Today we’d like to introduce you to Nadia Delane
Hi Nadia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As a creative lover of storytelling, I’d say that I got started by reading. Reading opened my mind to so many possibilities. I was the young girl who would take novels to parties and read in the corner. Books were my best friends growing up and I was able to sort through the events of my childhood by immersing myself in stories. Some of my favorite books were mysteries. I’d go for walks imagining the characters and visualizing the book settings in my mind. I grew into someone who wanted to give the gift of imagination and inspiration. I also wanted to create with my favorite authors. Some of my first paintings were inspired by book chapters. So, I’d say that reading, writing, and art making go hand in hand for me. There would be no me without books. The critical and creative thinking that comes out of narrative curiosity is unmatched.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My life has had many bumps in the road. I believe that my struggles have been unique in some ways but in other ways I’ve faced challenges that many young creators and human beings at large face. There’s the feeling of not belonging. Health issues arise. There’s an emotion around impostor syndrome. There’s tension around balancing emotional needs and basic needs. There’s the comparison game that many young artists torture themselves with. Also, there were real threats to my confidence that came in the form of harsh realizations and trauma. I have many beautiful memories in the journey to accepting my creativity and becoming a generator of story and community. I’d say that the pain I’ve experienced has been just as important as the joy. There’s no testimony without a test. I’ve had tests in every regard. It’s difficult to grapple with grief and loss, abandonment and loosing community. It’s challenging to deal with broken relationships or feel ing as though you haven’t gotten the respect you deserve from life or loved ones. In the dark places its difficult to see the light that’s just ahead. However the bumps in the road I do believe give life its texture and allow us to enter into new arenas of strength —places we never imagined.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m an artist, author, designer, and creative strategist with a passion for visual storytelling and immersive experiences. Recently I received honorable mention as a top ten winner in Black Writers Workspace’s 2024 Chapter One Writing Competition for my novel Dove. I was selected for Arte Studio Ginestrelle’s writing residency at the world UNESCO site in Assisi, Italy. My illustrated zine, Coif City sold at Bluestockings in NYC, In Other Words in Portland, and Gosh! Comics in London. My sound design installation, Memory Opus, exhibited at the Museum of the City of New York. My work has been featured in print and online publications including AI-AP’s Design Arts Daily (DART). While I’m proud of the great moments I’ve had in my professional life, I believe that what sets me apart is my heart. I love deeply and have grown to understand the importance of learning to trust after trauma and learning to create space for openness and communication even when afraid or apprehensive. The opening I’ve created for myself creatively is the result of self love, forgiveness, and healing. I believe that empathy is another outcome that emerges when we take time to see the universality of our pain and take an interest in the stories that others have to share. The words of strangers, close friends and family members have been an elixir to my soul at times when I needed it most and I wouldn’t have access to that healing if I wasn’t a lover of people and a listener.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a bookish girl very interested in designing my entire life. I wanted to make my own clothes and paint. I gave speeches. I remember praying for wisdom a lot and drawing glow in the dark animals and poems in my closet. I loved to tinker. I grew up loving tiny things and learning what I could about making and stop motion animation from my parents. I was a reluctant performer but I really enjoyed singing and dancing. I wasn’t often accepted in the little girl friend groups but I always had someone. Adults really loved me but I ran into trouble with other kids at times probably because I was always giving unsolicited advice. Mostly, I enjoyed my alone time reading and going for walks. I remember being someone who wanted everyone to get along and I was obsessed with keeping things neat and orderly. If I said hi to someone and they didn’t answer, I’d keep saying hi until they answered. It took me years to let that go. Now, I look back and laugh and feel really proud of who I was as a little girl. She was very willing to share what she knew. She loved people. She was artistic and unique. She wanted to create and be a part of the world she was thrown into. She was confident. She had spunk.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nadiadelane.com
- Instagram: @delane._
