We were lucky to catch up with Sunahtah Jones recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sunahtah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

One of the biggest and most impactful risks that I’ve taken has been moving to Atlanta. Before moving to Atlanta, I was living in Tampa (where I went to college) and working at a very emotionally taxing job that I hated. I thought I wanted to be a professor and ended up getting rejected from what I thought was my dream school in Atlanta. It turned out that the closing doors that I was experiencing was actually the Universe encouraging me to make space for new and amazing opportunities. I found a little apartment in the West End (never did a viewing beforehand), packed my car up, and moved to Atlanta at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in 2020. I didn’t have much of a plan or stable income, I just knew that I was going to find my way. I had to. And I did. I developed my digital art brand, SPICECAMVISUALS, and started taking myself seriously as a multidimensional creative. It wasn’t easy but I was able to start a new foundation for myself that was grounded in my passion for art and creation.

Sunahtah, 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 have been an artist for as long as I’ve been on Earth. I started writing poems and short stories as soon as I learned to write. From there, I started drawing, painting, and taking photographs as well. Anything that was a mode of creation was always intriguing to me, I always wanted to try it and see what I could do. Art also helped me understand myself and the world around me. Growing up as a Black, queer, and gender nonconforming person, art has always been a haven for me and a way to connect to the world.

Whether I’m using a camera, paintbrush, videocamera, pen, or photomanipulation…all of my art is informed by energy and “poetry in motion”. My services include digital art commissions (cover art, logos, flyers, etc.), photography, videography, brand development and NFT consultation. In addition to creating various forms of art and branding materials, I also have an extensive professional background regarding brand strategy and the use of web 3.0 technology. I am proud to be the creator of a Black, queer owned brand that prioritizes connecting with an uplifting creatives and communities. I am also proud to be a multidimensional artist who prides themself on allowing art to move through me via different mediums.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I think that NFTs are a medium. Like most mediums, they can be utilized in ways that are both beneficial and not beneficial to artists and art communities specifically. Outside of freelance art, I also work professionally in NFT/Web 3.0 strategy and consulting. For the past two years, I have been immersing myself into web 3.0 technology and working with NFT artists and platforms. A large part of my work includes onboarding people, especially Black queer people, onto NFT and Web 3.0 technology.

NFTs can allow artists to have agency over themselves and their artwork, while also profiting directly off of their work without a middle man. For example, a music artist can use profit from their NFTs to fund their career in a way that was previously viewed as something that could only be provided by labels. Royalties also allow artists to have sustainable careers and see their art live on in beautiful ways. Decentralization, at is core, is supposed to be grounded in autonomy and equal access. NFTs and crypto are also new forms of income that can be utilized to the advantage of communities and upcoming artists. DAOs allow people across the globe to equally take part and invest in art and life-changing causes that pour resources back into our communities. The possibilities are endless when we operate from a place of compassion and connection.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I knew far more about grants and fellowship opportunities. As artists, we’re routinely told (both directly and indirectly) that we’re likely to be starving artists and that living a life creating art is not sustainable. When in reality, art lives forever and is one of the most valuable things to exist. Art tells stories. Art is history. Art is love. Art is a reflection. It’s important to connect with people and communities who value art and want to INVEST in it.

When I moved to Atlanta, I was fortunate to learn a lot about funding opportunities for art projects through creatives that I met and developed friendships with. If I knew more about grants and fellowship opportunities earlier in my art career, I would have definitely applied to as many as possible. Funding is a huge road block for many artists because we live in a world that is ruled by capitalism. Having solidified funding for your projects takes a massive weight off of your shoulders and allows artists to create freely. That’s something that artists deserve to experience consistently.

Contact Info:

• Website: spicecamvisuals.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spicecamvisuals/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunahtah-jones-m-a-2a729b228/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/spicecamvisuals
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkAIcrfMRsd1ftPdiD2vSwA