We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lola Nychole Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lola Nychole, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I would say that the most meaningful project that I have done was my womanhood inspired shoot. This shoot was one of the most difficult shoots I have done in terms of set design and relaying a very vulnerable message about SA and womanhood. I was able to tell a story through a visual. I had an amazing team, that are also my friends, to help me build the set and deliver the message. Womanhood is very sacred and we don’t have the conversation enough. We talk about puberty, but never the nuisances that come with womanhood and growing into that.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a visual artist from the South that specializes in creative directing, styling and fashion design. I also dabble in film photography. I got my start at a young age by designing clothes allowing that to grow into creative directing at 17, college would give me the space to connect with photographers and collaborate on ideas. This would set the foundation for more intentional projects that allow me to tell a story about my life experiences. In 2020, I picked up fashion design fully and the sewing machine that my grandmother gave me and focused on that for a while. Now I am hosting a podcast, You Should Already Know: 1 Word Podcast, to grow a community of creatives wanting to learn how to balance, maintain, and develop creativity. We feature artists of all background and provide a space for creatives to share, create and collaborate.

When clients come to me, one of the things they will get from me is me turning their thoughts to into reality while adding elements that elevate their concepts. My 9 to 5 as an engineer also allows me to think of ways to execute with creativity and analytics. We will come up with things that push you outside your comfort zone and leave you with a new found confidence.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding for me as an artist is the spiritual journey that comes with it. You are blessed with an idea and challenged to allow it to come to life. Every time you complete a project, you learn something so much more about yourself and your skills. The completion of a project gives you confidence to go after your other projects especially if you were scared about them in the beginning.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to create a platform dedicated to those wanting to tap into their creativity and develop their own lane through community. I want to document as we grow and not  waiting until we’re already at the destination. I want them to go along the journey with me and we will figure it out together. The mission is to never give up because that’s the determining factor between those who “make it” and those who don’t.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.packleadersonly.com
• Instagram: thelolanychole, friendswithimagination, packleadersonly
• Youtube: thelolanychole
• Other: Podcast: You Should Already Know: 1 Word Podcast TikTok @lolanychole

Image Credits
All images are captured by Chauncey Mangum