We recently connected with Samad Onque and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Samad thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

That’s an interesting question because I could easily answer yes but that would mot be totally accurate. When I graduated college, I had this romanticized idea of how my art career would be. But, I was called to do something totally unrelated, working with young adults. I truly believe those experiences were necessary for my personal growth and development. To be quiet honest, my most fulfilling artistic experiences had less to do with monetary gain and more about creating something that others can appreciate. That being said, Its great to be get paid for doing something that you love. And I love doing both.

Samad , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Samad Onque, one third of the art collective 3 the art way ( a family trio consisting of myself, Mother, Yvonne Onque and Brother, Suliman Onque).

Born and raised in Newark, NJ, During high school, I attended Newark School Of The Arts. I later moved to Baltimore, MD where graduated from Morgan state University with a B.A. in fine arts.

Notable projects: participated in East Orange Black Lives Matter Mural Works were Exhibited at The Newark Museum, Morgan state University, an annual participant The Newark arts Festival.
Art is featured on the T.S Derricotte novel, “Legacy Of Angles”; as well as the Jazz album “Transitions” by John Lamkin II & The Favorites Quintet.

My mission is to create something beautiful artistically that will inspire people not only for the present but for generations to come.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I think that this point in my life I am inspired and driven by Legacy, what will ultimately be my contribution to my community our society and the world for that matter? How can I best represent the Onque name? What will I leave behind long after I’m gone? I’ve been blessed with the gift of artistic expression so I feel obligated to use it responsibly and not squander it. Its a form of communication. we are able speak and connect with people beyond the surface level. You know how the saying goes, “Art imitates life” There’s a lot going on out here. My goal is to allow my work to be a useful representation of the human experience.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The cool thing about being an artist is that you can continue to grow and get better at your craft for as long as you’re alive. There isn’t a retirement age so to speak. for Instance, Athletes are super gifted and can do some amazing things, but their window of greatness unfortunately is somewhat short. The journey of a creative can be never ending so long as there are things that motivate and inspire us. I think that’s pretty dope.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.3theartway,com
• Instagram: Artcat_on_q
• Facebook: Samad Onque
• Twitter: @OnqueSamad69732

Image Credits
1.”Barnstormers” 2. “Dark Matter: Latte” 3. Image of Samad at the Van Gogh Experience, DC 4..”The Original” 5. “DAP” 6. “Lady Liberty”