Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alkemy Frost. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
Nice to be here. A big risk for me has been trying to find a place to live that works for me, that’s no small challenge as someone with multiple disabilities! With art, a risk i took was probably joining ACW (Art to Change the World) and coming up with an intern project. i really wasn’t sure how i’d manage with my disabilities but it ended up being a really good experience. The risk was probably more theirs though, as hiring me and then finding i can’t do much would be a drag on their time and resources. While my risk was mostly anxiety and potential rejection. i plan to continue working with them if possible once i find a place.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Of course. Hi, I’m Alkemy Frost (ne/nir/nem) 30 years old, neurodivergent, aro-ace, agender, and Jewish. I’m Minneostan born and raised but have been kept isolated due to disabilities. Covid encouraging greater online access has helped me start to meet more people. Most of my life was spent in a small refinery town, in an old trailer built in the 70’s. I grew up with my mom and her roommate/boyfriend who were not exactly kind people and neither were others i had regular contact with. I struggled alot growing up and still struggle, life has been slow to start for me. It’s only been a year and a half since i left my childhood home and it’s been a lot of adjustment. A family even adopted me as one of their own! Though I’m not home yet. The k-12 schools i went to were more art-focused than others, everyone drew, wrote, played music, knit, or acted, it didn’t seem particularly special that i did any of those things. Not knitting though, numbers are not my friend. I was out sick more often than not and i was aware i didn’t really have a chance at a future. Certainly no college education and with the unlikelihood of maintaining work. I mostly just passed the time. Passing time waiting for the day people kept telling me was just on the horizon, the day things would be better. I’m still waiting. At least now i have more things to do online so i can pass the time a bit more constructively. I want to keep growing my art. It’ll be great when i can make art in peace and safety, finally home.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
This is probably not the best question for me. I only share my art in local small galleries related to ACW as appropriate and with friends online. I live on disability pay and can’t maintain a business so i take the odd boost as it naturally comes around.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Well, this probably isn’t the biggest example nor did it impact my current journey all that much, but it came to mind. Once when i was a kid and my mom was at work, i wanted to make her an art piece. For Mother’s Day i think. I drew with cheap color pencils and cut ribbons to glue to the paper. Except, there was no glue. It happens a lot that we don’t have the things we need, right when we need them, especially if you’re poor/disabled. Sometimes you gotta look at a problem and think about another way. Even if it’s a bit silly. I used honey, it always gave me headaches when i ate it anyway so it seemed a better use for it at the time!
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