From Karen, who paints, to Oya Arts - Becoming an Artist
This last year has filled me with deep gratitude. I have decided to reflect on all the beautiful opportunities and experiences my passion for art has created since I picked up that brush again in 2018. Becoming an artist has been an epic journey that has changed my life!
How It Began
My first public sharing of my artwork in 2018 was quite a shock for those who knew me personally. At the time, I was a food entrepreneur, marketer, life and soul of any party, but an artist I was not. I had hidden the fact that I could paint until I mentioned it to a friend, who encouraged me to rent a studio with her and revive my childhood passion. The reality was I hadn’t drawn or painted since I was around 18 years old, but there was something about this offer to create in a studio that was overwhelming to me, and it was at that point I knew I had to take her up on the offer.
My artistic influences
My first public sharing of my artwork in 2018 was quite a shock for those who knew me personally. At the time, I was a food entrepreneur, marketer, life and soul of any party, but an artist I was not. I had hidden the fact that I could paint until I mentioned it to a friend, who encouraged me to rent a studio with her and revive my childhood passion. The reality was I hadn’t drawn or painted since I was around 18 years old, but there was something about this offer to create in a studio that was overwhelming to me, and it was at that point I knew I had to take her up on the offer.
By the end of 2018, I sold over ten pieces of artwork and was preparing for my first solo exhibition, The Deliverance of Womban.” But something else also happened in 2018 that changed my life forever.
Written in the stars
Had it not been for Instagram and my art, I would never have met Tierre Caldwell. A few months after setting up @oyaarts I came across this visually stunning page which showcased powerful images from the African Diaspora. Of course, I was hooked and returned to the page most days to get inspiration for my paintings. After a few weeks, I reached out to the owner to give them a shout-out for their content. There were no pictures of a person behind the page, just beautiful images, so when he responded, I didn’t know who he was. Our conversation focused on artwork and his book, “The Art of Sucker Duckin,” which he was writing at the time. We bounced ideas off each other and had mutual respect and admiration for each other’s craft.
One day, he accidentally hit the video call button when messaging on Instagram, and for the first time, we saw each other in person! To say I was pleasantly surprised was an understatement.
There was only one problem: he was in Minnesota, and I was in London. At this point, we had been talking for about six months, and some real feelings had started to develop, and I knew deep down that I needed to explore this. I was 37 at the time, and in my mind, I didn’t have time to wait, so I hopped on a plane to see if he was for real, and from that point on, we were flying back and forth to see each other and the rest, as they say, is history.
Fast forward to 2020, and Tierre flew to London for what I thought was a regular visit; however, he had other intentions. On the 9th of August 2020, he asked my dad for my hand in marriage and, later that day, asked me to be his wife.
A year later, amid a covid pandemic, we walked down the aisle on the 9th of August 2021. I was 40 when I became Mrs. Caldwell, and had it not been for me following my passion and taking a leap of faith to post my work online; I may have been writing a very different story.
My experience has taught me that my passion is the gateway to my holistic happiness, so never sell yourself short and not explore what you love to do, it is never too late, and you can always
Why I create Art
It was in elementary school that I first discovered the power of art. As a child, I was extremely talkative, especially in subjects I disliked, and math was and still is my worst subject!
In one lesson, my teacher sent me to the corner with a piece of paper and some coloring pencils because she was sick of me disrupting the class. Little did she know, she was not punishing me but teaching me the most powerful lesson. When she returned to integrate me into the session, she was so impressed with what I had created that she asked the other students to copy it. My math lesson turned into an impromptu art class, and from that day on, I understood that art was not only a form of expression but also a form of protest and rebellion. After that, I realized that the visual was my most important medium, and I wanted to work with it forever.
Throughout high school and college, I painted and drew constantly.
My dream was to be an artist; however, in 1990s London, there were few artists of my ethnicity, and as a black girl from North West London, I felt my chances were slim. Even after being accepted into the London College of Arts, I was convinced I would not fit in with the art world. As a result, I gave up my dream and went to university to study Sociology and Cultural Studies.
My artistic influences
Though I couldn’t see it at the time, my time at university helped shape my art today by helping me understand myself in the world and how the world interacts with me. I was immersing myself in the theories of race, history, gender, intersectionality, diaspora, whiteness, economics, and classism; All elements would shape my future work.
Falling In Love with Teaching
My love for teaching was one of the highlights of my creative journey. Before the pandemic, I offered paint and sip parties and corporate art sessions, but covid changed the game. I also created free online paint and sip classes for anyone who wanted to connect with the outside world. The sessions soon became extremely popular, with people joining worldwide.
2022, however, was when my corporate art sessions saw an increase in demand. People have also changed their attitudes about work environments since the pandemic, and many organizations now recognize how vital employee well-being is for their success.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY PRIVATE AND CORPORATE ART SESSIONS
What 2022 Taught Me
My biggest lesson for 2022 is that you never know what is around the corner. I have had the pleasure of taking my art in some amazingly creative directions. These are some of my artistic highlights of this year.
I Painted One of My Favourite Commissions
I illustrated A book
I showcased artwork in a Gallery in Barbados and sold some pieces!
I leased my artwork for the first time
I held a record amount of corporate art workshops internationally
I have sold the most paintings and merchandise since I started in 2018!
I have sold more art internationally than any other year!
Forever Thankful
Overall, 2022 has been a blessed year, and I enjoyed living between Barbados, London, and Minneapolis. I am excited for 2023 because it is a new, exciting start with infinite possibilities, and I will be hanging up my nomadic shoes for a while and settling in Minneota full-time. While traveling over the last couple of years has been a unique experience and helped shape my art, I am excited to settle down in marriage, paint from home studio, teach more classes to individuals and corporations, and take advantage of the midwest’s inspiration.
Wishing you all the best in 2023 and beyond.
