We were lucky to catch up with Zybrena Porter recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Zybrena thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

I remember when I made the decision to create art that better represented me, my experiences and my hopes for those who view my work. After the societal dissonance of the past few years, I found that by not being fully honest about my need to see Black Americans better represented in creative spaces, I’d given both friends and family a false impression of what issues are important to me and how I planned to be a part of the solution. Despite the efforts put into increasing representation, the fine art industry still currently underrepresents African American artists by a factor of almost six and Black female artists by a factor of 13 as cited by sources like ArtNet and The Art Newspaper, among others. The automatic result is a lack of options for collectors and clients alike. My natural response was to do something that had been in my heart for years, paint women who looked like me, women who were healing from the same traumas, and women who needed to be reminded that they are intentionally created and deserved to be represented in a way that reinforced that reality. This resulted in an explosion of me creating what often gets automatically labeled as “Black Art.” While I could tell my work resonated with plenty of women who were finding themselves on a similar journey, I would occasionally receive pushback that I was being “non-inclusive” or that I was “limiting myself.” It was hard when those comments would, at times, come from people I greatly respected. Ultimately, I have found two things to be true: 1) My art is not for everyone…for that matter, nobody’s art is for everyone. 2) Being truly passionate about my cause has taken me further than any feedback (positive or negative) ever could.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I began drawing from a very young age, from portraits of my family to illustrations of my dad’s church sermons. It wasn’t until I was pregnant with my son that I began to think about why I create and what legacy I desired to leave behind. More than anything, I wanted to model for him the kind of self-advocacy that I did not learn until I was in my thirties. My company, Zybrena Fine Art, is a visual arts enterprise whose primary focus is creating space for honest and healthy self-expression within, and on behalf of, Black American communities. An advocate for self-love and mental health, I began this journey of creating to remind myself of the value and necessity of showing up authentically in the world. Seeing mental health in minority communities continually impacted by societal marginalization, I quickly resolved that the luxury of being fully secure in one’s own skin was one my community needed to be able to afford. Zybrena Fine Art is tackling this mission through creating oil paintings, prints and displays that feature and depict women from across the African Diaspora, experiencing healing, self-empowerment and renewal of purpose.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

There is not enough space to detail every lesson I had to unlearn, but I will share my biggest one here: Though specific to my profession, this concept can apply to any entrepreneur. I had to unlearn every version of the statement, “Art is not a real job/major/career path/etc.” Students, counselors and even other students’ parents would hurl these statements carelessly throughout my college career, ultimately leading me to take a 10-year detour into the world of graphic design. What those individuals were parroting, whether knowingly or unknowingly, was that they were unaware of any sustainable job description in any corporate or vocational space that fit the term “artist.” Choosing to be a full-time artist meant that I was choosing the path of an entrepreneur. It meant that I would be creating the job that I wanted, and that was what made the journey look insurmountable to those around me. I am grateful today to have people in my life who understand this dynamic and who are helping me succeed in the ways that are important to me.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Getting to know myself is a huge byproduct of being a creative. A big part of my studies to become a full-time artist revolved around understanding the building blocks of my personality. What drives my decision-making? What energizes me? What drains me? What are my strengths and weaknesses?What makes me cry? What makes me angry? Every medium, color and technique I use is driven by the answers to these questions. The most fulfilling occurrence for me as an artist is to feel the uncontrollable urge to paint something, and then realize days, weeks or even months later, how powerful and personal the message hidden within the completed piece is. I learn something about myself with every completed work of art.

Contact Info:

• Website: Zybrena.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/zybrena
• Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/zybrena
• Other: TikTok.com/@zybrena