What pivotal moments or experiences led you to become the visual artist you are today?

The pivotal moment in my art career occurred when I released my attachment to the outcome of my artistic journey. In my mid-to late-20s, as I began to engage in inner work, I discovered a sense of peace in just being in a state of being, as seen in my work “The Road to Reflection.” Taking the time to focus on myself added a new layer to my art. This personal journey, combined with my experiences traveling the world, working and participating in the humanitarian and environmental sector, has profoundly influenced my creative expression.

In your statement, you mentioned that your works aim for viewers to reconsider their assumptions about identity, coexistence, and perception. Could you elaborate on these approaches and how you developed these concepts visually?

Through my photography and graphic art, I aim to approach it with the theme being "expect the unexpected" by focusing on subjects that are overlooked.

For example, in my digital art piece titled "Day," I emphasize the coexistence of nature and humans through an introverted lens. In the artwork, a woman looks away from the sun instead of embracing it, symbolizing her internal struggle with self-perception. The sun represents the spotlight—a beacon of light that some people find difficult to handle. By using my art subjects as an allegory to visualize the narrative in my art, I can effectively tell a story that connects us all to the natural world.

In "Day," the vibrant patterns and distorted face illustrate the internal struggle of the self while attempting to find harmony with nature. As an introvert, I find it easier to express themes of peaceful isolation, the wallflower effect, and reflection. I do this by channelling my emotions and incorporating nature or the subject’s environment in my photos to better convey these themes.

Can you tell us more about your process of using mixed media to challenge societal narratives? How does your choice of mediums contribute to the message and emotional impact of your work?

The baseline of my work comes from an emotional standpoint, an idea that brings my image to life.

For example, in “Emotions Through Nature,” I did a trial and error of different mixes of nature to use to describe the missing connection we feel with nature in the city. When we breathe in air, do we even stop to think how that would translate as a nature scene? This process can feel difficult to explain, but that’s what art is for. Art can bridge the gap between feeling and thought.

What can you tell us about the series of mixed-media collages, Pigeons who have the world? What is the framework that gave life to the visual narrative and composition of the work?

Sometimes, the process is a ding moment, where I add on instances of nature to tell a story. It can take me multiple rounds of photoshopping different elements to get the final product.

Think of my work as a plain board. I just try to combine my art in a formula of the base, the meat of the photo's message, and the cherry on top that gives the photo a fresh look, but for this image, I generated a rustic theme with a twist. In this instance, the main characters in this image are the pigeons, who realize that for once, they are in the driver's seat while being far away from the city life. While the image is based on a human perspective, it challenges all of us to think about how animals experience emotion. And with my process, it's refreshing to see what the final product is after my thought process.

One aspect of your practice is its focus on perspectives that are often ignored. What motivates you to focus on these marginalized voices, and how do you ensure that your work is both respectful and empowering?

What motivates me stems from my perspective as a neurodivergent African-American.

Respect for the balance of power is very important to me in my digital art and photos. That’s why, without rewriting someone’s story in my digital art, I combine different symbols in a piece to tell a fictional story of what could have been.

However, there’s also a fine line in doing this as well when it comes to, for example, street photography. I dive into street photography and digital art, but the difference between the two lies in the aspect of street photography being raw and real, while still not promoting the story in a demeaning way, but as awareness for what our society fails to address. There are limits on what to take photos of, but the mission is to awaken people and send a call to action to help people. If we can't help each other, how can we collectively help our planet?

You use layered compositions and thought-provoking symbolism to create art that serves as a means of dialogue, reflection, and social critique. Can you share specific examples of how your work has sparked conversations?

“The Road to Reflection" is a prime example of art that invites convo about our connection to mental health and nature, such as:

1. What does your road to reflection look like?

2. What does it mean to have a figure holding a mirror within someone’s eye?

3. Could the whales remind us of how we’re all connected to nature?

This critique can lead to discussions about all of our duties to keep the planet safe, and how our mental state influences our external world.

You've received prestigious awards for your work, including the Premier Art Prize and the Harmony for Humanity: The Global Consciousness Art Prize. How has this recognition influenced your artistic practice, and what impact do you believe your work has had on the contemporary art space?

The recognition is just a sign to keep going. I don’t let these things get to my head, but I have noticed an increase in my work gaining recognition, but I simply keep things moving and don’t look back. I only smell the present and look toward the future.

I believe my impact in the art space challenges the male gaze and opens another section of intersectionality in ecofeminist art to flourish.

What are you currently working on, and what new themes or perspectives are you exploring in your upcoming projects?

Currently, I’m perfecting my photography skills and have recently had my work published this month in Artells and Vigour Magazine. The theme for my work was black-and-white photography in nature. The message? It’s about the relationship between a woman and the bustling nature surrounding her in an arboretum in Baltimore, MD, USA. The city life blends nature in its scenes, but in a more visible perspective through the eyes of a woman.

Now, I’m preparing for exhibitions and enjoying myself in the process of remixing my graphic design art with my previous works. You can call it art remixing haha!

Art and artists play various roles in the fabric of contemporary society. How do you see artistic practices advancing sustainability and social consciousness?

As we advance as a collective consciousness, art's translation of our world's simplicity will be key to understanding the beauty of never taking our world for granted. Artistic practices have the power to invoke strong feelings of gratitude, and belonging, but reveal society’s tough need to make our planet feel safe.

Personifying nature at times can be incredibly personal as the world shifts toward an SDG 2030 mindset.

Just like change, the world waits for no one. Art also has the power to illustrate a new world of possibilities when used for the greater good of humanity.

What message or call to action would you like to share with our readers?

If you have not done so, explore the relationship between ecofeminism and climate justice, as they are inextricably linked.

In my eyes, the more we explore the parallels between ecofeminism and art, the more we can understand the importance of treating feminine energy on our planet.

Learn more about the artist here.

Cover image:

The World is Weird by Misha Nicholas.

All images courtesy of Misha Nicholas.