Today we’d like to introduce you to Arshaad Norwood
Hi Arshaad, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was originally born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and raised on 52nd street and moved to Georgia when I was 8 years old. Before my family moved to Georgia I grew up in a pseudo muslim community formerly known as Ansaru Allah, led by the Black nationalist Dr. Dwight York who taught everything from the Gospels, Quran, Egyptology, Etymology, UFO literature to Buddhism & indigenous culture. We lived a humble life with little to no contact with the outside world and the children were taught to speak Arabic as their 1st language.
My mother, sister, step dad, sister mom, and step siblings all lived separately until the day I cracked my head on the cement while playing and flipping and was rushed to hospital for brain surgery. After that incident we were placed across the street to live with each other for the 1st time, which led to more financial stress, resentment, night terrors, bedwetting and child abuse which weighed heavily on my mom’s Lupus. Around 1990 rumors of federal investigations forced us to relocate to Detroit, Michigan to live with another excommunicated family. That same year a violent physical altercation led to my stepdad’s incarceration, and our exodus to Stone Mountain, GA to live with my Jamaican grandmother.
Within 3 years we returned to our Caribbean roots, and moved into our 1st section 8 apartment in Clarkston, Ga where I attended Dresden Elementary. My moms severe battle with Lupus left her in chronic pain and constantly in the hospital, so she worked from home as a freelance artist & taught me everything she knew. We researched master artists throughout art history, learned different painting techniques & eventually created arts & crafts for different clients together.
In 1993 my disenfranchised step dad drifted back into the picture with a brand new car, and fully furnished the house with lavish gifts. and on Saviors Day I was pushed into the deep end by my Stepdad which led to anger issues, fighting and trouble in school which my former counselor suggested is a symptom of PTSD. Two years later, my mom survived open heart surgery, which led to my stepdad finally allowing me to reunite with my birth father.
In 1996 the Olympics came to town. My stepdad got arrested for credit fraud and all of our belongings except for my mattress was repossessed leaving us evicted and homeless once again until we finally moved to Panola Road around the corner from my grandmother and birth dad’s new family who moved to Georgia after our reunion. Unfortunately the bliss was short lived because in January of 1997 my mom was permanently hospitalized from stomach ulcers & on Mother’s Day 1998, the hospital pulled her plug against her will. 3 months later, I got arrested and illegally interrogated at the Airport for soliciting which turned into accusations of criminal enterprise and Human Trafficking, so my Grandma sent us to a christian based foster care program in Union City called Christian City Children’s Home.
However despite the odds I stayed focused on my Art dreams and graduated with honors from Landmark Christian in 2001, reconnected with my birth family, chartered Beta Beta Tau chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity in 2003 & earned my bachelor’s degree in Art from Lagrange College in 2005. After graduation, I joined an Artist in Residence program as a studio assistant for a local artist named Signe Grushovenko & worked as an art instructor/ camp counselor for at-risk teens at Camp Promise in Lagrange, Ga until I landed a graphic artist job at Benjamin Studios in Atlanta, Ga. won 1st place at my first juried art exhibition called “Champion Spirit” at Arts Clayton Gallery in Jonesboro, Ga.
In 2012 I landed my first art teaching job at Jonesboro HS, and earned my Masters in Secondary Education at University of Phoenix. Housing Market crashed which forced CCPS to downsize fine art programs in 2012, which led me to Riverdale HS, where I taught Art for 4 years and launched ArtbyArshaad LLC before I relocating to Mays High school where I excelled as a Graphic Design instructor, SkillsUSA Advisor, Lead Art Instructor, Muralist and emerging Fine Artist
In 2020 my career took off. I was invited to be the featured Live Artist for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Centennial Celebration and From 2021 – 2023 I joined three group Exhibitions called Articulate & Mint Gallery “Hold the Line” @Arts Clayton Gallery & the Next Hundred Years @ Southwest Arts Center & Thomasville Art Center. I was selected as muralist for the Muralize Clayton Project at Jonesy’s Place. and commissioned by Bishop Sedgwick Daniels for Holy Convocation before he passed. Last summer I was also commissioned by the new Ceo of Christian City foster home Keith Horton to design a large mural themed Loving People, Loving People that was feature in Atlanta news first and published in @Artsatl and @Atlanta Journal Constitution and this past February I was a guest speaker for Black History Month presentation at Callaway High.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have been facing obstacles since day one but the Pandemic and Christian City Mural was by far the most challenging. During that time period my wife got laid off and my landlord decided to abruptly sell the house and my son relapsed which led to his Autism diagnosis which led to discrimination, anxiety, depression and an extremely difficult transition back into school and work which caused more financial stress that drained all of my savings/retirement.
The Christian City Mural was difficult because I was working extra hours at school to supplement income, while painting portraits at night under extreme pressure with no help and no resources. My son got kicked out of school again and no one in the area wanted to take him. It brought me full circle to all of the reasons why foster kids never come back. The memories of how I ended up in foster care, the pain from my childhood that was erased once I got there, the ones that never made it, and the insidious cycle of trauma it affects for generations.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In my earlier art career I specialized in portrait art and landscape paintings after I graduated from Lagrange College. Over time I experimented with an assortment of neoclassical figurative paintings, traditional media, digital media, black light art and afro futurism. I am most known for my murals and large conversation pieces that educate and inspire social action.
My most proud moment as an art educator was when my former student Nia Yasmeen who was also featured on Voyage ATL gave me a shout out. My most proud moment as an artist was The Zeta Phi Beta Centennial Celebration and Art Collection. It was my 1st high profile event, 1st time painting live on stage with over 100,000 viewers, and 1st time producing 5 live paintings back to back. The thrill and the love was amazing!
What sets my work apart from others is the layered process I use to develop my concept, the fusion of Caribbean colors and spiritual motifs, the fluidity of my calligraphic stroke and the way I use a combination of heavy contrast to develop tone and
guide the viewer through the space to the focal point.
What makes you happy?
Although my marriage took a devastating loss, I am happy that our family is blessed and thriving. My brilliant son finally got ABA therapy and has made a huge transformation. My gifted daughter placed the leading role as Nyla from Lion King at her school and my Art Career continues to rise like a Phoenix!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: Http://www.Artbyarshaad.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbyarshaad/
- Facebook: Http://www.Facebook.com/Artbyarshaad
