Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Miche’al Jones.
Hi Renee, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
All people are born with the ability to be creative. It’s a part of the curious nature of human beings. Yet, that curiosity and playful imagination have to be nurtured. I received that support. I tell people I am the multi-artist I am today because my mother provided the tools. She always bought me toys that aided my creativity. I was the one on the street who received the weaving loom, string art set, or paint kit, and oh, I can’t begin to tell you how many coloring books I had. I remember Mom used to drill me to color in the lines in the same direction. I use the same drill with my students today. I had jewelry-making kits, and the prize of it all was my pink Singer sewing machine purchased from Sears and Roebuck. That was the beginning of my journey. I would sit and cut old clothes to make clothes for my multitude of Barbie dolls. Eventually, I ended up sewing my clothes in high school. I would use the hallways for my runway.
Mom also took me to the annual Johnson & Johnson’s Ebony Fashion Fair. Oh, how I longed to be one of the models on the stage. After the show, I would come home and practice my walk, but the flowing dresses and the beautiful colors really stole my heart. So, I tried to make clothing like I saw on the stage. These were the beginning designs that I wore in the school hallways. I also wanted to duplicate the fashion shows, so in my junior year of high school, I proposed that the school allow me to start a fashion club. Because I was in love with the French language, I called it Les Plus Beau, “The Most Beautiful.” We had one fashion show each semester, and of course, I went to town sewing and designing. I was also deep in Theater in school. I had performed on the stage since I received my first Black History Week request, where I portrayed Althea Gibson, the African American tennis player.
I always participated in the oratorical contests, and if I didn’t win each time, you could bet I was in the top two. So, in high school, I continued acting and was often the “lead” actress, so I always performed on stage. Everyone knew it was the thing I loved. We used to attend theater tournaments in Plano, and I remember one time I was just about to perform a dramatic interpretation when the door cracked and closed quickly, and you could hear some students outside shouting, “She’s here! She’s here!” I never stopped performing from the first time I was bit by the bug at age six. I wanted to attend Julliard, so I begged my Theater teacher to help me put a tape together to submit for the preliminaries. We did. I didn’t get in. I was so hurt. All I wanted to do was perform on the stage and the television. The rejection made me doubt myself and my talents. So, at the suggestion of my math teacher, Mr. David Cole, I decided to go to college to study Computer Programming cause “It’s the future.” I was not fond of it at all. Though I was designing flowcharts, it was lonely in the labs. There was no opportunity for me to be seen and to shine.
After one semester, I decided to change my major and pursue my next passion: fashion. I loved designing and creating. I served as the Fashion Club Business Liaison. I was required to go into the community to find people working in the business and invite them to our meetings to inform the students of the opportunities available in the field. While serving in this capacity, I presented an opportunity for fashion students to design aviation uniforms for a local airline in Pflugerville, TX. I also partnered with the buyer of the U.T. Co-op on Guadalupe so interested students could display and sell their designs. We could brand, market, and merchandise the clothing on the floor. We were all successful. Of course, I aided in producing fashion shows and initiated the inclusion of a fashion insert in the campus newspaper, The Daily Texan. While in fashion, I discovered African textiles via my Fashion History class. We were supposed to find a culture to study their technique. I completed the project on Dahomey and Benin applique banners and the process and representation of the banners. It is one of the workshops I currently offer through the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture as one of their C.A.P. artists.
I didn’t give up on Theater, though. While in college, I took every class I was allowed to take as a non-theater major. I left the University of Texas before completing my last semester. I was still enrolled but completed the semester absent from campus. I moved to Houston, where I embarked upon a journey as a head tailor in collaboration with another Black woman in the business. We were supposed to produce customized leather clothing for athletes and celebrities. It didn’t quite make it off the ground. While in Houston, I began clothing lines and participated in fashion shows. My lines were Nookie J’s Swimwear, S.E.R. (She’s Ever Real) Ready-to-Wear, and Renee Miche’al Jones Haute Couture. I received offers from a couple of elite boutiques to carry my wear. I returned to Dallas when I had my first child. Though I continued designing, I returned to acting, got an agent, and started building my resume with commercials, industrial films, and television/films. I also traveled with the Shelly Garrett Entertainment, performing on stage in Barber Shop and Battered Love; in 2014, I was called back for “Battered but Not Boken” and “Ain’t No Love Like a Mother’s Love.”
To this day, I have not stopped performing and creating. I have numerous stage credits and have had the pleasure of having roles in several independent local films. The most recognizable films would be Arthur Muhammad’s “Carter High” and “‘Lil Voices.” As a result of my fashion clothing expertise and theater experience, local independent theaters would ask me to design costumes, one of which I am a company member, Soul Rep Theater. In 2005, I started working with the City of Dallas N.T.P. program, offering cultural theater residencies under my organization Roots for Youth. It is a cognitive learning program whereby I provide cultural experiences through interdisciplinary art. The Roots for Youth African Children’s Theater performed for the City Arts Festival from 2008-2011, for which I created the costumes. During COVID-19, after working as a teaching artist for over two decades, I decided to obtain my teaching certification in Theater and started teaching at Lancaster I.S.D. West Main Elementary Fine Arts Academy and the Barack and Michele Obama Ninth Grade Center (BAMO), before being called in to interview for the Costume Director at Booker T Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts, where I am currently enjoying the opportunity to gift the students with what I know and in turn I receive inspiration from them to rekindle and continue my artistic journey.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Humph! No, it has not been a smooth road. I completed my Bachelor of Science in my latter years. When I stated that I was still enrolled in U.T. but studying off campus, I didn’t know if that was the worst mistake in my life or not. I left to pursue the business with the other female entrepreneur I mentioned. Yet, I was unsuccessful while trying to start the business and finish my last semester off campus. I finished the classes, but only one, which I did not pass. It was history. Big up to all historians. You can have it. I presumed I did okay in the class and could move on with my life. The loan payment notifications started after being away from campus for six months. I was a striving artist with no money. Of course, you request the deferment, but it’s still a debt. I contacted the school one day for my transcript so I could get a job, and they told me I could not get it because I owed them money. I was distraught. On top of that, they revealed that I did not pass the class and, therefore, had no degree. Yes, I was that close, but I missed it by one class.
I had my first child when I was twenty-five, right amid my progress as a local designer in Houston. My son’s father was on probation; it was revoked, and here I was, pregnant with no one around, so I returned to Dallas to live with my mother. That was not a kosher relationship. Though I mentioned her providing the jumpstart to my art life, it was not a nurturing household. So, I found a job at the Texas Department of Health and Human Services and moved me and my three-year-old child into our apartment. It was tough. I still did not have that degree, though I had over 120 credit hours. The financial hardships were the reason I ended up traveling.
I wanted to be somebody. I thought leaving Dallas and traveling across the nation would help me be seen, and someone would pick me up and start me on the journey to fame on the big screen. Due to financial issues, the tour was cut short. We only hit some of the states initially on the list. I focused on local theater and the gigs my agent, Ivett Stone, would send me. However, I was still a single mother who had to provide for her son. My mother and sister would help out; that was a blessing. But, the relationships were still quite rocky. Neither of them truly got me, if you know what I mean. I was different, and they were the same. I say they were like, “Two peas in a pod.”
Time passed, and I couldn’t get my degree because the school wanted me to pay so much per month, and I did not have it. I was making ends meet the best I could with what I had, and what I had was my talent. I devised all kinds of programs utilizing my skills with textiles and theater. Thankfully, the Office of Arts and Culture always accepted my proposed programs, and I continued to work as a teaching artist. These opportunities kept me afloat. When I finally received a job as an administrative assistant in public education, this was when so many people would tell me I needed to teach. Still, I wanted to keep my schedule open enough to be able to audition and take on gigs. I had my second child fourteen years later while still struggling financially, and I knew I had to do something different. I kept trying to call the university for help. I wanted to re-enroll so I could get my degree. First, they wanted $1000/month. Then they said $500/month. I could do neither. I wanted and needed to get my degree to better our lives.
My younger son attended St. Phillip’s School and Community Center in South Dallas on a partial scholarship. One day, I saw a flyer/brochure for a free college course in Humanities. I decided to enroll. After completing the course on May 11, 2015, I knew I had to keep inquiring about completing my bachelor’s. There was no way I could continue to let this one class hold me down after so many years. While working for DeSoto ISD as an administrative assistant, I talked to the student loan people, making arrangements for my minimal payments. The lady asked if she could help me with anything else. I told her, “Yeah, you can help me pay off U.T. so I can get back into school and finish my degree so I can get a higher-paying job.” She asked if I had consolidated.
Nevertheless, this conversation catapulted me on my journey after such a long and arduous life. I consolidated my loans and no longer owed U.T. I contacted them and spoke to an advisor, only to find out that my one class (due to being away for so many years) had turned into an entire semester of fifteen hours. I couldn’t go back to Austin for a semester. I had a life; I had children. So, I was approved to take that semester through the Dallas County Community College system, and U.T. would accept credits unrelated to my major. They were courses like business, statistics, etc. Finally, I received a bachelor’s in Human Ecology on May 19, 2018. I know, many people are like, “What’s that?” Several universities offer Human Ecology. At U.T., it was from the Department of Natural Sciences. With this degree, you can delve into a lot. It was better than a degree with only a fashion focus. Human ecology is like the study of what people go through in their communities. It could be scientific, artistic, psychological, or even economical, like in business. The bottom line is that it is similar to the degrees of family and consumerism people get. So, I liken it to Maslow’s hierarchy and the needs of humans. People need clothing. That falls under the physiological base needs, and then the need for money is a matter of safety, security, and so on. My degree opened several doors. All I had already achieved in fashion and theater aligned with the degree.
I decided to continue growing myself and completed an associate in business management in 2019 from Richland Community College. Then, I entered graduate school, obtaining my Master of Science in Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology from Northcentral University on May 29, 2022. While in attendance, I kept my GPA at 3.9 while completing my alternative certification to become a Texas state-certified teacher in K-12 Theater Education. I also joined the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I obtained an International Leadership in Action and Discovery (ILIAD) certificate on May 1, 2018, from the University of California Los Angeles and an International Honors Certificate in Global Entrepreneurship on April 24, 2018. In other words, I did not let the hardships as a single mother keep me down once the doors of opportunity opened, and I realized I could still obtain my education despite being in my mid-life years.
Though I don’t regret my journey, I gave up my acting career unintentionally when I became a member of the Nation of Islam.
I was very immersed in my spirituality and didn’t focus as much on my acting. When I became a member, it was dead smack in the middle of my rise in the acting business. I had just finished a couple of episodes of Walker Texas Ranger, Barney, a T.V. mini-series, and I was on my way to California to keep riding the wave, no pun intended. A young man I met on the set of Walker had offered me to stay with him and his daughters until I could make it on my own. He also spoke to his manager and agent about representing me. It was on! I was packed and ready to go but allowed someone to sway me to stay. I don’t regret my journey in the Nation, but I regret not following my dream when the door opened. My local agent transitioned, and I have never gotten another agent. I have been working as an independent. I keep saying I will get another agent, but there always seems to be some holdback. However, all this is in the past. I wouldn’t say I like to dwell on it because my life is swell now, and I am constantly evolving. I have been on a new spiritual journey since 2012, and the UnIverse has listened and provided ever since.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
As I mentioned, I am a multi-artist. I am a long-time actress, fashion designer, textile artist, and children’s book writer. I am an artist, and like Ms. Badu says, “I’m sensitive about my…” I love creating. There’s a song in the Broadway musical Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk called “Sumthin’ from Nuthin’.” That song is my mantra! I get the most incredible thrill from taking something that appears to be nothing and creating it into something spectacular. I won’t recant my theatrical or fashion journey, but I will speak on my textiles and children’s books. At UT, I wanted to get my doctorate in Textiles. I’ve always loved science, mainly Chemistry. I wanted to learn more about the development of fabrics and specialty fabrics to provide needed functions or solve everyday problems. I love merging what I’ve learned about various African textiles and incorporating them into textile/fabric designs. I love telling stories through textiles. As an actress, I am a storyteller. Re-enacting life’s stories is what Theater is all about. However, I also am a local storyteller. Telling stories is how we maintain our legacies through stories.
My focus while obtaining my master’s was cultural identity. So, I use the platform of writing children’s books to promote cultural identity to youth, specifically African American youth. My first published book was, “AlphaBlack.” It had been in the files since the 90s. My older son inspired the book and my desire to guide children in cultural identity. We were watching a truck commercial. It featured a Masai warrior. My son was only five, and he said, “Eewww! He’s ugly!” I said, “No, he isn’t. That is your brother of Africa.” He said, “He’s not my brother. He’s black, and I’m brown. I tried to tell him we were all black. He said, “Unh, unh. He’s black. I’m brown. You’re orange, and my daddy is brown.” From the mouths of babes, right? My second book is a children’s journal entitled, “Picture Me This!” It is an art journal to help parents understand what goes on in the minds of their children. Years ago, I conceptualized the journal when a friend of mine had a stepdaughter whom she suspected someone was molesting. We talked about how we could find out without upsetting the child. I suggested encouraging her to draw, so I provided my friend with crayons and drawing pads because we could not find an actual journal appropriate for her age. If I recall, she was seven years old. I decided no one else would have to go without finding an adequate journal, so I created one. It took too many years before it was finally published. Both books are available on Amazon, and I finished a third book, which will be out soon. It is part of a four-book series that provides parenting tips. This book is entitled “T.T. the Toddler,” and it is about a two-year-old who will soon be three. It references all that a parent may experience with a toddler.
I had my first art exhibit this past summer. It was called “Messages of the Soul: Adinkra Symbology.” I’m already conceptualizing my next exhibit. I like to incorporate interactive art. It is a spin-off from African Theater. If you’ve ever paid close attention, the many ceremonies and festivals of Africa are very theatrical with the djeli’s relating the historical stories, or the call and response chanting between the performers and the audience, or even how the members in the circle of the audience, will come into the circle to dance with the performers. It is all interactive. So, keeping with my ancient culture, I incorporate interactive experiences for those who come to any production I create, whether theatrical or visual. I also continue the art of storytelling by using the textiles to tell my story, our stories, as a people of African descent. For the previous exhibit, I had an ancestral dress. It was all white with small miniature pockets. I provided slips of paper with which people could write an ancestor’s name. Then, they would slip it into one of the pockets. As the names began to increase, the garment was no longer all white, but the writing provided a textile print. Once all pockets are completed, I intend to stitch the pockets closed and complete the dress with an additional textile application.
As a City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture artist, I provide textile workshops. Anyone who is a resident of the City of Dallas and is having an event in the city limits can go to the website and request my services.
I offer Adinkra stamping (West African), Adire’ tie-dying (Nigerian), Applique (Benin), Batik (Residency only), and my favorite, Inking, inspired by the Senegalese warriors. The village women would stitch Quranic recitations or words of prayer into the warriors’ jackets before sending them out to war so that Allah’s grace covered them and they returned home safely. Well, I saw this as words of positive affirmation. So, as a conflict resolution workshop, I show participants how to take words of affirmation of positive energy and incorporate them into a textile. I am very thankful to the OAC for the opportunity to provide Dallas citizens with knowledge of African textiles. I firmly believe in cultural studies and the understanding of cultural diversity. Providing the knowledge through the workshops and my textile arts allows me to provide a platform for discussion and growth among humanity. When we learn about each other, we greatly appreciate one another. Art is therapeutic. In the future, I plan to become certified as an interdisciplinary art therapist, merging my love of art, my psychology studies, and my cultural appreciation.
What does success mean to you?
Well, indeed, I am a living example that we cannot define success by money alone. Success is different for each individual. For me, success is never giving up. Success is knowing what you want to achieve and doing everything it takes to obtain it. I could have said I was too old to go back to school. I could have done like many parents and decided to give up on my dream, only to live vicariously through my children. No, that was not an option for me. Even today, though I am grooming young costume and fashion designers, I still pursue my dream of becoming discovered. Success is making progress. Moving from one position to another, no matter how small the increments may be. I often tell my students, “How do you eat an elephant?” (My favorite African proverb.) The answer: “One bite at a time.” Watching the grass grow, you will never see the growth. But living day by day and being observant, you eventually know the grass is taller. It is the same with your success. Don’t try to quantify it. Just live, and don’t give up on yourself. You will one day look back and be amazed and proud of your accomplishments. Yes, that is what success is to me, “never relinquishing your dream.” If you are breathing, then breathe life into your dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: reneemichealjones.com
- Instagram: fashions_by_reneemicheal
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lionhafsa
- Youtube: @reneemichealjones7095
Image Credits
Jay Stork
