A Taste of Honey Mini Mag Issue5 Benedict Edet

ISSUE 5

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Table of Contents Page 2 Voluptuous V-Day Make Up Page 4-7 The Zeal of Zakiya Singer: Zakiya Harris Page 8 Cranberry Crush V-Day recipes Page 9-23 COVER STORY Afican Artist: Benedict Edet

Photos By: Bethanie Hines

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Dancer At Rest, Edet

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e h T

a y i k a Z f o l a e Z

Photos By: Bethanie Hines

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I first encountered Ms. Harris at Virginia State University where she sat on a panel with Actress Tatyana Ali from the hit show Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Actor Lance Gross from Tyler Perry's House of Payne among other notables. What stood out the most about her was her opening statement. Facing a crowd of boisterous college kids armed with a mic, she said in her normal speaking voice not a notch higher (This is not verbatim) "Excuse me". They continued to rumble on. "I will not attempt to speak over you. I am from the old school. I will wait until I full undivided attention." And that she did. Not long after a statement similar to that every mouth was shut and every eye was fixated on her. My attention was caught.

Zakiyah has a passion for education so much so she left New College of Law to embrace that passion through teaching. Previous to her life shift she attended Rutgers University receiving a B.A. in Political Science and History. Fusing her love for education with her love for performing arts she lives her dreams daily.

She is co-founder of Impact Hub Oakland, Grind for the Green, Earthseed Consulting, Chief Education Office at Hack The Hood, Director of the Bay Area Hive Learning Network. Others that grace her list are Toyota Motors, Inc., the US Department of Agriculture, the US Department of State Bureau of Cultural & Educational Affairs and the NAACP National Convention. She made history by being the first African-American Regional Director of the San Francisco Green Festival, going on to receive the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights Future Leaders Award and the Tutorpedia Foundation Award for Personalizing Education. On the performing arts side she is a dancer and a amazing singer with her first solo album currently available entitled Adventures of A Shapeshifter.

I'm not so much "in" the field but I wanted to bring my gifts to the world and be my authentic self.

Part of that is honoring the fact that I am a dancer a singer and a performer. And thats part of who I am so I think I got really clear at the end of college after experiencing four major deaths in my life, my grandparents, my best friend and my very close ex-boyfriend. basically you have to go out there and live your life because it is not promised. that really inspired me to start publicly sharing my creativity with the world. I have been dancing and singing literally before I could walk.

As an struggling artist it can be hard to find support for your dreams and encouragement but luckily Zakiya found inspiration from many sources. "Over the course of my life there been different teachers, mentors that did inspire me but my biggest inspiration hands down is my daughter she's nine years old and nine years ago when I gave birth to her it was another moment of extreme clarity around doing what I love. She is my biggest fan and she's my biggest inspiration and she's definitely what motivates me."

She's been singing since in elementary school choirs and every summer retreating back to her birth town of Richmond Virginia performing with gospel choirs at local baptist churches.

The first major gig she's recalls was when her elementary choir was booked to perform for Nelson Mandela when he was released from prison. While on his global tour.Mr. Mandela stopped at the Oakland Coliseum and her choir had the honor of performing the South African National Anthem. Being only a few steps from at that time the South African president she states , "thats a moment I will never forget, watching him walk on stage."

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Even the most seasoned performers mess up during performances. Zakiya recalls a time when performing with a band name Fiya Wata at that time she was M.C.ing and she had a Tube Top on. She was so immersed in her performance that her top came down as she says, "a Janet Jackson moment" but thankfully she is such a great performer. She quickly recovered by closing her jacket and never missed a beat. So note to performers everywhere don't fell bad about missing up. A professional keeps on no matter what may happen the show must go on!

As you can tell from her bright eye catching photos Ms. Harris is a colorfully unique spirit, both in music and fashion. She explains her style aka swag as "Afro-Eclectic". A alchemist of sorts, she likes to blend "contemporary fashions and music with a very ancient twist". She goes on, "ancient textile, ancient music channeling back to kemet from Africa the birth place of all civilization." Taking traditional African sounds and mixing them with something hood or trap, fusing two different worlds together to create her own world full of color, style, edgy elegance and as she puts it, "something unexpected". This earthy goddess embraces her natural hair with lovely flowing locks and enjoys creating some funky hair styles. She also refers to her personal style as "ancient future".

Photos By: Bethanie Hines

"I don't get put in the mood, the mood hits me then I respond", referring to her state for creating. From spending time with love ones to walking, hearing a beat or melody "and I just feel the vibe I really honor that vibe and try to go with it immediately." Some of her methods of capturing the vibe as it comes is through recoding on her cell phone or by journaling and referring back to refine. I use these methods as well, if you have a thought, a word, a phrase anything capture it right then. With the day to day rigamaroo it is very easy to lose the idea. An Artist (writer, vocalist, ect) lives in the moment of inspiration, once that moment is gone its gone forever.

Comparing herself to no one, " people are use to putting people into boxes so you can't really understand somebody unless you compare them to someone else."

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Being very clear her career is just beginning but 2014 was a year of new heights for Ms. Harris. A social enterprise she help founded in Oakland open their doors. Hack the Hood she serves as Chief Education Officer, the project was the winners of the Google Impact Challenge. On a personal note she launched her website www.ZakiyaHarris.com and her first solo studio album, Adventures of A Shapeshifter.

Although Ms. Harris has achieved success in her field she has also experienced some downfalls. A company she co-founded, Grind for the Green lost all of its funding and she was left unemployed for a period of time. She credits her pulling through this trying time from her daily spiritual rituals which consists of meditation and yoga and a strong support system of "my mother and a close village of family and friends that see me for who I am not what job I have or how much money is in my bank account." Being able to "hit reset", it opened new doors for her.

Art within itself has changed. Living in the internet age there really "aren't any rules anymore." Her pointers for newbies is "stay independent, break into the business as you would starting a company meaning‌ Have a Business Plan, Have a Vision, Have a Goal, Have short term Goals, Have long term Goals." She continues with her valuable tactics advising Build a team, you can not do it alone, know your strengths and surround yourself with others that will bring their strengths to your project it takes a village. People see music before they hear music. "Technology is key" a music video is more important then a full album because is the way how people receive music now, build a following staying on social media if you don't either have the time or the desire to push your product on these platforms hire someone or you can barter your service creating symbiotic relationships.

Her and I share this ideology about "there is an audience out there for you". Many entertainers are caught in the thought pattern of "Walmart mainstream media approach".

Never give up on YOUR art form. The mainstream was not always mainstream, it started out on the outskirts. It was formed by the misunderstood, the underdogs that believed in themselves and their art to the point that refused to cave into what was then the mainstream.

Thats the making of greatness. There many "niche artists" that on a daily basis live they live their dream. Studying your competition is a great strategy not so much for their weaknesses or to copy them but to learn what works for them and incorporate these techniques into your module for success.

In the same breath do not "overly compare yourself to others" learning various skills or techniques are like tools you use them but they are not you. You are a hammer, you are who you were created to be meaning "you walk your own path and your path is unique to you". "Do not give up. It's the tenacity, its the will to believe you will achieve that will carry you through more importantly then your actual talent.

Three unknowns about Ms. Harris is she's from Oakland but was born in Richmond Virginia.

Although a very vocal person in the community and performing arts world Zakiya is a keen reader and "hermit". And her middle toe is the same size as her pinky toe. I would've never thought this because she impeccable balance and grace when she dances, check out her Shapeshifter music video if you don't believe me.

You can keep up with all thing Zakiya including music, events, social media‌ all things at her site www.ZakiyaHarris.com.

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Cranberry Crave

By: Ashley H.A. Williams

So you want to go out for a romantic evening under the starry night skies and rekindle that spark that started it all. But then reality hits you. You have kids and there is no one to watch them. Plus there is a law against leaving them to fid for themselves. Oh yeah, the cost of eating out these days! A entire months worth of groceries gone down the drain on one night. The idea of "dine and dash" comes to mind but a night in jail isn't quit romantic. Aha! Heres one for you, how about preparing a 5 star meal on a dollar menu budget. Read below for details.

Bleeding Heart Salad 2 cups of spinach 1/2 cup of cubed grilled chicken 1 teaspoon of feta cheese 1/4 cup of crushed walnuts 1/2 cup of dried cranberries

To really make your salad bleed try this amazing dressing.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing 1/2 cup of olive oil or grapeseed oil 1/2 cup of raspberry wine vinegar 1/2 cup of sugar 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon of dried basil 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Sparkling Cranberry Crush

Something sweet for your sweetheart!

2-3 teaspoons of sugar 1/2 cup of cranberry juice 1/2 cup of peach juice 3 1/2 cups of sparkling wine 1 cup of crushed ice add fruit on a stick in each glass

Chocolate Mud Mug There are a few options here. You can create a cake from scratch, buy a box of cake mix or do like me‌ bypass the cake mixes, flour, butter, ect and visit the bakery. This lovely time of the year your local grocery store bakery will have a selection of pre-made delicious cakes.

Follow these easy steps: -cut a piece of cake to fit into your festive mug -cut that piece into two pieces horizontally -place one half into the bottom of your mug -evenly spread raspberry icing -distribute a handful of cranberries.

-Add your top layer, sprinkle some fine sugar, cranberries topped with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and a dollop of whipped cream.

Shut up & Eat up!

Look out for our Vegetarian Wellness & Cook Book Summer 2015!

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The Hands That Tell A Story There's A Candle In Every Soul, Edet

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Efik Dancer, Edet

Dance of the Nmphy, Edet Hausa War Dance, Edet

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Woman with A Crown of Stars, Clothed with the Sun Moon at Her Feet Edet

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FVDS, Edet New Market Day Edet

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Becoming One, Edet Angel, S Kiss, Edet

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Culture Diversty 2, Edet

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Culture Diversty, Edet

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Culture Diversty, 2 Edet

Gwariama Girls 2, Edet

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Mr Benedict Edet is a professional artist from akwa ibom state practising at abuja, nigeria. He studied fine and applied arts at the university of nigeria, nsukka, between 1985 to 1990 graduating with a second class upper division and specializing in painting.

Born on the 16th of october, in 1964 at onike, yaba, in lagos, south west nigeria. He first realized he was an artist when he was just 6 years old during his first day at school. He drew on all his note books even drew on the note books of other pupil who became so fascinated by the drawings of comic characters like spiderman, captain America, the avengers, the incredible hulk, fantastic four and so on. He had an insatiable urge to keep drawing which only grew as he grew into a young man.

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Keeper of the Well, Edet

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Jacobs Ladder, Edet

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Fulani Milk Maid, Edet

The Story Teller, Edet

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Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Edet African Comedy Night, Edet

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Gwaria Woman, Edet

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Sower Went to Sow, Edet

When the 6th Seal Was Opened, There Was A Great Earthquake, the Sun Turned Black and the Moon Became Red, Edet Railway Supermarke, Edet

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The Pigeon, Edet

Chicago Village 500 Meters, Edet

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Gwaria Fire Wood Fetchers, Edet

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He recalls to me a time in which his ambition and eagerness got the best of him. "As a growing artist ambitious to become successful like Picasso, andy Warhol, Salvador dali, and so on, I had accepted commissions in other areas of utility art especially in the area of artistic furniture. There was a time I was commissioned by a client to make a victorian bed and dresser which isn't a job no furniture maker can easily do. Only an artist can do it but it was my first attempt at making victorian furniture so not only did I spend ten months on the job. I had speculated it would take me four weeks to deliver, which I greatly undercharged the client and I also messed up the job. After that job, I made a decision not to do furniture any longer but to stick mainly to painting."

He quickly regained his confidence by,

"studying the lifestyle of artists like Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol, I discovered that they were not only painters, but they were also gifted in other areas of creativity which they perfected in after so many failures.

Benedict: "Unique style of art that some people have associated with cubism. But I have never been attracted to the works of the cubists, rather I have drawn influences from the irregular, angular, jagged lines of objects with cracked or broken surfaces. Especially cracked bathroom tiles, old rusted roofing sheets, etc. I have incorporated these lines to develop a style of art that helps to translate my feelings on canvas".

Me: And with feeling comes a creative period for anyone that brings forth any form of solid works, words included. So I asked the creative genius how does he shape his mood to shape his art, whether it be playing music, a stiff drink, a long nap, how do you bring your voice to speak through your art?

Benedict: "I love to play music, its only music that puts me in the mood to paint. In fact, when music is playing and I’m painting, I could continue to paint endlessly. I love especially contemporary gospel reggae music, it seems to have a lot of message and my paintings have a lot of message.

Especially, when artistes like George nooks, Avion Blackman, Carlene Davis, Luciano, Buju Banton, Christafari, Cynthia Chloss, Donna Marie, Imisi, Morgan Heritage, George Banton and so on are playing".

Mr. Benedict briefly tapped on his highlights of his career. "My career as an artist was during the general sani abacha administration. When I was commissioned to do several portraits of different government.

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Beauty, the Mirror and the Sun, Edet

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functionaries. I made some portraits for general abacha and Maryam and I made portraits for all the ecowas chiefs that is presidents of all the west African countries as they were called then. I even made a portrait for pope john paul the second when he visited Nigeria in 1998 and after which I made portraits for all the ministers serving in abacha’s cabinet.

Though since that time, I’ve always been commissioned by the government to make special portraits for subsequent presidents. That was the connecting factor that led to my popularity as a portrait painter".

How many artists have the chance to paint portraits personally requested by presidents of countries and even the Pope?

Not many. This fact and not to mention his incredible talent made me even more honored and humbled by his gift of painting me a portrait for my up coming book, "The Age of A Butterfly".

Before wrapping on our interview I had to gather some valuable pointers for the next generation of scrambling Artists.

Benedict: Becoming an artist is easy, you only need to be enthusiastic about art, and understand that art is not just a profession, it’s a lifestyle, you are basically living your life to share with the world how you feel. You have to understand that your art is an extension of your life, because the artist and his works cannot be separated, so to become an artist, start reasoning in terms of shape, form and color, and speak through brush and paint.

Me: Three things to do.

Benedict: Be ambitious and aim very high to the heights of excellence, Be different from every other artist, there are no two voices alike, there are no two fingerprints alike, Be hardworking.

Me: Three things not to do.

Benedict: Don’t try to be like any other artist, Don’t reproduce the works or styles of other artists, Don’t give up even when it looks like you can’t make a living as an artist.

Me: Three unknown things about you Benedict: I am planning to set up the biggest, most equipped furniture factory in Abuja,I am planning to establish a new and permanent site for my gallery, And thirdly, I am planning to set up a color laboratory.

The best way to view more of his exquisite work is by googling him. But, he is mainly on Facebook under Benedict Edet and you will see both his personal page and his fan page.

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