The artist’s inspiration comes from the growth and preservation of his community. His work is focused on art sustainability and creating platforms for other community artists to showcase their art. Through co-founding the organization, Crowd Control Collective, Bashir is connecting artists and creatives to the Greater Seattle art scene—creating community through collaboration.

“Growing up in DC, I was heavily encouraged by my community members to follow my dreams—to be an artist and make it big. As a person of color from a poor neighborhood, I understand it can be difficult to find support and reach your goals. My community pushed me to be active, participate, learn, and grow.

This influence of community building and African American culture is present in my art. The  face archetype is a symbol of a person within that helps creates growth around it, which in return helps creates opportunities for communities to succeed. I stay motivated towards my dreams through energy I gain when involving myself in various communities throughout Seattle.

My goal is not to change the energy of a neighborhood, but to help preserve the culture that already thrives in communities of color.  I want to revive the energy and motivation in these communities through supporting people and their dreams. I want to promote underrepresented artist and musicians. I want to connect artists with a supportive network that brings creatives together.”

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The work really calls for community involvement and togetherness. 

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And the intensions of the work are for my art to connect with each other, and to remind us how we brighten up each other's day, and how we should hold onto one another while we're building community.

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Tasty cloud is a connection of all of us, showing how we flow with one another as clouds do.  The varieties of colors reflect different qualities of people, and speak to how we communicate with one another.  The different faces are representations of various emotions and  experiences that we express, but the most important thing that Tasty Cloud is, is the allocation of space within the works, and how it represents, when given the opportunity, black artists will shine and grow.  

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AfroSPK painted his Tasty Cloud motif into the "R" in the Seattle BLACK LIVES MATTER mural.

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The Black Lives Matter mural being painted on East Pine Street is quickly taking shape Thursday evening. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times

Image 1 : https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/photo-gallery-seattle-area-protests-thursday-june-11/

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DETAIL:

"The finished “R” in the word Matter on Pine Street. (Amanda Snyder / The Seattle Times)"

Image 21 :  https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/photo-gallery-seattle-protests-friday-june-12/