The past weeks have been an amazing opportunity for our team to turn all of our attention to these issues we feel passionate about. Black lives matter, and we have had many conversations about how we can do our best to be a passionate and unique voice in this fight. Our mission has always been to promote and spread beauty of all kinds. We hope to help you diversify the art and artists you admire, as we continue to grow and do so ourselves as well. In doing so, we decided to revisit some past interviews with artists of color. The three women featured in this post have all previously spoken with us about what they do, how they got started, and where they get their inspiration from. I find these ladies very inspirational, and I believe that supporting BIPOC artists is one small way we can all make a positive change.
Recently on her Instagram, Justina Blakeney said, “Art can transform. Art can heal. Money helps too. #blacklivesmatter” You can see more of Justina’s thoughts below.
Keep reading to learn more about lives that MATTER. We can all support by sharing their art and filling our homes with it.
Kendra Dandy of Bouffants and Broken Hearts
Kendra’s work is bold, stylish, and a bit flashy. I love it. She draws a lot of faces and they all have these fabulous lash-lined eyes. In a past interview with her, we asked her how social media influences her work, and she said:
“It keeps me up to date on the latest trends and it has influenced the speed at which I put out stuff. Sometimes that can be not so great if I don’t actually feel like creating anything but feel pressured to keep up… I do like seeing what’s out there, making my own interpretations of trends and also the endless stream of inspiration.”
One thing I really admire about Kendra is how skillfully she uses her social media platform to make her voice heard. Her work about Black Lives Matter is meaningful, and shows real creativity. She doesn’t just copy-paste her style onto someone else’s idea. See her post here.
Kendra Dandy is the woman behind Bouffants and Broken Hearts based in Philadelphia, PA. She is also the creator of one of our past book club posters and bookmarks. Her print, which you can see above, is a great reminder to be fierce in your fight for what is right. Check out the full interview with Kendra here!
Jen Hewett
Whenever I look at Jen’s website or instagram, I feel transported to another world. Jen’s world. And lemme tell ya, I like what I see! Her designs are inspired by nature, and she finds beautiful ways to display her work.
Jen is a creator who started sewing and printmaking in her thirties. She says she always felt this need to be creative. However, it wasn’t until hard times hit that she found a way to make something out of her dreams:
“It wasn’t until the economy crashed and I lost my job that those two interests converged. I started screenprinting fabric and sewing it into bags that I then sold. Something just clicked – my love of the tactile nature of fabric and of the meditative process of screenprinting, my obsession with color and pattern, and also my desire to have a creative career again.”
I love stories like hers because I find it reassuring to learn about someone who discovered a new passion, then had the courage to follow it despite challenges.
We interviewed Jen as part of our Women Who Work series. Find her full interview here.
Justina Blakeney of Jungalow
If you haven’t heard of Jungalow by now, fix that!! The brand founded by Justina shows that bohemian maximalism and modern stylings work together beautifully. Her keen sense of style has undoubtedly shaped interior design for the better.
One thing that I admire about Justina is that she says what she thinks! Whenever I try to do that, I end up tripping over words as they come out faster than my thoughts can manage. Hence, the writing (and editing).
In our interview, Justina said that her ultimate plan “has always been to figure out how to be my own boss, be creative, get rich, do good in the world. The details have always been a bit fuzzier.”
Hellooooo! Putting that quote on my mood board NOW. I was just stalking her instagram while writing this (it’s worth your time) and found another strong statement I wish was mine:
“Art can transform. Art can heal. Money helps too. #blacklivesmatter”
I believe that! Each word of it. If you want to transform, heal, or help, try art. Whether you make art about a cause that matters, learn from the artwork of others, or purchase art in support of real people, you can make a difference.
We interviewed Justina as part of our Becoming series. Read her full interview here.
More Artists of Color to Support
Click here to see the art of work of over 60 black creatives whose lives and art MATTER.
We are also working to promote anti-racism by continuing to fill our print shop with diverse representation. Explore some of our prints representing women of color below, and fill your home with beauty of all kinds.
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