Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Akea Brionne. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Akea, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I’m very happy as an artist, though it has its challenges like any other professional pursuits. I love being in charge of my time, ideas, and output, but I do find that larger societal ideas around what artists do or don’t do, can be challenging.

I sometimes have thoughts about what it would be like to have consistent income, but I think about the time that I would have to give up for that, and it’s not worth that type of security. I work all the time as a self employed artist, but I work in the ways that I want, and I appreciate that flexibility.

Akea, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m an artist based in lens based media and textiles. Both of my degrees are in photography, so I have a long career in the photographic arts, but transitioned back into textile work a couple years ago.

My work explores identity, migration, and displacement through collage, photography, and textiles.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think the best thing society can do for artists is to pay them. The most frustrating aspect of being an artist, is that society heavily consumes what we create, but severely underpays for the time, energy, and labor that goes into creating this work. I’m not just speaking about visual arts, but music, film, performance, culinary arts, and even trademark that is often relegated to blue collar jobs, but that requires immense skill and creativity.

Our output is heavily consumed at every step of daily life, yet we still have people who don’t understand that we deserve to be paid for that as well. I know many artists, including myself, who spend just as much time in the studio as doctor’s do in hospitals. Though the type of work might be different, the investment is often the same. But only one of those is valued externally and deemed as important enough to deserve high wages. I find that discrepancy to be incredibly odd, especially when you look at how much artists contribute to society. No matter where you are, you can look around a room and see things that an artist designed. That includes the phone in your hand, and the table you are eating at.

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

My goal is to make sure that my story is told. I want to add to the canon of history, by contributing my two cents about my corner of the world. My experience is my own, and I also know how transformative it would have been for me to see another Creole girl navigating through the spaces and challenges that I went through. If I can either remind someone that they aren’t alone or enlighten others on the multiplicity of the human experience, I’ve done my job.

Contact Info:

• Website: akeabrionne.com
• Instagram: @akeabrionne

Image Credits
Akea Brionne