We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carmela Montgomery. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carmela below.

Carmela , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Taking the risk of putting yourself out there can be difficult. As an artist you understand that when you present your art to the world, you are exposing yourself and your artistry to both positive and negative feedback. Since I was a kid, I have always been a creative; drawing, writing and poetry. But as an adult, I started painting as a form of therapy. After dealing with the outside world all day I immerse myself into my art and forget about the outside world; my depression and anxiety and put whatever I am feeling into the piece I am working on.
Over time I had several pieces just sitting in the house collecting dust while I continued to create. Most people had no clue I was an artist, but I had few close friends who would constantly push me to put my art out there for the world to see. Mentally I was holding myself back and I was letting fear of criticism and rejection dictate my decisions of putting my art and myself out there. In 2019 there was a Black Excellence Ball in Qatar, where I currently live and work and at the time I was just attending the ball as a regular guess until I was randomly speaking with someone I knew about art and showed them a few of my pieces. They proceeded to tell me that they knew the coordinator of the event and I should give him a call so that I could display my art. I took his number and struggled to call (self-doubt and fear of rejection). I mustered up the courage to message him several days later. He viewed a few pieces and loved my work. That was a good feeling which gave me more confidence in my work and my abilities to present my pieces at the ball. That was my first time stepping out on faith and taking the risk to put myself and my work out there. That night I sold my first piece, had incredible feedback and several inquiries for commissioned pieces. Since that event and through the connections made, I have gone on to sell both commissioned and non-commissioned paintings and featured in several articles and an interview. This experience gave me the boost of confidence needed to continue on my creative path. If I didn’t take that risk, I would probably still have a collection of paintings sitting in my house collecting dust until this day. This one event has opened up several doors and this journey is just getting started.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am an artist that specializes in abstract paintings. I am very passionate about painting abstract art that provokes thought and emotion. I am interested in creating ambiguous abstract art that blurs the lines between multi-dimensional realities. I paint from a deep place where light meets dark and dark meets light. My bold and vibrant paintings reveal the struggle, strength, and resilience of the human spirit. As an intuitive painter I am inspired by the emotions of the human spirit. I grew up in Pensacola, FL where I became fascinated with art at an early age. I started drawing at the age of 6 and used drawing as an outlet. As an adult I rediscovered my passion for the arts and started painting in 2012. Since then, my works are held in private collections in the U.S. and Overseas.
I would consider myself to be down to earth. I love to have fun, loves to travel and explore this big/small world. I love creating and expressing myself through art, I’m a lover of music and all things creative.
I want to inspire and empower all people through my art. My unique approach to painting blends life experience and the perseverance of our inner souls which are bold and vibrant. I feel that it is our intuition that speaks to all of us. My art is a reflection of our spiritual souls on a lifelong journey.
I am proud of how far I have come. If you ask my mother, she would say that I have come a looooooooooooooooooooooooooong way lol. Being an introverted person sometimes I just want to stay in the little world I have created, but I have learned that stepping outside of that world every now and then can lead to amazing things happening within my life. So, as I continue on this journey, we call life I would like to continue to push myself to become a better artist and a better human being as I remain humble and open to what this life has to offer.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When it comes to the storytelling of my journey it is best to illustrate my resilience through poetry. This piece is called Acceptance and it will illustrate my journey of resilience in its purest form. Resilience is accepting the space we are in today but doing everything in our power to change our tomorrow.

Acceptance

Acceptance is patience in the understanding that life is and will always be forever changing
The ups and downs, the twists and turns in the chaotic space we call life which sometimes cuts deep into your inner being like a knife.
Stand still in the midst and resist the urge to be consumed, allow your body and mind to breathe and just be.
Know that you are the light to the darkness, the balancing scale between the divine masculine and feminine energy, two worlds held within one spirit.
Acceptance is understanding that your journey is yours and yours alone. No one is coming to save you from yourself but you.
Face the darkness within and fight to the death and let go of the old you that was holding you back and emerge a new.
Stand in your truth and let go of all that is not conducive to you.
Acceptance is understanding the space you are in today won’t be the space tomorrow, so trust the process and accept who you are in the here and now. Move forward, grow, stay humble in your quest and let no one deter you and remember acceptance is not complacency, it is an action of consenting to receive who you are and where you are in this moment.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal and mission driving my creative journey is the human spirit. This life is very unpredictable and full of chaos, but this life is also beautiful.

My creative journey is to express the joys and pains that we all feel, the strength and determination to keep going when all odds seem to be stacked against us and the resilience that we show as human beings in the midst of the odds.

My goal and mission is to inspire those who think they could never follow their dreams, wants and desires by helping people through art as I continue to help and heal myself through my creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.xkwizitdesign.com
• Instagram: @IAMXKWIZIT
• Facebook: Xkwizit Design Company
• Other: Tiktok: @iamxkwizit23