Today we’d like to introduce you to Nena Hayes
Hi Nena, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
There has always been an inclination towards art that nested inside of me. Even from a young age, this creativity has bursted at my seams. I was interested in writing, singing, storytelling, dance, acting, videography, photography, painting, drawing, and basically anything else you can imagine. As I shaped into the person I am today, I realize this element of storytelling through different mediums has not left me. Inside of my songs, poems, films, photographs, spontaneous watercolor paintings, or whatever I create, there is always a story being told.
After graduating from Spelman college in May 2023, I wanted to explore storytelling in a more immersive way. I founded an art collective called “The Knead” that holds space for Black artists of every medium. The Knead is a community of writers, visual artists, and musicians that have been working together since December to put on an Art show at The Bakery Atlanta on June 1st. Our mission is to tell the story of how All The Rivers Lead To Home. We’re tying together themes of love, emotion, humanity, and identity to sew the story of how everyone and everything is interconnected. The Knead emphasizes how we need each other, whether we want to admit it or not! I’m co-directing this collective with one of my best friends, Aiyana Thompson. Where I am in my creative journey brings me great joy as I’m doing things with people who share similar passions to mine! My goal is always to inspire and be inspired.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m unsure if any road is truly smooth. There have been oscillating moments between ease and disruption, feeling on top of the world and then suddenly feeling barred inside of it. I like to think of it as an upward spiral rather than a road. In this spiral, there are moments that mirror each other on the same side of the spiral that feel like no growth has taken place. Though it is on the same side of the spiral, I am in a higher place in my journey due to the experiences that brought me here. For example, I’ve experienced moments of defeat in the post grad world with job searches, networking, and just functioning as a human in general. I have felt as though I am not truly equipped to direct an Art Collective without considering the fact that the fruits of my labors are waiting for me on the other side. I often have to remind myself to trust in patience as I keep rising towards it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The craft that I am most known for is my music. There is not a day that I can remember where creating music was not a shining element in my life. It is the art form that brings me home and to myself. Music helps me process, connect, and breathe. It’s what makes me remember why I am human!
Though music is my main element, my artistry knows no bounds. The other art forms I hold dear to my human experience are all forms of writing, videography, and photography. Words are a sacred tool I use to maintain my sanity. Whether this is expressed through books, poetry, essays, manifestos, scripts, or whatever, I am constantly using words as a shoulder to lean on. I hope that others can use my words to confide in and view them as a space for emotional comfort. My art tends to be wholly introspective and a bit heavy at times. I express things that others are often afraid to admit. The truth is, I too am afraid to admit them, but the truth of my existence being expressed through art is the most fruitful reward of living.
Recently I’ve been discovering the wonders of watercolor painting and graphic design. I am always seeking new ways to express myself and reveling in the fact that the options are endless. The next art form I plan to discover is pottery!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
The advice I have for people just starting out is to release pressure from yourself. The pressure of being “good enough”, doing it “right”, being “successful”, being judged etc. All of the standards we pin ourselves to in comparison are fictional! Artistic expression varies from person to person, we are not perfect machines of replication. A lot of times in art, the best things are born from happy accidents and just exploring for the fun of it. Of course you can delve into the world of technicalities and such, but at the root of all art must first be passion.
The vulnerability it takes to create art is already a huge accomplishment in itself. Also, there is no such thing as “good” art or “bad” art. Simply, what resonates resonates and what doesn’t doesn’t! There is freedom in creating art that is societally considered “bad”. There is freedom in allowing yourself to just be. Art is for everyone, no matter the medium. It is healing to connect with your inner child while letting yourself wash in the pleasure and play of making art! Being “good” or “bad” is a void concept when art exists to feed the soul. So feed on!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nenahayes.squarespace.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nenahayes/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGzEwID3Xk5J_Ehf-CCcRYw
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5IZ2VwwVVwaxs8L0AQAsQg?si=qaJHr-d6S0-soFp-wTqj1Q
Image Credits
Instagram: @jalenvsworld
Instagram: @aaiyanaa
Instagram: @laurenjasper