We were lucky to catch up with Malikah Tamirah recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Malikah , thanks for joining us today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

One instance where my work was mischaracterized occurred during a showcase when someone I knew told me, “You don’t need to paint the ‘urban stuff.’ You should focus more on appealing to their audience.” In reality, I’m staying true to myself and expressing what’s authentic to my experiences—painting what I’ve lived and what I see around me every day. My work is meant to be relatable to anyone, regardless of their background, because it speaks to universal themes that resonate on a personal level.

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 am a visual artist from Savannah, Georgia working across drawing, painting, and printmaking, with a primary focus on acrylics. My work centers on capturing the essence of my everyday life as a black woman growing up in the American South, and reflects the authenticity of my experiences. I depict family, friends, and my community, often placing them in memorable settings that highlight raw, real moments. My inspiration comes from the people and surroundings that shaped me—both from my childhood and my current life. I aim to portray the distinct personality and character of growing up in the urban South. I got into art when I was in kindergarten. My grandfather, an artist himself, would often draw and paint with various mediums around me. I would try to mimic his work, and in doing so, I ended up falling in love with drawing. believe what sets me apart is my obsession and resilience. My drive to push myself, create under any circumstances, and never let anything stop me is what fuels my work. I’m constantly researching painters who have achieved what I aspire to, studying their techniques and journeys. No matter how busy I am, I make time to paint every day—even if it’s just for 15 minutes. There have been times when I’ve sacrificed sleep to make progress on a piece. For me, obsession is what makes the difference. It’s what keeps me moving forward.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect being an artist is the journey itself. It’s the process of painting, spending hours, days, and sometimes months on a piece. It’s about channeling all my energy into something that lets me express myself without words, and then seeing the finished result of what I’ve created. It’s the process of pushing myself to achieve more, and of attracting new opportunities along the way. It’s about how the process transforms my life, showing me how far I’ve come—from the struggles of sleepless nights spent on one painting, to realizing how that very piece propelled me forward. The process of everything and just remembering how you felt in that moment, being able to challenge and reinvent yourself every single time.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I honestly wish I had more opportunities to visit museums and galleries when I was younger. Before art school, I think I had only been to one art museum in my hometown a couple of times, and once on an elementary school field trip. I feel that if I had been exposed to the arts more often, and had a deeper understanding of the arts from an earlier age, it would have made me more open-minded when I first started creating. Frequent visits to museums and galleries could have helped shape my perspective and broadened my creative approach much sooner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://malikahtamirah.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/malikahtamirah
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/malikahtamirah