We were lucky to catch up with Hab Oh recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hab, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
As I get older, I realize that I want to create work that has lasting value and impact versus being hot for the moment. This all started with a brush of tragedy in 2018. I tell this story often as I’m extremely open about this chapter of my life. Four years ago, I was at the lowest point of my life and had planned to end it. Luckily, that didn’t happen as I was taken into the care of my local hospital, spending time within their “hallowed halls”. It was, for lack of a better phrase, an eye opening experience they fundamentally changed how I viewed the world.
From that moment, I wanted to create a story based on my journey restoring my mental health and wellness. One day, I just started drawing, with no real plan laid before me. What I was creating wasn’t just from my mind but it felt as if it was coming from my soul, or that I was a vessel for something greater. The end result was a graphic novel I called Unit 333, a cosmic horror tale about a man stuck in an unfamiliar place seeking to find and regain his sense of self.
It didn’t just end with the comic. Something was telling me to continue creating. I ended up manifesting an entire body of work centered around Unit 333 and thusly an exhibition to house it all. I asked my barber if I could set up the exhibition at the shop. The concept behind it was simply “where do Black men go to feel safe” and that answer is: the barbershop. They happily obliged and I was able to set up this pop-up exhibition which had an amazing turn out.
The most meaningful part of this whole experience was during the exhibition. What was to be simply a celebration of of this newest body of work and the graphic novel, turned into an open forum for my community about mental health. No longer was this just about me and my journey but for every Black person in that space. A moment I will always cherish and could never be duplicated. Since then, I’ve made it my own “mission” to champion Black Mental Health within my work through illustrations, more comic series, and events.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Drawing is something that’s been with me since childhood. The irony of it all is that I don’t come from a family of creatives, so I often ask myself where it came from, haha! There was never any real ambition to become an full-time artist growing up as that was something I didn’t know was possible.
It wasn’t until I received my first commission in my early 20s that I thought this lifestyle and career was worthwhile. At this point in my career, I didn’t have a focus, I didn’t have any clear goals. I just wanted to draw and make money from drawing. I truly struggled with who I was and wanted to be as an artist; trying to appeal to disparate demographics. Years would go by until my “true calling” came. I had finally come to the realization that I wanted (and needed) to create works of art for Black people, my people.
Habtoons became an illustration brand that promotes the ever growing disapora of Black Culture in America while injecting the nuance of my own quirkiness. It’s my mission to continue telling “our stories” independently from the corporate red tape that always changes or censors us as Black Artists. I want people to be able to truly see themselves in my comics, illustrations, and animations. Creating narratives outside of the trauma-spectrum, the ones we’ve been looking for that delve into the realms of high-scifi and high fantasy themes.
The other side to that coin, I want to help people through art. Whether it’s art therapy, classes, or resources. The Art World is a constant and lacks information for those who want to pursue it as a hobby or professionally. As of writing this, I’m in the midst of creating tangible resources and tools that anyone can use to get started on their journey. I want people to know that art is for everyone and it doesn’t matter if you’re traditionally trained or self taught. Everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves artistically.
I suppose, in all actuality, Habtoons is more than just an “illustration brand” and I believe that’s what sets me apart from others. In this age of instant gratification and mico-celebrity God complexes from social media, it’s hard to truly connect with people as we once did. I want to make sure that my art, my content, and the events I create completely eliminate that barrier that prevents that connection.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
It’s interesting because we often point to “society” but I honestly think we should point at ourselves in this instance. As I mentioned before the Art World, in all it’s forms, is in constant flux. A lot of artists and influencers sit at the top without truly giving back. What I mean is, we’ve prevented our own ecosystem from thriving with inflated egos, prententious attitudes towards what “art” is, and the fear of being “dethroned”.
I believe the best way for us to succeed is to be communal. From sharing the wealth of knowledge we gain from experience to funding the growth of art programs in our schools and communities. The are many artists, both young and old, who don’t know it’s possible to apply for Grants, Art Residencies…or even how to go about those things. When you search up things on YouTube or Google, it’s always the same videos about “how to get x followers on x platform” but never how to truly develop as an artist, how to develop your skills, how to network, how to become responsible for finances/taxes; the list goes on.
It’s with the sharing of this knowledge and sticking together by forming unions & groups that I truly believe society will also turn around and respect us as creatives. It is only thing can we receive an exponential increase in that support and flourshing ecosystem we seek to all have.
Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?
My view on NFTs is the same as most things within creative spaces. I would never personally create an NFT or dive into that world as it all seems incredibly complex; I enjoy simplicity. I also know there are strong environmental concerns about the tools used to generate this system which are valid concerns. The same with other energy and environmentally draining objects and resources we use on a daily basis.
Like with any trend, I believe NFT Art (at the height of the pandemic at least) absolutely exploited the work of Black Artists and other Artists of Color. There were many who jumped on the bandwagon thinking it would be their financial salvation only to become a massive detriment in the end. Which, in and of itself, is an entirely separate issue on the disparity of success for non-White artists.
Though, I will say, I did like the “initial concept” for what the NFT movement stood for. Something I think we need to push outside of that realm. True independence and financial liberty for those who seek to create a career and sustainable living from their work; without having to rely on working under a massive corporation that doesn’t actually value the person or their creations. Just look at what’s been happening in streaming with HBO Max and Netflix. Not only were a lot of jobs lost but whole bodies of work disappearing from the public eye. One of my favorite cartoons in recent years “Final Space” won’t be accessible anywhere once the merge between HBO Max and Discovery completes. That’s absolutely horrible.
It goes back to what I was saying earlier about forming unions, creating funding, and a massive network of resources so artists don’t have to worry about losing the rights to the work they’ve made or worse.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.habtoons.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/habtoons/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/habtoons
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/habtoons/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/habtoons
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/haboh
- Other: Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/habohtv TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@habtoons