We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mark Feijão Milligan II a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark Feijão, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

While walking through my neighborhood to catch the bus one afternoon, I remember feeling a great sense of pride. I must have been about 13 years old. I was walking up the hill to Centerline road in a neighborhood called Whim, which is on the western side of St. Croix, USVI. As I walked past the houses, my senses were filled with varying sights, smells and sounds of the African diaspora. Filled with the sensory richness, I began to brainstorm. As I began to concept in my head, I also superimposed my vision on top of the narrative that has been assigned to me by mainstream media. It was then that I began to understand the importance of controlling our narrative. It was then that I made a silent pledge to dedicate myself to shifting that narrative, in whatever small way, to something true to my experience.

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 was born on the beautiful island of St. Croix, U.S.V.I. Under the guidance of Cindy Male, my high school studies varied from painting & drawing to graphic design & architecture.

At the age of 16, I began an apprenticeship under Paul Youngblood. One of the paintings done during this time won the U.S. National Congressional Art Competition. Allowing me the opportunity to represent the U.S. Virgin Islands and have my painting exhibited in the U.S. Capitol.

At 17, I moved to New York City to acquire a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts. During which time I studied under such artists as Don Eddy, Max Ginsburg, Marvin Mattelson and Jack Potter.

I’ve exhibited at the Frederiksted Fort Museum (U.S.V.I.), Avante Yard (NY), the BOE Laboratory (DC), the Corridors Gallery (NY), the Plaza Club (HI), Louis Pohl Gallery (HI), the Honolulu Museum of Art School (HI), the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (HI), the First Hawaiian Center (HI), the ARTS at Marks Garage (HI), the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts (U.S.V.I.) and the Utah MOCA (UT).

I’ve painted murals for the Central Park SummerStage, Adidas and Pow! Wow! Hawai‘i. I’ve also done live art, on stage, for the Former Vice President Al Gore, Lauryn Hill and De La Soul. My work has been featured within NCIS Hawai‘i (CBS), Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big GRRRLS (Amazon Prime), ELLE.com, FLUX Hawai‘i magazine and within a For Freedoms billboard campaign.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

As a child born into the African diaspora, I searched incessantly for hallowed images of people that looked like me. They were close to impossible to find. As a father and as an artist, I am now on the other side of this search. My artwork speaks to the person (both young and old) that yearns to see multiethnic representations of divinity. It speaks to the child that will now have images that support their sanctity. This would be the most rewarding aspect of my artistic process, helping to positively change the narrative for our youth.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The objective of my paintings is to explore a reality where the spirit and culture of the African diaspora is revered. It is a response to the external queries of integrity and value. How often does mainstream media convey the divinity and sanctity of the African experience? Can you name one African saint? The subjects of my paintings become a visual representation of the love and respect necessary for today’s portrait of the African diaspora.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.markmilliganart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markmilliganart
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/markmilliganart

Image Credits
For the photo of me in front of my mural: Jacob Chinn