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

Brianna , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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 use to feel very insecure in the art world because I did not attend a school for art. This felt like a disadvantage in regards to learning skills and developing relationships that could propel my career forward. I leaned heavily on the feedback I received from my middle and high school art teacher. They made me feel like I had a gift until I had the confidence to pursue artistry later on. I finished all my assignments early so I started trying realism and sketching celebrities faces in middle school. Back then, art was not as mainstream as it is now. My peers saw artists as weirdos lol (which I am and I’m proud of it,) I took my sketch pad every where I went. Then I began challenging myself more by sketching drawing hands and physical land scapes. Once I enrolled in high school, I enrolled in AP Art and the assignment that changed my entire approach to art, was this assignment to imitate an artist. I painted a high contrast bowl of fruit. Through this assignment I learned how to paint. Fast forward to being in college, I began painting for myself and others for free. It was kind of like a love language. I did not have much money so I used matte boards instead of canvases. My peers encouraged me to sell my work so I had to learn how to market myself through trial and error, developing pricing, learn about shipping & consulting. etc.. Then, with the love and support of my college sweetheart now husband, he purchased art books for me to learn more technical skills to refine my abstract pieces and learn anatomy. I believe I follow some of the most incredible artists in the world, I study them to become more fearless and skilled.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got in the art industry by building relationships with other creatives. I soon realized there were other creatives on a similar journey and finding their way through this industry. I began getting invited to art shows to showcase. We would bater our respective skills as payment. So for example, I would model for an up and coming photographer for free then he would have an event where my art was featured. I was also deep in my own self- discovery and realizing I had other gifts that I wrote off as survival skills. I write poetry and I’ve been published and written monologues for others to recite at events. I also love dancing. But painting has been my primary and most developed skill. I began dissecting my art and I realized this was how I coped with my trauma because most of my work has been centered around healing, identity, spiritual warfare, and relationships. (This process sparked my interest in mental health). However, that work was mostly abstract and the audience I had in that point of my career wanted to see portraits. So because I needed money, I have done hundreds of portraits. I got bored with it and learn to integrate an abstract expressionist style to my portraits when given what I call “creative freedom” by my clients. Now, I am at a point in my career where I am devoted to my artistic style as Black artist but also an abstract expressionist with surrealist elements. I create loud, funky, thought-provoking focal pieces. Because I am also a therapist, I want my audience to see themselves in my work and connect with the art emotionally and pyschologically, That is when I know I have succeeded at the commission or sold my work to the right owner. I also donate originals to organizations that are trailblazers and a resource in their communities. I have met wonderful people doing this! If anything, I wish I would have created the work I want to create sooner supporting my mission to promote wellness, authenticity and empowerment through the arts.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I am not sure if there is a such thing as non-creative. I believe we are all creative in different ways. You can be creative in your thought patterns, in the way you draw, the way you speak or the way you provide solutions. As a creative who is highly expressive in the arts, I struggled with feeling misunderstood and unsupported on my journey. It was once a widespread belief that artists can’t make money while we are alive which is a belief we fight to dispel. Then, as a black women who is also an artist there are unique barriers in regards to if my art is “fine art.” There is quite a bit to navigate. Because as artists, we are messengers and we have a functional role in society to portray stories, land scapes, feelings, memories, people…the list goes on. In order to do this effectively, we have to tap into a higher level of consciousness, delve into the psyche of others and utilize enough discipline to create an aesthetically pleasing product. We are constantly observing our world and transmuting this information. Even as artists, we transmute our our pain and trauma and give it to the world to observe. As artists we are required to be highly vulnerable. If more people understood our role in culture, they would understand the cost for our work and support the trial and errors we face as we hone this skill.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

In the age of social media, there are so many coaches and how-tos that it becomes overwhelming. I had to learn to own my process and own my lane! The insecurity of not going to art school made me feel like I did not have what it takes to do well in artistry. I also felt like the trauma I experienced in my life would hinder my ability to be a therapist. I was wrong. Each trial and error fueled that insecurity until I realized that no process is truly linear. There are inevitable ups and downs. What works for someone else may not work for you. Study what works for you and just admire what works for others. I had to begin looking at what art processes bring me the most joy as well as identify which of my own works made me feel proud. I realized that these works may not be the work that everyone will like. The same rings true as a therapist, Your skill and practice will fit a certain demographic not everyone. BUT, there will be some people who LOVE what you do the way you do it. Then, find strategies and opportunities that engage those people. Let your work attract those who really love your style and mission!

Contact Info:

• Website: briannanechelle.com
• Instagram: briannanechelleart
• Facebook: Brianna Nechelle Art
• Linkedin: Brianna Lewis

Image Credits
Ryan Lewis and Brianna Lewis