Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Erna B. Abu-Smail. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Erna B., appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I am a self-taught artist and for as long as I can remember, I have always loved art since I was a child. My mother was an artist so I guess you can say that it came naturally to me. In elementary school I was always doodling or painting one of those paint by numbers pictures. But it wasn’t until I was in 4th or 5th grade, when I created my first still life flower painting, and someone offered to buy it. I was so proud of that painting; my mother even had it laminated. That was when my true passion for art began. Although I developed a passion for painting at a young age, being the child of immigrants, I was encouraged to choose a “professional” career and was on the path to go into medicine. After graduating from university, I did not go to medical school – I moved to South Korea. That is when I re-discovered my passion for art. It was there that I witnessed that ART overcomes all language barriers, and I haven’t looked back since.
Now that I have been painting professionally for over 15 years I am always learning new techniques and experimenting with new mediums to enhance my paintings. When it comes to art I am like a sponge and want to soak up as much information as possible and learn new ways that I can continue to create. I’ve recently taken a sculpting class and immediately fell in love with that art form. I will never stop learning.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a self-taught, first generation Liberian-American artist that is heavily influenced by my African heritage and my daily experiences in the world. I love working with acrylics and mixed media in my pieces. I LOVE COLOR & TEXTURE! I use vibrant and rich tones, also adding different textures like glass, fabrics and modeling paste to enhance the features of my subjects. Lately, I have been exploring two of the most prevalent topics in my recent interactions and conversations – Black Femininity and Fertility. My recent works are centered around the Black woman and children. Through my paintings I am expressing the many layers to the black woman, her femininity, her self-love, her fertility, and how she shows up in the world. As I’m getting older the conversations surrounding fertility and childbirth have been happening more frequently. So, with the paintings of the children – my hope is that the viewer is able to connect with each child as if they were their own.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing the reaction that people have to my paintings. It is so interesting to watch someone experience my painting for the first time. In the past year alone, I have seen a range of emotions but there are five interactions that have stuck with me. On five separate occasions I witnessed my paintings move people to tears. As I mentioned before I have been painting a lot a children and everyone that was moved to tears they all said the same thing, “it’s the eyes”. Never would I have ever imagined that my painting would move someone to tears and for it to have happen five different times in the past year…I’m just so moved, I don’t have the words for how that makes me feel as the artist.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Well, of course the first is to buy our art – they can buy our original work or prints, commission us to create a work of art specifically for that person, grant artists spaces in the community to create murals to enhance the beauty of our neighborhoods. There are also other ways to support an artist that won’t require money: sharing their work online, tagging artists in social media posts, spreading the word about their art, leaving positive comments on their social media posts, attending exhibitions and gallery receptions to view their work, attend virtual and/or in-person artist talks, connect them with potential collectors, or volunteer to help if they are painting a mural and my need assistance.
There are so many ways one can support artists, but in today’s society, social media is a powerful tool and by simply liking, sharing, and commenting you could help artists expand their audience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ernabpainting.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erna.b_painting/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erna-b-289864268/