Today we’d like to introduce you to Mercedes Lewis.
Mercedes was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. In her early childhood she moved around a lot but she claims Texas as her home. Art was one thing that was always familiar to her despite the all the unfamiliar places she moved to. She began exploring her creativity early in her childhood from posting fashion sketches on the wall in her bedroom to sculpting abstract figures for art shows. She always felt the need to be a part of a creative project.
By the end of her high school career, she received a Scholastic Award for her artwork. She also was an active member of the National Art Honor Society. Upon graduation, she received a scholarship to attend the Savannah College of Art and design to further cultivate her skills in art.
She completed her B.F.A degree at SCAD with a concentration in Animation in 2014. She returned back to Dallas, Texas to start her own business and focus on her craft and skills to further develop her skills as an artist.
Mercedes started her own company and she is currently the owner of Geminichi LLC. She uses this opportunity to utilize her creative talents in the entertainment, commercial, government, and military industries.
Her most recent project is the “I Don’t See Color Series” which is her most recent abstract mixed media painting series. Mercedes’ concentration is creating works that bring awareness to African American history, racial issues & culture. This series is currently being displayed in traveling art showcases and events.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I create abstract mixed media art pieces to bring awareness to African American issues, history and culture. With each piece that I create, I research prior to creating each piece to learn more about my own ancestry prior to creating each art piece. This is what inspires me to be the artist that I am today. My great-grandmother was a slave that picked cotton. I am aware that there will always be pieces of history that will be lost due to colonialism and slavery. I may never learn everything about my true ancestry but there is always something new for me to learn about being an African American. This is what inspires me to continue to create my art. It’s not only an artistic journey it’s a journey of self-exploration.
I create with this concentration in mind because the knowledge history and culture has influenced our modern day society in more ways that we may learn in public school education. I want to challenge others to bring up concepts and leaders that aren’t taught to us in our western educated society.
My art is created to inspire others to research more about African American history and culture. I want to influence other artists to speak up for what they believe in and stay true to their own ideas, roots, and culture. With my art, I focus on concepts and people that make me proud to be African American. My goal is for people to learn something new about black history and culture through my artwork.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
I think that at times it may seem as though it can be lonely because a lot of us work best alone. I would say try to view it as being therapeutic instead of being lonely. Some advice I would give is join different art groups, life drawing classes, volunteer in the community, go to other artists showcases and events. Networking is really key for artists so if you can be social and build your business connections it can only help your business and clientele grow.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can see my work at local art shows in the Dallas, TX area and current traveling showcases. You can view upcoming events and showcases on my website www.mercedeslewis.com or for more recent news my social media accounts Facebook and Instagram @mercedeslewisart. The best way to support my art besides making a purchase would be to share and invite people to my upcoming showcases or events. I appreciate any feedback whether it’s via social media, email or come speak to me at any of my showcases.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.mercedeslewis.com
- Phone: 9723306576
- Email: cedeslewis@gmail.com
- Instagram: @mercedeslewisart
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/mercedeslewisart/
- Twitter: @cedeslewis
- Other: https://www.behance.net/gallery/48133109/I-DONT-SEE-COLOR-SERIES
Image Credit:
Chris Lewis, Miguel Olivares
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
