Today we’d like to introduce you to Mione Plant.
Mione, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I am a Dallas-based artist, who previously worked as an engineer for 10 years at a Fortune 500 tech company. Although I enjoyed my work, I felt fueled by a need for greater creative expression. I began painting and donating my work to the families that Dwell with Dignity serves. I loved witnessing the impact that joyful paintings, with a positive underlying message, can bring to children and their parents.
Now I paint everyday, and thrive off telling stories through my artwork. Creating pieces that bring joy and lightness, but also hold meaning and tell a story, is what I strive to do. I select cheerful subjects, bright colors, and incorporate highly detailed and precise brushstrokes (the former engineer in me!) to bring a smile to my viewers, of all ages. As a mom to a three year old, I am constantly inspired by a child-like sense of wonder.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I create artwork inspired by small or simple things with hidden or big meaning. Every work comes from a place of curiosity, humor, or intrigue, and helps me express the constant metaphors I see my world through. I often find I can’t adequately express this beauty through my words, and am discovering that my artwork is a safe and happy place to convey these common truths.
For example, ‘Ephemeral Bloom’ is inspired by a real cactus that only blooms one day of each year. What a magnificent metaphor for the hidden beauty and potential held within each of us that just needs the right time to emerge. This piece also depicts that some things are just worth waiting for. Which is a funny note coming from me as I’m incredibly impatient. Yet somehow when I’m painting I don’t mind spending the time on the tiniest of details. They build up to something powerful.
My meaning and process are often serious but my work is jovial and meant to elicit smiles. Or a connection to a happy memory of the viewer’s childhood, or a fondness over a much cherished object. I think the former engineer in me gravitates towards precision. A ruler is a staple in the layout phase of my works. But after that I feel free even as I apply finely detailed brushstrokes.
What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
Life can get super serious real quick, and I personally love a moment of relief, levity, or anything that brings out the inner child in me. I’m inspired by the opportunity to bring laughter or a genuine smile to viewers of my work. I gravitate towards subjects that are light and cheerful. At the same time, I continually seek moments of personal connection with my environment and my community. I am motivated to share stories through my work that depict these moments of authentic connection, something I think we are all seeking.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I’m so excited to have my first public work on display – a 14’x14′ mural in West Village. You can also find my complete portfolio and works for sale on my website www.mioneplant.com. And be sure to follow me on Instagram @mioneplant to see works in progress. In addition, I’m happy to share that canvas and paper prints of my work are now available through www.canvaskick.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mioneplant.com/
- Email: mione@mioneplant.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mioneplant/
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