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

Alright, Neyla thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Growing up I was always playing pretend and taking on art projects. My family (chosen family included) are my biggest supporters and inspiration. I don’t think there was another option for me, from day one I was meant to be a creator. When I was in middle school and high school I committed my time to theatre. I was in the props department because it was so detail oriented and hands on. Being backstage I had the opportunity to solve problems and make art I was proud of. As time went on this pushed me back into visual arts. After leaving my high school theater department to pursue my rediscovered passion, I started looking into what a serious career as an artist could look for me.

Neyla , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m inspired by the complexity of human identity and emotions. As a queer person I draw inspiration from the grand expanse and spectrum of identities within my own community, to me queerness is as beautiful as Mother Earth herself. I try to use plant imagery to close the space we have put between ourselves and the natural world. Through this imagery want to destigmatize queer prosperity because I hope even just one person to feel less alone because of my art. I want too see myself and chosen family represented outside of our pain and trauma. Too often LGBTQIA+ stories in media are centered around tragedy. While these narratives are a vital part of our history it is far from the only truth, I want to bridge the gap between tragedy and prosperity and tell the full story, our story , my story. My work makes the world infinitely less lonely. I have Major Depressive Disorder (MDD, clinical depression), anxiety and ptsd. Where I found community in some parts of my identity, I found isolation in others. This is one of those parts. My chemical imbalances shape every part of how I interact with my environment, and develop relationships. For most of my life it has hindered my ability to see outside of m y immediate reality. When you have these experiences everyday, eventually it’s all you know, all you believe you will know. Once I started working on my art again, this pain was suddenly less abstract, I could finally articulate myself beyond the words that were given to me. I wasn’t so alone anymore. I think others could feel it for themselves when they interacted with my work. I hope nobody has to feel the way I so often do, but because they will, I will do my best to be vulnerable and in turn give them space to do so as well.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think being a creative has to be a lot of following your instincts. All people have to learn to follow their instincts but when you’re creative, there often isn’t a road map to starting g and maintaining a career. You have to think outside of the box to overcome obstacles, because, at least at the start do it all yourself. Specifically as an artist, I have to be the creator, editor, marketing, accountant, and try to keep up a social media. I think there is often a misconception about being a career artist is that it is either impossible to be successful or that all it takes is to be born “talented”. Neither of these are true. Being an artist is a lot of hard work and self motivation. You have to be the person who decides what’s right for you and your work.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are times in my art when I’m able to look at what I’ve made and see the progress I’ve made overtime. When I look down at a piece and can see what’s good and bad about it, I feel fulfilled. I am fulfilled by the rush of excitement I get from creating. There is nothing else in the world that I can imagine myself doing. Being an artist is a reward, even when it’s hard.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @graphic.intent

Image Credits
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