Today we’d like to introduce you to Brinn Bailey.
Hi Brinn, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
At 21, I left the cult my parents raised me in. I had to create a new belief system for myself. I had to unlearn and relearn who I was and who I wanted to be.
The experience radicalized me. I realized that I needed to be an active part in the ongoing Black Liberation movement. The movement needs and has always benefited from Queer Black voices. We need emotional intelligence in our liberation movement. We need restoration and joyfulness in our liberation movement.
I began to feel that the best way for me to communicate the needs of the people was through art. The visual and symbolic languages of Afro-surrealism, of Afro-futurism, of Southern Gothic, allow me to create spaces for the conversations we need to be having to move us closer to freedom.
So I committed to myself. I learned to draw, developed my style, explored my mediums. And then, I quit my job. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m confident I’m on the right path. My last day of work was in July, by August I’d been featured in 2 group exhibitions, and in September I was awarded an Emerging Artist spot at the Chateau d’Orquevaux Residency in France for March of 2026. I’m excited to see what comes next.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to good art is infamously bumpy. There are aspects of my community, society at large, and even my personal life that I’ve had to analyze and reanalyze and rereanalyze. It takes a full and robust understanding of the world to create art that speaks.
It’s good work, and it’s rewarding work, but it’s slow. It’s work that can expand to fill a lifetime, and there’s not always regular benchmarks or rewards. At times there is a lot of work with nothing tangible to show for it, especially in a world obsessed with money and achievement.
And through all the work I have to keep living life. I have to live life in order to create the art. I’ve had to de-prioritize what others think of me, my actions, and my decisions. I’ve had to accept that I am the only one who truly understands why I do what I do. I have to totally trust in myself. It gets easier every day, but I’m not sure it will ever be easy.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m most proud of being brave enough to be an artist, to create and share my art. My art incites meaningful conversations about Black liberation and community. Artists are world builders. We have a responsibility to challenge people’s thinking, and open their minds to new perspectives. In my art, I create a world that refuses to center whiteness. The negligence of the white gaze devalues the Black experience. My work handles the Black experience with care. I combine Afro-surrealism and a modern interpretation of Southern Gothic to honor the intricacy and significance of the Black experience.
How do you think about happiness?
My perfect day starts with a crisp fall morning on the patio with my feet up. I’m playing the perfect DJ set, a mix of old school and modern with transitions so smooth that the groove never stops. I have my morning smoke, and, since this is a perfect day, a Chai latte appears in my hand. Then I head inside for breakfast (grits, eggs and bacon with a pancake on the side) and a steaming hot shower, paired with another DJ set, something upbeat, maybe House. I’d reserve a good chunk of the day for lollygagging, mid-day strolls, chats with strangers, that sort of thing. I’d have a post-lollygag pre-Lady Love smoke session, go dance my little heart out, and be well on my way to ending the night with some lady love of my own.
I’m trying to be a better hedonist. My best friend has opened my eyes to pleasuring myself in the day to day and how important it is. I want to enjoy all parts of my life. As an artist especially, there are times where you feel depleted, alone, and empty. It’s important to know how to fill yourself up again. It’s important to know what you enjoy, what brings a smile to your face, what allows you to fall asleep at night satisfied with your day. That’s what makes me happy. Knowing I’m choosing things, choosing a way of life that makes room for happiness in my present and in my future.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bailey_b3
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brinnelizabethart
