6/20/08

~ Om shanti ~

What is a meta artist? You may have been wondering this as you've been scrolling through my site. Meta is a nickname that I was dubbed in college, derived from my last name, Metaferia. As I began to dig deeper into my artistic practices, the name meta held more meaning. To me, it is the pre-fix, the embodiment of change, transformation, and shifting. According to my trusty dictionary, it means adjective: (of a creative work), referring to the conventions of its genre; self-referential. ORGIN: from meta- in the sense [beyond].

The best way to describe my work is in fact meta. It is the creative collection of personal and professional transformation; it is a search, a contemplation, and a dialogue on what life has to offer. My art, be it visual or healing, be it community oriented or graphic designs for clients, all reflect a common cord. They are expressions of a deep limitless beyond. To be a meta artist is to be self-reflective and fiercely honest. As a meta artist my primary objective is to create and extract the beauty in all aspects of living, and to share it and its process with others, so that others can see the world through this penetrative awareness. This is my explanation of what it is to be a meta artist.

As for what this meta artist has been working on lately.... my mural on Georgia Ave., facilitating workshops, and a couple of shows this summer in DC, Philly and New York City. For info on the mural and workshops, check the community arts page. As for my shows, I will be featured in the Black Women Arts Festival in Philadelphia during July and August. In September I will be a part of a group exhibit I am co-curating at Canvas Paper and Stone Gallery in Harlem, New York. The exhibit will feature contemporary Ethiopian art and the opening reception is on September 5, 2008. I am also a part of a large group show at the Sewell-Belmont House in Washington, DC which will raise funds for Girls Gotta Run, an organization that I support. Check more info on that also on my community arts page. The show is currently running until August 30, 2008. Mark your calendars!

More updates on the way!

Love Peace,

Helina Metaferia

5/11/08

Spring Greetings!

The weather is warm and luring me to do some outside painting. I am creating a mural on Georgia Ave. in Washington, DC as part of a grant commissioned by the DC Arts Council. The mural celebrates the cultures of the African Diaspora that are in Washington, DC. Stay tuned for photos as the mural progresses.

Please plan to participate in the following workshops that I will be co-facilitating in conjunction with Art 4 Development, a non-profit organization that bridges art and community development. The workshops are being held at Art O'matic in Washington, DC, an annual month-long art exhibit featuring hundreds of artists from all over.

Treasure Postcards: An International Arts Project and Artist Talk
Friday, March 23, 2008
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Educational Room, 7th Floor, North East Wing
Artomatic
Capitol Plaza I
1200 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
The participants from Treasure Postcards '08, an international art benefit exhibit that I participated in during March which raised funds for women's shelters, will speak on their works of art. Workshop will feature works from the show.

Creative Change Project: The Sound, Visual Arts, Movement and Dance Workshop
Saturday, June 7, 2008
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Theater/Dance Stage
Artomatic
Capitol Plaza I
1200 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Metro: Red Line, New York Ave., M St exit
Donation: $10 (for arts materials)
Please RSVP in advance at helina@metaartist.com as space is limited. Creative Change Project is an international learning journey on development with arts. Launched in 2004 in collaboration with the United Nations Millennium Campaign and TakingITGlobal, Creative change aims to help generate awareness on the Millennium Development Goals and the use of creative techniques in social change and development. The project has traveled from New York, to Cameroon, Dubai to Nigeria, Canada, and more. I will facilitate an interactive intuitive visual arts piece that will show how the visual arts can provide personal and collective healing.

In addition to these events, I will also continue to facilitate intuitive healing through visual arts workshops. I recently gave such a workshop at the Turning Point Center in Washington, DC, a transition home for young women with children. I will post more information on future workshops.

Furthermore, I will be having art shows in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York this summer. More info on these events soon.

Peace and Love,

Helina Metaferia

2/19/08

Blessings!

Above is a peek at the illustrations for my upcoming children's book! Check Solar Publishing's website for more information. Stay tuned for more updates on the book.

I am currently completing the illustrations for the book, beginning a new body of work in my studio, and committing myself to my sadhana (daily yoga discipline) practice. In the midst of my actvities and travels (and rest) I have decided to start teaching group meditation classes again. I will also be showing more art a couple of times this spring. Please keep the following two events in mind:

Friday Meditations
Beginning March 7, 2008
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Co-taught by Helina Metaferia
@ The Living Well
2122 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD
Unwind each Friday evening with a guided meditation. Learn techniques to still the mind and open up to your highest self. I serve as the instructor for this class every other week.

Girls Gotta Run Spring Show
@ The Invitational Gallery
The Mansion at Strathmore
10701 Rockville Pike
No. Bethesda, MD 20852
February 26 - April 5, 2008
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 28, 2008 7pm - 9pm
Please plan to attend this art show benefit. Proceeds from the art go to raise funds for Ethiopian girl runners, encouraging them to stay in school and stay in sports. I will have some art for sale at this show. Check out more info on Girls Gotta Run.

Below is a photo of me with a painting after my show on Capitol Hill in October, 2007. The photo was taken by Matt Andrea. Check back soon to view current projects, photos, and more!

Peace and Happiness,

Helina Metaferia

1/11/08

Happy New Year! Blessings to you for 2008 and beyond.

I opened up the new year with an amazing yoga based course called The Art of Living, which teaches a powerful breathing technique called sudarshankriya. The course I took was taught by Tracee Jamison, an amazing yogini in Washington, DC. Tracee is now teaching this stress reduction and life changing course around the world. E-mail her at jtracee@hotmail.com to learn about the next class. Also visit www.artofliving.org for more info on this phenomenal course based on ancient Kemetic and Vedic teachings.

I am working away on completing my new body of paintings and finishing up the illustrations for my first children's book written by Binahkaye Joy for Solar Publishing, Inc. The book is about the movements we can mimick from nature and it inspires kids to keep a sacred connection with planet earth. Look for this book in spring 2008!

Om namah shivaya!

Helina Metaferia aka metaartist

11/30/07

Check out the next group show I will be in! This is an art auction benefit for young Ethiopian girls who are part of the Girls Gotta Run organization.

Second Annual Holiday Exhibit
Modern Times Coffeehouse at the Politics and Prose Bookstore
5015 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, DC
December 2, 2007 - January 5, 2008
Reception: Tuesday, December 4, 2007 - 6pm - 8pm
Movie Night (Featuring GGR documentary): December 6, 2007 - 7pm - 9pm

11/6/07

Peace and wellness!

This is a time for personal and professional rest, patience, observation, and creation. I feel very connected to earth energy right now. I am focusing on grounding and am beginning to pay attention to the physical universe as a guide for living. A few transitions has caused me to study nature and meditate on what it is to exist in this physical reality. And from this pause and a few moments of clarity has come art.... My newest series on my reflections on nature and it's lessons are in the works.

Furthermore, I am illustrating a children's book with a similar theme. The book is written by Binahkaye Joy and published by Solar Publishing. It is about the various movements and dances that can be mimicked from nature. After years of incorporating art and literacy with youth during my artist residencies, I am finally illustrating a book for youth. I'm honored for the opportunity. Expect the book to come out in March 2008.

Check out some articles written about me and my art this fall in two online magazines: Rain Tiger and Canvas Paper Stone Gallery. I am the featured artist this month for both magazines. Thanks to both publications.

I have two art shows coming up in the next month, both being in DC and one of them being with Girls Gotta Run, an organization I've shown with in the past. Stay tuned for more info on them.

I've shown six shows this fall between New York City, Washington DC and Baltimore, and all were amazing! Thanks to all who supported me and came to view them. Below is the flyer I circulated for past shows.

In addition, I just completed the website for Entering the Holy of Holies, An Institute of Learning and Healing Inc. The 501 (c)(3) non profit based in New York City specializes in meditation and spiritual tools for transformation. The organization is lead by Nafisa Sharriff, an amazing heart-warming lady who also teaches the best West African dance classes in Harlem... and might I add, they are free! Visit her site for more info.

Love light energy to all,

Helina Metaferia

10/4/07

Greetings!

What an eventful fall! I have been blessed to be a part of six art exhibitions within six weeks in New York City, Washington, DC and Baltimore. I enjoy showing and sharing my work with others and appreciate all the feedback that I have been given. Thanks to the many of you that have supported me by attending my shows.

Thanks to Canvas Paper and Stone Gallery for making me their featured artist for their online newsletter. View the feature article about me and my art here!

As the season shifts deeper into what I consider "hibernation" season, I figure I will be concentrating more on producing art and getting in some studio time. I'll be sure to update the website with my artistic findings once I come out of my annual retreat from the cold! I also am busy with a few client projects and, of course, learning my way around New York's fulfilling art scene!

More updates on the way!

8/4/07

Peace and Blessings!

Once again, my website has recently been revised. Enjoy your visit to my side of the web. In addition to revising my site, I also completed the design for lovemakingdances.com, which is the website of Zahava, a talented New York City based dancer/healing artist. I am continuing with my freelance graphic design work and am now accepting clients for print and web design.

My new and past paintings will be presented during the Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour (HOAST) in October at Casa Frela Gallery and Canvas Paper and Stone Gallery. Several harlem artists are opening their studios and galleries for this phenomenal walking tour event. Please come to view my works in person.

I will also be a part of an art auction for an organization that assists young Ethiopian girls. The organization is called Girls Gotta Run, and their mission is to improve the education and esteem of young Ethiopian females by buying them sneakers so they can participate in sports and running programs. The art will be displayed at Phoenix Gallery in New York (Chelsea area).

I am also sharing works in galleries in Richmond and Baltimore during the fall. Please stay posted for more details.