible accident that left me paralyzed from the shoulders
down. I thought I'd lost everything. I suffered many new challenges while struggling to regain my life.
In doing so, my faith in God elevated exponentially. That said, with only the use of my mouth, I re-
turned to the computer via a specialized mouse. I began using photoshop to blend photos, remove
backgrounds, and print on even more substrates. I've taken sublimation to a whole new level of mas-
tery! Today, I collaborate with artists all around the world, from anime artists to photographers. I pro-
duce some of the best displays of vibrant colors that surpass even the most stringent client expecta-
tions.

I truly feel blessed to be able to share my gifts with audiences everywhere. I absolutely enjoy your
positive feedback. Please, visit my gallery at UPCPRINTS.COM, or drop me an email to let me know
what you think at [email protected].
Thank You,

James Johnson

James and Claire Johnson

Nancy Smith

Nancy and Mark

Nancy Smith, a devoted wife, mother and high-school teacher from Los Alami-
tos, California, was enjoying her summer exploring Canada with her daughter Savanna’s Girl Scout troop.
On the final leg of their trip on June 26, 2008, she drove a compact rental car from Whistler Resort to Van-
couver, heading south on the Sea to Sky Highway – a road that became even more perilous with the heavy
construction underway to prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics. In the blink of an eye, the road suddenly

took a left twist. With no time to brake, she overcorrected her steering and
crossed the double yellow line. She slammed into a dump truck that spun
her car 180 degrees, causing her to hit the vehicle behind her head on. Sa-
vanna and the other girls as well as the other drivers suffered only minor in-
juries. Nancy woke with her face planted in the air bag, unable to move. EMT
crews worked feverishly to rescue her. She was medically evacuated by heli-
copter to Vancouver General Hospital. The trauma team of doctors and nurs-
es had to defibrillate her five times before she was stable enough to undergo
surgery for a multitude of injuries, the worst being a severed spinal cord.
What would she do with her sixth chance at life? That is what she thought
about as she witnessed everything around her in the weeks and months that
followed. She couldn’t feel anything from the shoulders down, but every day
she felt the emotional sting of having the rhythm of her normal life – her rela-
tionships and her independence – forever altered. She felt the burden of re-
lying on others for everything. Nancy also felt the deep love of her husband,
Mark, as well as her daughter, family, friends and former students. Someone
from Savanna’s water polo team set up a Caring Bridge Website so
that Mark could keep everyone informed of Nancy’s progress and pro-
vide a place where others could send notes of encouragement. She
received 866 to be exact. To quote a common phrase, “Adversity
doesn’t create character, it reveals it.” This is certainly true with Nancy
Smith. What she did next is astonishing. She wrote a personal memoir
entitled Only the Rats are Walking: Tales of a Female Tetraplegic. She
did not dictate it, as that proved to be too challenging to edit. She
wrote it on her iPad, typing each letter with a device in her mouth that
her husband custom-made for her comfort with plastic tubing that fit
perfectly over a metal stick. Six years after her accident, when her
dear friends Sue Buckwell and Sue Gernaey reviewed her final draft,
their only critique was “It doesn’t feel like it should end this way.” Nan-
cy looked at them and responded, “But that’s it. There is nothing
more.” Just then she received a phone call from her rehabilitation doctor, board-certified physiatrist Ann Va-
sile, M.D., who specializes in spinal cord injury medicine at Casa Colina. She asked, “Would you be inter-
ested in participating in a new medical study with scientists from California Institute of Technology
(Caltech), UCLA Medical School, and Casa Colina that may give you a chance to control a computer tablet
with your mind?” Despite the fact that the implants were temporary and it would involve brain surgery, Nan-
cy answered, “Yes!” without any hesitation. She looked at her friends with glee as they all basked in the de-
light of a new ending to her story.

Otis Smith

Otis Smth is a 27 year old African American digital artist out of
California, engaging in the arts most of his life which led him to
help establish a illustration and animation business called Otito-
graphics. He is also a spoken-word artist who performed at vari-
ous venues throughout the Long Beach area and Milwaukee Wis-
consin. However, his art
skill is not the only thing
which makes him unique,
he also suffers from a ra-
re disability known as femoral hypoplasia syndrome; mean-
ing he was born with short limbs and confined to a wheel-
chair. But not letting adversity stop him he completed his AA
at Long Beach city college then wrote and illustrated four
comic books and is currently working on his fifth. The first
three comics are titled "A Promise Broken" which is a series
based on the teachings of his favorite African American
scholar Dr. Chancellor Williams who authored " The De-
struction of Black Civilization." His latest project however will
highlight a disabled protagonist and promise to give us more
of a glimpse into his personal life. It will touch on an array of
topics such as over coming issues with self confidence, anti-
bullying, social justice issues and more with an African twist.
Speaking of an African twist, Otis and the African American
Museum of Beginnings have developed a healthy growing
relationship and are planning a book signing or authors meet and greet there fairly soon. So be on
the lookout, but while you wait you may view his work on his site at www.otitographics.com

Roscoe Lee Owens “Something JazzZee” Therapeutic Behavioral Coach

I am Thankful to the Red Cross for assisting my parents in the economics of my hospitaliza-
tion. My beautiful parents rushed me to the hospital in 1949 when I was about 5 years old. I
had developed a fever and symptoms of nausea and vomiting definitely got worse.
The severe pain had started spreading all over my abdomen. The doctors performed sur-
gery to remove my appendix that had burst. The ruptured appendix can actually lead to
death in some cases and I was dying. The doctors called my parents and asked that they
return to the hospital due to the emergency of needing a second operation.
The peritonitis had quickly spread, resulting in septicemia, or bacteria in the blood. I was
blessed with a quick second operation that was performed and finally stopped the poisoning
of my body. Through the experiences life teaches throughout my years I have become so
Grateful and Thankful for learning and understanding that living a life through purpose is
Amazing. THANK YOU GOD!

I am Listening, Teaching and Interacting with young powerful stories and journeys of
Our Urban Youth Supporting the Artists. The Arroyo Gallery 1991 continuing to
evolve: Developed the Arroyo Art Collective and I am so proud and thankful for the
continued Encouragement, Power, Spirit, Help and Education from so many ARTISTS
who have taught me so much. Jazzzone.net CH56 public service TV show: Creat-
ed the Jazzzone.net CH56 public service TV show with artist Interviews with a follow-
up and follow through. Old Pasadena Summer Fest: : del Mano Productions: 1991
-2005 Director & Coordinator of the Cultural Community event; created the “Family Fun Festival”

a major segment of the Old Pasadena Summer Festival that included the Pacific Asia, Cali-
fornia African American and Southwest Museums with educational hands-on projects for
youth. Pan African Film & Art Festival: 1999 through 2008: Supporting the Artists: As-
sistant Coordinator of the Fine Art Festival, including guidelines for 100 Artists, booth loca-
tions, decorations, displays, workshops and seminars. Los Angeles African Marketplace
2003 through 2008. L.A. Black Business Expo & Trade Show 2005 through 2008: Or-
ganized and coordinated the Artist exhibition, including hands on daily management of ex-
hibition, setup and breakdown. Recruited additional volunteers to assist short term as need-
ed for project “The Community Groove.” Supporting the Artists: Creator and Managing
Director of “The Art Mart” for L.A. Black Business Expo & Trade Show 2005. Assisted with
developing the collaboration with the African Marketplace and the LA Black Business Expo pro-
ject. ArtbyRLO.com Creating events, designing grooves, making music connected through the
art of thought becoming real attracting artistic energies, balance and color with a continuous flow
of knowledge to me from respected amazing internationally known artists by default. A visual sen-
sation, Chromatic and Contrast Value, Positive afterimage and Retinal Fusion. The shift in aware-
ness to participate in My Truth creating Repurposed Art with a Therapeutic artistic flow of value
for several years. The series “Something JazzZee” recapturing feelings and emotions from the
Negro Motorist Green Book and Jim Crow attitudes traveling Route 66 by my drummer father Jim-
mie Owens traveling with family from E. St. Louis the Harlem Hotel to the Dunbar Hotel in Los An-
geles. I decided Now is the Time and exhibited the creative works of Roscoe Lee Owens with the
support of many friends, my family and Artists with the opening of my first Exhibit at the Pomona
Valley Art Association’s The PVAA Art Place 2017.www.artbyrlo.com www.jazzzone.net 626-
798-6848. [email protected]
“Life isn’t about how you survived the storm It’s about how you danced in the rain”

Thank you for your support

Second Annual “Something JazzZee”
The Spirit of Art Exhibition

Edwing Sankey: American of Japanese and Native American descent, Ed-
Wing is a multifaceted musician based in Los Angeles, California. In the
course of his studies with his Mentors, Masters and other fine musicians,
Edwing acquired strong transformations with the Zither, Guitar and Ukulele
developed by his unique understanding of harmony and healing which he
wields with generosity in his current EdWing performances. EdWing moves
on to explore eclectic tonal and rhythmic trajectories that veer through

Jazz, Americana and Ambient Music
domains and continues to per-
form with the Jazzzone Network cre-
ating his style of harmony. "Flying
with the WingMan in the JazzZone."
www.mountaincastlemusic.com

Thankful to all that participate. Roscoe and Jeannette

I am so thankful to God for my walk in faith
with focus, work and passion.

Roscoe Lee Owens

We support the Arts and the Artists

We support the Arts and the Artists
730 E. Broadway Blvd. Long Beach 90803 CA

We support the Arts and the Artists

HEAD SPRUNG BARBER SHOP 3157 N. Garey Ave. Pomona

994 E. Mission Pomona CA 91766

We support the Arts and the Artists

We support the Arts and the Artists

We support the Arts and the Artists

John Lloyd McClinton