We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alexa Wilson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alexa below.

Alexa, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I’ve always wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember. Because I’ve mostly been a self-taught artist and a creative person, I do wish that I continued to take formal drawing and art classes throughout my high school and college years so that I may have acquired more expansive skills and knowledge of artistic techniques. I believe forming an understanding of perspective, form, light, color, and proportion are incredibly helpful as a visual artist.

Alexa, 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 am a maze artist who creates hand-drawn, solvable mazes, linework, patterns that are abstract works of art. I have been drawing mazes ever since I was a young child. I learned by watching my older sibling draw them and by also playing hours of Pac-Man on the computer. Even though I explored numerous creative outlets as a child, mazes were always a hobby and skill that I found captivating, exciting, and calming. Born and raised in Orlando, FL, proximity to Disney World helped fuel my imagination and creativity. In high school, I would always quietly doodle mazes on notebook paper and challenge my friends to solve them during class. Years later, I moved to New York City to pursue my degree in architecture. Within my first years of college, I became inspired by the hustle and movement and the maze that is New York. Living there, I began to take my maze-making abilities seriously and incorporated design knowledge and drafting techniques into my mazes, transforming them into works of art. The mazes shifted from notebook paper to vellum and from #2 pencils to Micron ink pens – it was through this process in which my art practice, MAZED was born.

I believe that drawing mazes are the physical manifestation towards my own self-discovery. Maze-drawing is a visually stimulating process that functions as a form of meditation and healing for myself, while also inviting an aspect of play. All of my maze drawings are solvable and drawn freehand, with each piece having its own unique name and personality, drawing inspiration from architecture, objects, music, feelings, and memories. Since 2022, I have expanded beyond mazes and explored other puzzling drawing methods and styles such as continuous lines and repetitive patterns. The surface I choose for each drawing is just as important as the drawing, as it helps articulate the personality of each piece.

I have been drawing mazes for so long, the skill is almost as intuitive as breathing for me. The moment I realized that maze-making is a very rare ability to possess, I knew that it is what made me unique. Prior to the conception of MAZED, people would always tell me that I should sell my mazes, even my note-book paper mazes! Seeing people’s amazement and bewilderment when they experience my work is very rewarding and brings me a sense of purpose. I am proud of the continued growth of my art practice; the growth of my artistic abilities and the growth in numbers of people who admire my work. My goal as an artist is to invite others to challenge themselves by finding their way through the lines and make time to be introspective in hopes that it will lead to their own path of self-discovery.

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

My dream is to one-day become a fully independent artist and to also have my work experienced with others across the country and around the globe. This dream is what drives my creative journey.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson that I had to unlearn is that not everyone is going to like your work. Before I started to put my artwork out there, I was held back by the anxiety of rejection. I have even been told once before that my mazes are a waste of time! I had to learn to get over that fear and tell myself that it’s okay if not everyone likes my work. Rejection is part of the process of being an entrepreneur and working independently. Once I has able to overcome that fear, I was able to confidently dive into my creative and entrepreneurial process.

Contact Info:

• Website: mmmazed.square.site
• Instagram: @mmmazed