I have always been a creative person, but I am also really good in STEM. I decided to pursue a path in engineering because it seemed like the best route to success. So, I went to Spelman College and Georgia Tech, and studied Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering respectively. The transition from Spelman to Tech was difficult and I needed an outlet to help me get through the program. I turned to art and dedicated my time to painting. I realized I had a business here and decided to create one after I graduated from college. I had a full time technical job and built my art business at the same time. My 3D hair art has gone viral on social media. This encouraged me to pursue art full time. I took this leap of faith in 2020 during uncertain times, but I knew it was right for me. I have been evolving my business ever since.

Mission: Hair is such a culturally relevant topic in the Black community. Many of us have experienced a difficult time managing our hair. We have been really focused on learning how to properly manage our hair and there has been a major shift in the natural hair movement. We want to embrace our natural curls and coils. Visual representation is essential. We need to see beautiful artwork that we can identify with. My goal is to create powerful art that highlights black beauty and hair versatility. Inspire by Tyler promotes self-love, faith and women’s empowerment.

Target Market:
My target market is African American women. The art I create embraces women and girl’s beauty, including their skin tone and hair texture. My products are great for wall decor or accessories and validates our self image. This art brings joy and nostalgia to the collector. My goal is to uplift my community by showcasing our natural beauty and hair versatility through my paintings.

How I connect with my community:
I appreciate opportunities to be present at events in my hometown, Chicago, whether it is to display my art or be a speaker at an event and share my story. What is so interesting though, is the power of social media. Although I live in Chicago, I have the ability to build a community that is global. I like to explain the impact of my art and how it connects to our hair experience and self-love journey. My goal is to share my art and story with my network and help change their perspective. This is bigger than the art for me, it is about how I can use my life and translate my experiences in a way that is well received by others. I use my life lessons to educate Black girls and women on improved self perceptions. I have truly dedicated my life to my mental health journey and overall well being. I am invested in becoming the healthiest version of myself. I want to share this with someone who maybe hasn’t had that influence or perspective. The way I look at it is, I went through it, so let me explain my story so you don’t have the same challenges.

Proud moments:
After I made the decision to be a full time artist, I invested time building out my business structure. I had a social media following of about 30K then, and I needed to find a way to convert my followers to customers. Once we were no longer able to attend events, due to the pandemic, I pivoted into a stronger online presence by investing in revamping my e-commerce platform and marketing efforts. My social media following grew to over 100K followers in a few months. These were some of the best decisions I could have made. My customer experience was improved when I redesigned my website. I was also able to generate sales by working with a marketing agency.

Quitting my job in 2020 was a good decision, and I am proud to say that I have been on this full time entrepreneurship journey for 2.5 years.

I had the privilege to have art auctioned off in the Wearable Art Gala presented by Tina Knowles for the past few years. My work was featured on WACO’s Wearable Art Gala on the OWN network. In December 2019, I was also featured among the top artists in the country during Art Basel in Miami. I have some celebrity collectors including Taraji P Henson, Chance the Rapper, Issa Rae and Quavo from the Migos. My art also decorates Common’s school, ‘Art in Motion’, in Chicago. I have been featured in All Access, Windy City Live, The Jam and Essence magazine. I was on the YouTube Original Series, Instant Influencer Season II which is a creative art competition. My biggest accomplishment was being the featured artist at MasterCard’s Strivers Initiative. I was the special guest speaker and was introduced to the stage by Jennifer Hudson. I created 23 custom portraits of black women business owners that are a part of their program. I only had 6 weeks to complete this project and this was all hosted at the Apollo Theater in New York.

I really think its about being open with your audience. I decided to share what I was working on without being afraid of what people would say. It turned out great, it was an opportunity to reach people in a new way.

Buying art is a great way to support artists. In addition to that, supporting us online or at in person events. Sharing our business online or with friends and family helps a lot too. Leaving a positive comment on a social media post is a great way to encourage artists you love.