ThaWilsonBlock Magazine Issue59 (Berry Edition / January 2018)

Page 48

Pop Art Painter Ieesha Naeema talks Musical Influences, Entrepreneurship, and Her Creative Process …(Ieesha Naeema answer continued)

is a process and you have to respect

the ar tist and their own As an ar tist, you have the challenge of

process….because each ar tist is

creating what you want but also

unique.

creating ar t that others will want to buy. A major pet peeve, as an ar tist, is

Mistah Wilson: What are some more of the

having someone constantly tell you

rewarding things that you've experienced?

what you should paint. We’re sensitive

Ieesha Naeema: It’s weird to know

as hell and it’s almost offensive. Like,

that people and other ar tists have

no I’ll paint what I want to paint

reached out to me for advice. Like, I

lol…if I don’t listen to Aretha

do not consider myself an exper t. I

Franklin’s music, I don’t want to paint

don’t know all of the correct

her. Now, I’ve painted musicians who

terminology for paint brushes, colors,

most people wouldn’t listen to and I’d

etc. I’m still to this day tr ying to

be surprised to actually sell those

figure out how to properly price

paintings. But I’m ok with potentially

paintings and shipping costs. But it’s

not selling them because when I

definitely rewarding to have others

created them, I was helping myself

say that you’re an inspiration. I’ve had

cope with whatever I had going on at

people come to my shows and tell me

that time. And that’s what people

that they’ve been following my work

have to realize. More than likely, an

for a long time. Like, that’s crazy! I

ar tist is creating because we need an

star ted doing this to make myself feel

outlet. Whether we’re sad, happy,

better and to know that my ar t brings

mad, whatever….we need to get it out

out emotions in others is

on that canvas….and if it becomes

mindboggling. I never expected to

forced….it either turns out horrible

have an impact on anyone with my

or we won’t do it at all. I tell people

ar t. And the fact that I have other

all the time…I paint because it’s

dope ar tists who reach out to me and

therapeutic. The money from it is just

show me love….that speaks volumes …

a bonus. So I don’t need people dictating how I should paint, what I should paint and how I go about selling my work. Ever ything about ar t


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