We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cherrisse “Reese” Colvin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Cherrisse “Reese” thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?
One of the most important things about me — and about SHEEPBLACK Designs — is that I don’t live in just one world. By day, I’m a business professional: structured, strategic, and focused on execution. By night, I’m an artist and the founder of SHEEPBLACK Designs, where I bring imagination, storytelling, and originality to life through fashion.
At first glance, those two sides might seem opposite, but for me they’re deeply connected. The discipline and organization I’ve built in my professional career give me the tools to turn creative ideas into something tangible. And my artistic side brings humanity, vision, and authenticity to my professional life. I’m very social and outgoing, which allows me to connect with people, but I’m also matter-of-fact and serious, which makes me reliable. I live in both spaces — and I thrive there.
Sometimes that duality is misunderstood. People often expect an artist to be eccentric or detached, or a business professional to be rigid and predictable. I’m neither — and both. I’m fun yet serious, approachable yet focused, and I bring a youthful energy while carrying the perspective of being 44. I don’t look my age, and that can throw people off, but I see it as an advantage: I can embody both freshness and wisdom.
That’s also what SHEEPBLACK represents. The brand is built on contrast and wholeness — the idea that strength comes from embracing both sides of who we are: light and dark, structure and freedom, discipline and imagination. It’s about owning complexity and showing that it can be beautiful.
So, when people experience SHEEPBLACK, they’re not just seeing clothing or design. They’re experiencing my perspective: that being multi-dimensional isn’t something to hide — it’s the very thing that makes us powerful, original, and complete.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m proudly from Birmingham, Alabama, and a graduate of Wenonah High School. My path into design has been anything but traditional. Growing up, I often felt like I didn’t fit the mold — misunderstood, different, and struggling to fully embrace my identity, including my sexuality. For a long time, that difference felt isolating.
But through hardship, I found something powerful: learning to love myself for who I truly am. That process of self-acceptance didn’t just change me; it became the foundation of SHEEPBLACK Designs.
The brand was also inspired by my father, who was an incredible artist with fearless fashion sense. He was a true trendsetter, always drawn to originality and uniqueness, but he never got the chance to fully pursue his dream before passing in 2019. SHEEPBLACK is, in many ways, the continuation of his legacy — carrying forward his spirit of individuality, while weaving in my own journey of self-discovery.
At SHEEPBLACK, I design pieces that are more than just clothing. Each one tells a story — about contrast, individuality, and courage. My goal is for people to feel what I had to learn myself: that you don’t need to conform, and the very things that set you apart are what make you powerful.
What makes SHEEPBLACK unique is that it comes from lived experience. I know what it feels like to wrestle with identity, to feel like you don’t belong, and to come out the other side with a stronger sense of self. That message is stitched into every design.
I’m most proud that SHEEPBLACK is not just fashion. It’s a legacy, a celebration of self-acceptance, and a movement that reminds people everywhere: your difference is your strength, and your story deserves to be worn boldly.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
The biggest shift in my life? Letting go of the need to please everyone. Now, I create for me — and for those who see themselves in my work. I spent majority of my life worrying about what others thought of me, how did that see me and did they like me. I became consumed with this to the point I based my own personally happiness off these factors.
This false expectation soon had me a depressive state with no relief. I fought everyday just for breath and find peace. Traveling this road found me in toxic relationships, both romantically and professionally. I became a prisoner to negative thoughts about myself and my appearances.
But through my Mother’s prayers and God’s love, I was able to defeat those thoughts and self- afflicted wounds and heal. I had to heal and forgive from childhood hurts and disappointment. But ultimately, I had to forgive me. We can only let us down, not one else should have the ability to do that.
Once I started living for me and my purpose, life began.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding part of being a creative is watching people connect to my work in a way that makes them feel seen. Knowing that something I made can spark self-acceptance or confidence in someone else is everything to me.
Seeing someone personally relate with my work or engage in a deep conversation about something that on created is priceless!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sheepblackdesigns.com
- Instagram: @sheepblackdesigns
- Facebook: @sheepblackdesigns
- Linkedin: @sheepblackdesigns
- Youtube: SHEEPBLACK Designs
