We were lucky to catch up with Estee Marie recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Estee, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on to date would be the arts integrated SEL curriculum for students. As a former classroom teacher, I have seen the beauty that comes from children being given the creative freedom to express themselves. I wanted to create space for that to happen beyond the 100 or so students I would get every year. Having something that amplifies my reach makes me feel like I’m fulfilling my mission. I have seen first hand the power arts education had on me when I was a young girl filled with depression and low self esteem.

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?

I believe ultimately my passion for arts comes from the need for expression in a way that felt safe and controlled. At the time I fell in love with being creative – I didn’t know any other way to express what was going on inside my feelings and my thought process. Art showed me a way to take those energies and channel them into something.

I started writing poetry in the 8th grade. There were things that I experienced in my childhood that I did not know how to articulate. It gave me a particular perspective on life based on the lens of the toxic and traumatic experiences I lived through. When I discovered how to speak about a situation without directly saying what I was talking about a new love was born. I found writings from 8th grade and placed them in my book.

In this powerful poetry collection, I share my journey of faith and personal growth as I overcome the trauma of sexual abuse. Featuring a poetic photo series, the book interweaves the story of the Valley of Dry Bones from Ezekiel 37, mirroring my journey from lifelessness to wholeness. It highlights my struggles as a teen to my strength and resilience as an adult, this book delves into the raw emotions and thought processes of a survivor on the path to healing and restoration.

The choice to really move forward in my creative pursuits happened by accident but were divinely appointed in my opinion. I used to share my poems on blogs, and after posting one of my poems I really didn’t think too many people were reading someone left me a comment that said “You put into words exactly how I feel, but didn’t know how to say” and in that moment I realized that my writing was not only helpful for me, but it was also healing for other people who resonated with it. What really sealed the deal for me was my first real performance. Up until this point I had only been posting on blogs – I had never read my poems out loud to anyone. A friend of mine was putting on a youth event and a few of his acts dropped out at the last minute. He asked me to read one of my poems to fill the time and I reluctantly agreed. I read my poem and to my surprise there was a pastor at the event who came to me afterward and asked me if I would come read the poem for the youth at his church – the spoken word journey began here.

I started producing one of the few faith based open-mics in Los Angeles. A group of friends and I got together and put on an event called M.O.U.F.Peace, Manifesting One’s Understanding of Faith through Peace. Those various events allowed me to meet a lot of amazingly talented people which ultimately led to me being called to co-host the show TV show “SPEAK” on time Warner Cable, executive produced by Glass House Productions. I had been part of different events and productions, but this opened my eyes to the idea of faith based poetry being on a major network. Like Def Poetry Jam, but this was a different vibe.

My most recent painting series I have been creating explores the beauty of the connection between (wo)man and nature. I have taken the delicacy of the female figure and combined it with that of flowers. I enjoy being able to create works that allow people to decorate their spaces with statement peices that can spark conversation. I love creativity, crafting, and making things other people can cherish.

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

My mission is simple – arts education saved my life and I want students everywhere to have the same access to it. Over the years I have had the opportunity to impact the lives of many children. I’ve worked for community organizations as well as in the school system as a paraprofessional and a classroom teacher. I’m proud to say I’ve cultivated artistic entrepreneurs and individuals who became more self-confident and self-aware. Through my work I’ve been able to bridge the gap between local artists and the school, bringing in artists who resemble the demographics of the student population. Don’t get me wrong, it’s important to study the late greats, but it is also equally important for students of color to have representations of success and thriving individuals who look like them.

My programs for schools are really about allowing educators to have more tools to pull out the genius of their students. For one, as a former classroom teacher myself, I believe its extremely necessary to consider the mental wellness of the teachers. I have built self-care as an integral part of my framework because the best work comes from educators who are mentally and emotionally well. There have been studies that show engaging in artistic activities lowers stress levels; so in my mind it makes sense to bring that into the classroom to create learning environments that are less stressful and students and teachers will in turn not dread going to the environment. My focus is not only on arts integration, but instilling culturally relevant teaching practices as well because there is a science to learning. If you can’t get past the barriers the brain may have set up due to particular cultural factors then learning is not happening, and isn’t that the whole point of education anyway?

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

A valuable lesson I had to unlearn was perceiving vulnerability as a weakness. I realized that embracing vulnerability is crucial for personal growth and artistic development. I was someone who created work, but was unwilling to let anyone else see it which doesn’t make for being a professional artist. Acknowledging and learning from my errors allowed me to evolve as an artist, and being willing to share my work was the first step in being able to really pursue any type of creative career.

Expressing genuine emotions and perspectives in my work requires a willingness to be open and exposed. This shift in mindset empowered me to embrace my imperfections, leading to more authentic and relatable art. Understanding that vulnerability isn’t a flaw but rather a strength has been pivotal in my artistic journey. It’s about being transparent, open to learning, and sharing my genuine self with the world. This shift has not only enhanced my art but also my overall approach to life and professional development.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://esteemarie.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ed0tmarie
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/esteemarie
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ed0tmarie
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/ed0tmarie

Image Credits
image with half skeleton face – credit Ashley Byrd @a.n.sphotography image in the mirror – credit Semeion Robinson @semshotz