Expansion & Investment

For many artists, art is both a refuge to and from the outside world. We have the unique ability to create from a vulnerable state, where visuals are our preferred method of communication. We communicate thoughts, feelings, and emotions through the use of our materials and mediums without the confinement of everyday speech. Hints of our artistic disposition can even be traced throughout our childhood. After all, creative curiosity is a part of our cognitive development throughout our lifespans.

As we grow older and mature in our respective practices, we periodically ask ourselves, “what am I creating” and “who am I creating for?” We question our growth and artistic direction to determine if our ‘why’ aligns with our current state. And each time we reach these crossroads, we have the opportunity to reinvent ourselves and apply our recent life experiences to compliment the details. We get to sit with ourselves and redefine what statement(s) we are currently making with our art.

This moment came to me in 2019 when I had the realization that being an artist is a proactive state - a continuous journey of transformation. I had reached a creative plateau and rarely connected with the artwork I was creating, even though I knew it would be well-received by my audience. I was restricting myself with the expectations and desires of others while only scratching the surface of who I was as an artist and storyteller. I realized that being an artist is more than just creating beautiful artwork, it's about creating a universal language, an actual story, that connects parts of myself and my artwork with the viewer. It's about the meaning and intention behind what we create, no matter how large or small.

With this revelation, I started searching introspectively. I quickly became captivated with the stories I wanted to tell and the ways I could tell them and less concerned about the stories that others wanted to consume. I wanted to expand as an artist and invest in my art practice through reflection, reimagination, and reinvention.

Reflection: Start From Within To Expand

In taking a step back to determine the source of my creative blockage, my goal was to determine why some of my works resonated more with me than others. I took inventory of my artwork created over the past 7 years, focusing on how I felt while creating and after it was finished. I had no connection with some paintings but had a deep connection with others, as if I had a time machine and was feeling all of the emotions I wanted to hide or portray in them. I noticed that my artistic process felt different when I would experiment with

Hilltop Wright

Jazmine McFadden's Workspace

Summer Breeze Dolls stickers by Addie Rawr

Mahyue Study #13 by Sasha-Loriene

Kaliah Hekima, Hekima's Studio

Mahyue doodle by Sasha-Loriene

different kinds of materials and techniques and create artwork that held the feelings I kept inside. Those qualities were very nostalgic, exhibiting a childlike euphoria even though I created them at various stages of my adulthood. It was like those paintings had an actual heartbeat.

During this process, I had no idea that I was actually doing inner child work and reconnecting with my original self - the girl who freely created independent of the status quo. I grew up extremely shy and introverted, but enjoyed communicating with lines, colors, and shapes instead of words. That was how I made sense of myself and others. I began to understand how all of my artistic endeavors actually stemmed from my wants and desires, as well as my aversion and trauma, as a little girl. It helped me to unpack why I wasn’t creating the type of artwork that aligned with me and figure out a way to reconnect to a time that I was. I also found patterns and made connections with how I have always operated as a person and how I express myself as an artist. I gained much insight into the kind of artist I wanted to be, and honestly, already was.

Reimagination: Think Differently To Exist Differently

In the midst of my inner child work, I noticed how variations of my childhood doodle were prominent in most of my sketches, meeting notes from work, and original paintings. It always resembled a little girl in a dress, sometimes having hair or a crown. I spent more time with this doodle to find it’s deeper meaning if it had one. I wanted to name it. I knew she was a little girl so I decided to name her ‘Mahyue,’ the word for ‘girl’ in the Bassa dialect (Liberia) that my mother called me throughout my childhood and still to this day.

I also realized that Mahyue wasn’t just some sketch that I doodled when I was bored. She was actually a visual representation of my inner child.

Mahyue helped me to see the connections in my life and understand the bigger picture. Some things have a season, but ultimately everything has a reason. Mahyue encouraged me to create the vehicles of change that I lacked as a child, including BLACK GIRLS WHO PAINT (BGWP) and every program or initiative attached to it. She also encouraged me to live a life full of alignment while reminding me that I already was doing so, I just had to change my perspective. She helped me realize that if I get to define my own success without the attachment to a rigid timeline, as inner child work isn't linear. It's more of a way that helped me understand that my subconscious tends to work for me and not always against me. I realized that the work I was doing in my life, art practice, and creative projects was just beginning. Constantly connecting with and affirming Mahyue not only helped me move through creative blocks and combat imposter syndrome, but craft an art practice that felt as good as it looked.

Reinvention: Create, Invest, Repeat

One of my mantras in life and art is “when we see ourselves, we believe in ourselves and encourage others to do the same.” As such, I'm excited to announce the official launch of Mahyue Studios, a creative agency that encourages artists to reacquaint themselves with their inner child through the lens of Mahyue. I’m focusing on the art of being, as opposed to performing, to enhance both the artist and studio practice. Mahyue Studios is also the parent organization of BGWP, as BGWP is Mahyue’s community of Black women artists that she is finally seeing. Some things to look forward to this year with Mahyue Studios includes:

Mahyue Artist Sketchbook: A 90 day sketchbook and journal designed for artists to cultivate creative habits and inner child work that enriches the artist practice Paint and Parler Series: A 6 week Creative Workshop Series that encourages artists to find, name, and reclaim their inner child – our most authentic self before our experiences shaped our reality.

Essentially, my artwork is a byproduct of myself that stems from my childhood experiences and how I make sense of the world around me. Even though this is a glimpse into my journey, every artist has a journey that tends to overlap and coincide with others. I believe artists deserve to live in their purpose, tell their own stories, and have sustainable art practices. I aim to see this occur with Mahyue Studios.

Artists experience creative plateaus and artist blocks during multiple points of our practice. This is a part of the process. These periods teach us about ourselves and prepare us for our next stage. We plant our own seeds in these moments because being an artist is less not about the admiration you receive from others and more about the longer jounery that does not necessarily have an exact destination.

Mastery comes from years of experience, practice, and growth. It takes time to develop your artistic voice and style, let alone build consistency and alignment within your practice. If you’re currently experiencing a plateau in your practice, know that you’re not alone. Spend time with yourself - your 'why' and your 'how.' Reconnect with your inner child and get back to the basics of what truly fulfills you as an artist. Remember to reflect, reimagine, and reinvent yourself as many times as you need to.

Wherever your journey takes you, know that you are a living manifestation of your inner child's wildest dreams at every step. Give yourself grace and keep going.

Written by Sasha-Loriene

Mahyue Study #14 by Sasha-Loriene

Bri Simpson

Oil Study by Aielle Lang, King Beazus