Today we’d like to introduce you to Edith.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
EdiiArtwork started well before I ever discovered the true healing that art provides. In truth, art has been apart of my life since a very young age. My mom always says that she remembers me observing the world and creating with whatever I could find as young as 3 years old; in fact, I have drawings dating back to 1st grade.
Art became a large part of my world in 5th and 6th grade, as a way of understanding and coping with the depth of sadness, grief, and anger I felt growing up in dysfunctional spaces. During this time, there were many transitions happening, including the separation of my parents, moving from Dallas to Rockwall, and discovering what it meant to be Black and have a larger, much different body than my peers. Art became my safe haven and I began to express my inner feelings through color, line, details, and forms.
This continued through much of my early adulthood. I started undergrad at Baylor University, studying nursing, in 2013. Though not studying art, this was my form of expression as I dealt with racial microagressions, exploring my sexuality, and dysfunctional romantic relationships. My last semester before my senior year, after struggling to maintain grades and feeling defeated, I abruptly changed my major to Studio Art. This was a major turning point.
I knew too well the impact of art in my life and wanted to find a way to connect art and nursing. I stumbled upon the field of art therapy one day while searching for ways to make art profitable. From there I went on to pursuing a Masters in Art Therapy at Florida State University in 2019. My hope was that I would become a much needed representation of a Black, Queer, female in the field of Art Therapy, and that I would be able to help others heal by connecting to creativity and art making.
All through my studies from 2013 to 2021, I noticed a lack of representation of Black artists and Black art. This is where EdiiArtwork was formed. I found that the more I explored my healing through art, the more others in the Black community (and other communities as well), could resonate with my depictions of trauma, pain, grief, joy, and healing. This became my focus.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has not been smooth at all. I’ve experienced many struggles relating to my own relationship with art, the art industry, and profit making.
Art making for me came from experiencing very low lows, grief, pain, depression, and now joy. My process has always been to create when I feel deep emotions, essentially, as a way to cope with what I’m feeling. Because of this, it’s often been difficult to make sense of art making in an industry that is filled with mass produced, easily digestable or sellable work. I often have felt pressure to create to make profit or keep up with “trends” in the art industry. This makes “healing through art” seemingly impossible, as I can go months without creating, posting, or even selling very personal pieces of art.
Alongside this, it is difficult to find your “place” as a Black artist. Many spaces created to show/exhibit artwork are not made for Black creators. My artwork depicts often controversial themes such as nakedness, vulnerability, politics, or trauma. These are not often viewed as “sellable” themes. I’ve experienced many rejections for shows, exhibitions, and websites made for selling artwork. This makes it difficult to share my artwork, reach larger audiences, and ultimately to make profit in the art industry.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Currently, I am a LPC- Associate and provisional Art Therapist working towards dual full licensure in the state of Texas. Alongside this, I am managing my small business, EdiiArtwork, which sells original artwork and prints.
In my profession, I specialize in trauma-informed therapy for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and Complex PTSD. I often use art therapy with clients in individual and group spaces, as a way to process, understand, and heal various forms of trauma, such as racial, sexual, and developmental. In my professional work, I believe I’m known for my transparency, humanness, and connection to art, as these were the stepping stones for the work that I do.
In my small business, I’d like to believe that I am known for similar things. My goal in creating is to depict themes of humanness, transparency, and connection through experiences that are collective in the Black community, and many other minority communities. I am most known in my artwork for creating controversial and bold statements about the world, minority communities, and ultimately, Blackness. I am also known for my use of vivid colors, specifically yellow, a depth of details, and symbolism.
I am most proud of my unapologetic nature, both in practice and in art-making. I have found over the years, that art-making paved a way for me to find my voice and I no longer shy away from discomfort. I invite controversy, discomfort, and conversation around topics that are considered “taboo” because true healing comes from addressing the things that are often “kept secret or swept under the rug”.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I believe that risk-taking is such a huge part of being an artist/creative. I take risks in my art-making by using materials I am unfamiliar with, mixed medias, or simply unconventional methods of art making. I also take risks in the themes that I explore. I believe that part of being an artist/creative is being willing to truthfully and honestly depict our own experiences and the world around us; This act in itself is a risk because much of our world thrives on quietness, shyness, or shame around “taboo” topics.
Though it may seem simple to create honestly, it can be difficult to dive into the most vulnerable parts of yourself, sit in front of a canvas and stare back at you, and then share that with the world. It is always a scary thing to consider the hundreds of people that may “view” or “see” the deepest parts of your experience. I’m also taking a risk when I share my artwork with others, because while they may be commenting on my artwork, in essence, they are viewing, perceiving, or commenting on an extension of myself, my experiences, or my view of the world. Despite this, I believe that it’s important to take risks in creating because this is where growth, change, and healing comes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ediiartwork.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paint.with.e/
