My good friend Augusta Lee Collins jazz drummer, songwriter and guitarist will be performing his own compositions at the Oakland Convention Center, Kwanzaa Celebration, Sunday, December 13th at 3 PM. He has been signed by Sony and will be performing internationally over the next year.
We first met on the street in 1989. I was painting a view of the old Housewives Market in Oakland from Jefferson and 9th street with blue Mount Tamalpais floating in the distance. While I was working, Augusta paused on the corner across from me to play his guitar . His silhouette provided a perfect focal point in the wide angle view.
I crossed over and asked him if he would hold his pose for a few minutes. He was clearly down on his luck but he was courteous, smart and a great model. The addition of his figure made my painting.
We became good friends. I have painted him so many times since then (he even appears in my City Center Triptych in the foyer of 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland) that he claims my paintings have contributed notably to his breaking free from drugs and homelessness and putting his career back on track.
Go and hear him. Follow his rising star. He and I share a common interest in communicating reality from the street.
You can contact him at :"Augusta Collins"