We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Liana Destin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Liana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have always been artistic and creative. It’s in my family on both sides so it was always within me before I could even put a name to it. I knew for sure that I had talent in highschool but I didn’t actually realize that pursuing it as a career was an option until 2014. I was fortunate enough to travel around the country and exhibit my art with some of Black art’s real heavy hitters. It was a real eye opener to the world of art, along with selling and showcasing. I knew back then that it was my ultimate life purpose to create and I understand that even more now.

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 artist who was born and raised in Western Massachusetts. I have an African American background that shines through in all of the different mediums that I work in. My favorite mediums are magazine collage, wood burning, drawing, acrylic painting, and mosaics. Right now I am working on a series that I call “Ti Figi” which is Haitian Creole for “small faces”. This series came to me in late 2022. I started drawing masks on index cards and from there I gradually made them bigger and added more detail with each face. The best compliments are being told that my artwork is recognizable and that people have never seen art like I make before. Being different and standing out in the art world is a major accomplishment. I pride myself on the intricacy and attention to detail that I put into every piece. I have created a distinguished pattern that I call “vibrations”. It started out as doodling and now has established itself as a main focus in my current art career.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is passing down the teachings that you have learned and then watching them be applied. And the beauty of it is that you get to see your teachings come into fruition through somebody else’s mind.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Something a non-creative might not understand about my journey as a creative is that it is absolutely the most personal thing that I can share with you. My art is my emotions, my thoughts, my personal connection with my creator all on canvas. So when I show my artwork there is a sense of vulnerability in exposing my artistic self to the world.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ti_figi

Image Credits
Liana Destin