We were lucky to catch up with Alexandria Hilfiger recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alexandria , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

Many people automatically create pre -conceived notions about people. Many people also cast quick judgment on works of art when they have not necessarily taken the time to learn about what the work or the artist is all about. These are challenges I face regularly. I am a self taught artist, and my work is very personal to me. When I put my work out into the world, I am taking the risk of being misunderstood. I have been misunderstood my whole life, and it’s something I have to choose to ignore. I had to learn to laugh off people who stooped so low when they post negative comments, and ignorant musings about the work I make, or the person I am. This only makes me feel braver and stronger in my convictions as an artist. If I believe in my work and it truly feels authentic and honest to me, I have learned that it simply does not matter what others think. The biggest critic in the room is me anyway, and if I am happy with the work, that is all that matters.

Alexandria , 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 grew up being the eldest daughter of Tommy and Susie Hilfiger- both powerhouse creatives and business people. It was a lot of pressure, but I found my way. I also was very ill with Lyme disease for over 27 years and wrote a book called “Bite Me: How Lyme disease Stole My Childhood, Made me Crazy, and almost Killed me.” I learned to process my life and emotions through painting starting at 15 years old. I had shows in New York City in my early twenties, and wanted to explore fashion. I opened NAHM clothing Line in 2010, and closed in 2012, as I had a terrible Lyme Disease relapse. This crushed my ego as a business person. I turned to painting once again to process everything. I took time to get healthy, have a child, and write my book. I turned back to my art practice more consistently during COVID, and fully embraced myself as an artist once and for all. My mission is to encourage others to process their life and emotions through making art, whether or not you have gone to art school or not, it doesn’t matter. It’s in the making that I find the peace and meditation. My artist statement is about embracing and accepting all that we are, and finding the beauty within the imperfections and simplicity.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I find the most rewarding thing as an artist is that there are no rules or limitations, and there is such freedom in exploring my voice and craft. Working with color and material is extremely rewarding and satisfying to me as well. Getting lost on the zone of making art is like nothing you have ever experienced!
It is the icing on the cake when a viewer or collector feels the energy of the work touching their hearts. I hope my work helps and heals the viewer as much as it has helped and healed me in the process of making it.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Everyone is conditioned and programmed at a young age with certain beliefs. Many people in society have classically viewed being an artist as “not important”, or “a waste of time”, or ” impossible to make real money with”. I think people today have to realize the importance and relevance of art both in history, and in one’s personal life. If the narrative around having a career as an artist can shift, and encourage more people to dive into making art, it may give more hope to future artists who may not have given themselves a shot at it. There are so many different ways to create a business from making and showing art. It takes grit, hustle, and believing in your work fully to get rolling. But sometimes having a little show in a local coffee shop is just the boost of confidence the artist needs to keep going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.allyhilfiger.com
• Instagram: @allyhilfiger

Image Credits

Headshot by Douglas Friedman