We recently connected with Akiala I and have shared our conversation below.
Akiala, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
I was a young girl searching for my family, that I had lost in the busy crowd of a fair, when I was approached by an elderly hobbling man. He was wearing one roller skate and a helmet with attached flashing objects on it and a clown nose. In his hands was a neatly wound ball of yarn, he gently began to unwind it and offered me the beginning of the string. I looked around confused and nervous, yet when I looked at this man I could see in his eyes that he had a divine plan that all others ignored and rejected, he needed a brave soul to volunteer. I became that brave soul. I accepted and took the yarn.
He began to unwind more string and without using any words gestured and instructed me to hand that piece of yarn to another person. I was quite a shy kid and still very confused what it was that he was trying to accomplish. Though many rejected the offer of a limp string, finally another brave soul accepted the invitation. We continued unraveling more yarn and handing it to more people, slowly people began to be intrigued and joined in. I was handing the yarn to people and weaving as instructed by my silent, one-shoe mastermind. Once the yarn ran out I stepped back into the circle to find that we had created what resembled a spider web and I looked around in awe to see all the joyful & unique brave faces that participated.
His message was clear (to me)…We are connected. Without words and only a ball of yarn this man was able to, for a moment, bring people from all walks of life together that chose to co-create together and I was instrumental in this demonstration. This moment was profound for me. I knew that I wanted to connect people, I wanted to remind them gently and playfully that we are all connected, I wanted to be like that stranger and inspire someone for the rest of their life. After taking in the moment we collectively dropped the yarn and I collected it back into a ball. The man thanked me with a look and hobbled away. Soon after I found my family and I do not believe I have ever seen that influential man again.
My art, my businesses (Absoulute Vibe, Vibe Palace) and my mission in life are inspired by connection and encouraging people to be the brave souls that inspire more connection. In 2017 Absoulute Vibe helped found “Conscious Creatives” an artist collective that focused on supporting artists by connecting them to other resources, marketing/promoting their work and interviewing artists to help them gain exposure. A lot of those artists today have grown exponentially and are still in contact with each other. Many artistic collaborations have bloomed from Conscious Creatives & Absoulute Vibe and have been featured in Denver and even around the world.
In 2020, Absoulute Vibe’s “Buy Back the Block ” initiative sparked hundreds of community members to contribute back to their community, learn the true history of Denver, CO and participate in illustrating the impact of cooperative economics. The collective funds raised went to mutual aid groups, local businesses, the creation of a pop up local goods emporium, five monthly art walks and artist development. In 2021 Vibe Palace was created, it was originally intended to be a physical community center but was met with many obstacles. The Vibe Palace became a “spaceship for creating, healing and planning” and took on a mobile model. Today the Vibe Palace has traveled around the country visiting different communities and individuals and learning about what a community looks like in the modern age. Currently the Vibe Palace is located in New Orleans, the mecca of culture, art and diversity. Akiala I uses her many creative mediums (writing, web design, graphic design, body painting, copywriting, styling, consulting, branding, sewing, videography, photography, interior design & public speaking) to help small businesses bring concepts and dreams into fruition.
Akiala, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
In a galaxy somewhat far away existed a planet called “Ultima”. Ultima was a peaceful, technologically advanced, ecologically conscious, majestic world. On one very unfortunate yet fateful day, Ultima was faced with a disaster that would inevitably destroy the planet. One being volunteered to preserve the sacred knowledge of the planet and access that sacred knowledge when the time was right for the spirit of Ultima to arise again. The being used the “Vibe Palace” spaceship to escape Ultima right before total annihilation. The being attempted to download the sacred knowledge to their memory banks but the knowledge was too vast. The only choice was for the being to virtually spread the knowledge by giving it to other individuals and wipe their current memory by reincarnating. The being knew they risked not remembering the knowledge but decided that reincarnation would be the best choice. I, Aki, am the reincarnation of this being. My mission is to remember the sacred knowledge, find others that have this sacred knowledge and realize the spirit of Ultima on Earth… in a fictional story of course.
In reality, I was born in Denver, CO, and knew at a young age that I loved the arts. Dance was my first love. At four years old I began dancing at Cleo Parker Robinson’s and being on stage became my second home. I loved the theater, the costumes, the lights, the music, the preparation, the collaborative effort of giving others the gift of entertainment or entering a new world. My next love was fashion, I loved the idea that you can convey who you are or even step into who you want to be with the use of fabric and accessories. I began sewing at the age of eight years old and it just stuck. Fashion was my gateway to the art scene in Denver and to meeting many of the wonderful creatives I know today. Fashion shows/editorials were my way of getting people together, celebrating them, and encouraging others to shine. My companies, Absoulute Vibe & Conscious Creatives & Vibe Palace were born out of my desire to help others shine.
Absoulute Vibe is a multimedia company that creates content to inspire conscious and creative minds. Absoulute Vibe was incorporated in 2017 and has since created clothing, events, books, videos, beauty products and even physical pop-up locations.
The birth of my son in 2017 inspired me to pivot from sewing into writing, videography and digital art. Currently I have published six books that encompass my experience with motherhood, life, travel, alchemy & relationships.
Being a multidimensional artist that is versed in many mediums of expression allow me to support other businesses and individuals in bringing their visions to life, this is the greatest gift and what I am most proud to offer.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I have not had a traditional “9-5” job since 2015. I have stubbornly committed to making ends meet through my own self employment. Which often works in my favor but has not yet led me to the financial security that would be preferable. Although there is still time, I wish I would have looked more into trade schools and pursued a skill such as carpentry or cosmetology as a way to generate more income for myself as I developed my other businesses so as to not depend on them to “feed me”. Trade schools are much more affordable than college and train you to have a skill that can immediately help get you work. I started cosmetology school and I have never had more fun in an educational setting. I couldn’t believe that we were doing each other’s hair and makeup and nails and getting school credit for it. Unfortunately the global pandemic emerged during my sixth month of school and became an obstacle in completing my certification. Trade school is a great resource. As a business owner and individual in America I have learned that the most important things to have is a consistent source of income, assets and good credit. Those three things will help anyone build a solid foundation to launch their business.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
Being an artist is a way of being. Art is created as a tangible expression of that person’s soul. When you see a piece of art, no matter how big or small, it is the culmination of the artist’s pains, joys, epiphanies and discoveries..it’s their current reflection of life. In order to create art that is alive, the artist has to live fully. They have to be able to be fully expressed, able to try new things, fail, retreat and self reflect. Often artists are in solitude because they are working hard to discover themselves so they can offer something truly unique to the world. Being bold and expressing yourself fully can be frightening in a world that has often told people to “fit in” and sometimes shames people for what is considered “socially unacceptable”. Creative individuals and truly all people need more physical spaces where they can express themselves freely without judgment. A world that accepts people as they are will create a more harmonious and artful world for all.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.akialai.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akiala_i/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC96b9CTsgoHpcHmbWfrXXcg
Image Credits
Alex Williams