We were lucky to catch up with Elijah Trice recently and have shared our conversation below.
Elijah, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
My road to becoming a fine artist has been beautiful but riddled with self-doubt. As a child, I was naturally gifted in visual arts, specifically illustration. Due to social pressures, I was not encouraged to pursue a career in the arts. Instead, I pivoted to architecture as my “safe” career choice. My practice was birthed out of curiosity and exposure to cultures and ideas that were foreign to me. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I used painting as a form of therapy to deal with the socio-political climate of the time. This therapeutic release led to many months of reflection and understanding of self. I quickly became a part of Providence, Rhode Island’s vibrant art scene. People started to show interest in my art when I started to share my work on social media. I was midway through pursuing my master’s in architecture when I realized that people were genuinely interested in my perspective and were willing to support my practice. I decided not to let social and cultural norms diminish my passion.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I paint portraits of people with phenomenal stories to tell without a platform to share. I document subjects that are a part of the minority experience, heavily based in Baltimore City. My curiosity about how people view and navigate the world stems from my architectural and community design background. This expertise is why I allow subjects to express themselves freely, giving them control over their narrative and documentation process. As a native of Baltimore, authentic storytelling and representation of the black and brown experience are crucial in my practice.
My creative process is conceived by photographing and recording interviews of each subject. My goal is to produce work that reflects the black and brown experience from the lens of Baltimore residents, highlighting themes such as sexuality, gender, race, and immigration.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
The best way to support artist, aside from financial compensation, is to share their work with the world and to help expand their reach. There are many great artists out there who will never be recognized for their talents unfortunately. There is someone out there in the world waiting to find your work, it just hasn’t reached them yet. This is why it is important for artists to constantly put themselves out there and seek opportunities. Also, if you’re not able to purchase an original painting, you can ask if there are any prints of the piece available.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I really want people to understand that it takes time to build a sustainable art practice. This is years of trial and error, education, and networking. With that being said, I don’t think people understand the determining factors that contribute to the price of art. To many artists, this is a large source of income, so you are paying for an artist’s time, material costs, living expenses, etc. You are also paying for their expertise and studio costs so the artist can continue to create. When you purchase a piece of art, you are supporting that artist’s lifestyle and allowing them to support themselves and their families.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elijahtrice.com
- Instagram: @elijahtrice.art
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElijahTriceArt
