I love
interviewing Independent Artists and recently one of my talented grandchildren,
Allie Gilbert, fashion designer and owner of LooniloliDesigns told me about a
very talent artist and author that she became friends with.
Granny: My granddaughter raved about
your art, Osman. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Osman Karriem: Thank you. Ever since I was five
years old, I’ve always had an active imagination and before I could even talk I
was drawing and marking things up things that I wasn’t supposed to mark up;
drawing on things that I wasn’t supposed to draw on, but I guess my parents saw
something in what I was doing and didn’t get upset.
I think the
breakthrough came when I was watching a cartoon and, I think it was a Speed
Racer cartoon. There was this car and I had to have it and nobody told me that
I couldn’t make this things so I’m looking all over the house, and mind you,
I’m only five or six at the time. I went searching for supplies in our cabinets,
under the bed, inside my dad’s closets, looking for anything I could use to
make this car and finally I came across some aluminum foil. As they say, the
rest is history.
With my hands,
I’m just squishing and squeezing, bending and twisting and after time it
started to look more and more like the car. After that, I started making
animals and soon I had the attention of the adults and the other kids and they
were saying, “Wow, this is pretty good.”
I continued
with my drawing and sculpturing until I became pretty popular as the kid who
could make things out of aluminum foil. My artist side didn’t stop there and I
got into music at a young age and finally film. When I was thirteen, I tried to
do an ad campaign for Reynolds Aluminum Foil Company. I came up with the
character, Sir Foil-a-Lot and made the horse from the logo they had which was a
Knight and made a couple of other characters; wrote the script; made the jingle
and I submitted it to the company.
Granny: That is so exciting. What
happened?
Osman Karriem: They loved it and said that they
never seen anything like this and that they would talk to some of their people.
I got a few letters from them saying they would try to work something out, but
after a year, the final letter said that they couldn’t do anything with this
because it would be a breach of contract because they already had an
advertising company. I was very disappointed.
Granny: How old were you when you were
receiving these letters?
Osman Karriem: I think I was around twelve at the
time and not knowing better, I submitted the actual sculptures. I didn’t take
pictures and just thought you could trust people. After a while, I stopped
doing sculptures and concentrated on my illustrations and a comic book that is the
inspiration for the novel that I’m working on now.
I went to LA to
pursue my acting, my film work and my music. I figured if I couldn’t make it in
LA, I would forget it. I found a roommate and started Illuminations, the name
for my aluminum foil business. I was also a freelance artist while I was out
there. My girlfriend at the time, it was her birthday and I knew she liked the
Ninja Turtles because they had just come out, so I sculptured my turtles and
painted the turtles. Friends at work suggested that I try selling the
sculptures on Venus Beach and I sold everything within minutes.
Granny: Where can I see the sculptures?
Osman Karriem: On Facebook.
Granny: These are amazing. I love the
Michael Jackson and President Obama. I love that man. You even have the scene
from 911.
Osman Karriem: I’ve done at lot of work for the NFL
and for the Eagles Team. Check out my illustrations.
Marie Gilbert: These illustrations are
amazing. Did you go to art school?
Osman Karriem: No, but I have a natural talent for
art.
Granny: Tell me the name of your novel.
Osman Karriem: The God Wraith: Prophecy
Granny: What is the book about?
Osman Karriem: It’s an epic story about a prophecy
about the person who is supposed to be God’s physical wraith incarnate. The
story starts with an incident that happens in the fifteenth century where a
woman was accused of witchcraft and she gives birth to a child that will determine the fate of the world. I wrote the novel in 2006, but I
updated the book and gave it a new title.
Granny: Have you shown your art in a
studio?
Osman Karriem: I returned back to the east coast
when my brother died and I figured I would move my business here and promote it
here. Right now, my sculptures have taken a back seat in order for me to focus
on my writing, but I will return to the foil art. The revised book should be
out within a few weeks.
Granny: If people want to buy your
book, where can they find it?
Osman Karriem: They will be able to buy the book as
an e-book on any popular platforms, but the hardcover will be out soon.
Granny: Maybe, I can do a review of
your book when it comes out. Can people purchase your foil art from your
Facebook page?
Osman Karriem: Yes, they can contact me there. I
wanted to let you know that I am also involved in a web series called Beyond
Desperation. Damon Darrell is the writer, producer and director of the series. I am the assistant director and I play the character Isaiah Turner.
Granny: Are you on YouTube?
Osman Karriem: Yes, I am.
Granny: I will make sure to share this
with my readers.
Osman Karriem: Pull up episode thirteen and you can
see me. Damon Darrell is a brilliant director.
Granny: It was a pleasure speaking with you and I’ll have to thank my granddaughter, Allie, for introducing us. I will make sure to share your site with everyone and when you get your webpage updated, send it to me. You said you would also display your music on your website and I’ll be looking forward to checking it out. Thank you so much, Osman.
Osman Karriem: Thank you.
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