Rhinestones, animal prints and sensual poses… sounds like a perfect combination for seduction, well it is!

Mickalene Thomas‘ work seduced me. It’s strong & beautiful.

Her work mixes genre from the 70′s Blaxploitation to the old Masters like Manet and the Odalisque by Ingres, Her African American women are sexually in charge. They are feminine, powerful and radiate confidence.

Here’s how the story of our love affair…

On a rainy afternoon, I was walking by the MOMA. Her Dejeuner sur L’herbe was in display in the window of the MOMA. The glitter of her naked women jumped at me and right then and there, I was hooked by her homage Manet’s famous painting.

I tought I was never going to see her again. So I was excited to receive two days later, the Lehman Maupin Gallery email announcing her solo show. The more I saw the more I fell in love with her work. They have a wide range of her work and even a photo version of the Dejeuner sur l’herbe version on sale. But I fell into despair, she was out of my league.

I brushed her off and tried to get her out of my head. Without success.

But Cupid was on my side, the BAM auction was featuring a tiny discreet almost shy photo, courtesy of the artist. The intense glance of the model in the picture caught my eyes and didn’t let me go! I knew I had to propose. Guess what she said?

“Mickalene Thomas earned her MFA at Yale University in 2002 and completed a residency at the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York. “