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

Rainbow, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

Imagine this: You’re a teen artist and author on the autism spectrum and you receive an email that says, “We want to hire you to create an art on bikes project!” My first reaction was, “What?” And then, “How did you find me?”

Well, that’s exactly what happened to me last February 2022. Elese McDaniel, the ex-CEO of Nashville BCycle, reached out and explained their incredible project to highlight local artists and encourage more people to bike. Without hesitation, I accepted the commission and was excited to take on this new challenge.

However, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The project involved working with templates and had a strict time frame. It forced me to step out of my creative comfort zone. But it was beyond rewarding, as I was able to decide what stories to share through my art and learned to be flexible in my thought process, not allowing my autism diagnosis or obsessive-compulsive disorder to hold me back. Elese and her graphic designer, Alicia, were amazing to work with and always encouraged me to be myself and create with passion.

Elese finally answered my question about how she found me: She saw my feature in the Arts & Business Council – Nashville newsletter and was drawn to my use of colors and shapes, which confirmed that I was the artist she was looking for.

It was an empowering moment for me, a teen with sometimes invisible disabilities, to be reminded that my art and how I create it has value.

And now, my art is featured on electric bikes that can be used throughout Nashville. I was well compensated for the project (including a photo session with Matt Andrews), and I’m proud to have bragging rights and be appreciated for my work. It means a lot to me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Rainbow Mosho, a teenage artist, author, and entrepreneur on the Autism spectrum. My love of color and everything that is different and fun inspired my name.

Autism can be incredibly challenging, and I have learned that it is important to live in the present. In art, there are no limits. I am constantly motivated by my emotions and what interests or worries me. Lately, my writing has been all over the place as I strive for a sense of fairness and justice.

Sometimes, the realities of my autism diagnosis make things harder, as I also deal with sensory needs, auditory processing, and OCD. This complex combination can be enjoyable, but when it becomes complicated, I need help. Art is one of my primary ways of coping with these realities, as it allows me to express my emotions, feelings, and challenges through creation.

The art I create effectively conveys an understanding of human emotions through vibrant colors and whimsical drawings. Through my art, I can show the losses and gains experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the title of my book confirms. The loss of my grandmother was offset by the gain of an angel in heaven, while the loss of fear was replaced by an increase in my voice, confidence, and self-love.

I now have a good quality of life, considering that I stopped talking at 30 months and had major behavior crises. I am now a very animated speaker and can speak non-stop. One of my favorite pieces from my first book is the “Tree of Life,” which represents “every color, shape, and emotion that keeps me real and makes me a very special person.”

I am proud of my accomplishment in self-publishing five books in 23 months, creating every piece of art in each book, writing three of them in full, and organizing art and poetry challenges to highlight artists from other countries. My books and creativity provide unique experiences for every reader, with some finding them funny at just the right moment and others feeling emotional upon realizing that they have experienced similar situations. As I get older, my writing is influenced by the wonders and hardships of the world. I welcome change and am excited to see what else I will create in the coming years.

The amazing individuals who choose to purchase my books, art, NFTs, and merch support my goal of breaking barriers and reducing gatekeeping in the art and literary world.

My mom reminds me that every small step we take helps build the escalator to success. It can be challenging and frustrating at times, but it is worth it when, for example, my partner Linc-d shares that they want to use my art on a beauty product. As cliche as it may sound, things happen when they are meant to be, and that is why we must keep working hard – which we do!

In your view, what can society do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Oh wow – so many options and these are more meaningful when adding disabilities to this question:

Provide financial support: This can include providing mini-grants, funding, and other financial assistance to artists and creatives to help them pursue their work.

Create opportunities for collaboration: Encouraging collaboration and cross-disciplinary work can help to create a more vibrant and dynamic creative ecosystem.

Foster an inclusive and diverse environment: Ensuring that the creative ecosystem is inclusive and diverse is essential for supporting a wide range of voices and perspectives. Oh yes, I keep saying it in my posts! Especially when seeking media exposure.

Provide resources and support: Providing access to resources such as studios, galleries, and other spaces where artists and creatives can work and share their work can help to nurture and support the creative ecosystem. This is key!

There are many more.
I am not being idealistic. I know we can create a thriving environment for disabled creators.
I am ready. Who will join me?

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The goal is to build my future now. I am 14.
I have disabilities.
I cannot wait till I am 20 years old to create a plan or teach myself how to achieve, how to understand that it takes a lot of work to obtain financial independence or that I need to build social capital.

I have many dreams. Some may remain as dreams.
But many of them shall become a reality and many of you will be responsible for this process!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rainbowmosho.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rainbowmosho/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rainbowmosho
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rainbow-mosho-yadira-calderon-2617393b/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAINBOWMOSHO
• Other: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rainbow-Mosho/author/B08NXZNPN2?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Medium: https://medium.com/@rainbowmosho2/and-2022-is-almost-a-wrap-d70558847549 Lippy Lu: Licensing agreement – my art on a beauty product: https://www.lippylu.com/product-page/strawberry-lemonade-gift-set

Image Credits
Photo with bikes – credit Matt Andrews