Why have you chosen to be an artist/creative? What is your “raison d’être”?
As long as I’ve known myself I have been naturally creative. I have always loved the visual arts, but I’ve also written from a young age. This impulse has only grown as I’ve gotten older and my philosophy is that the ability to ideate and manifest something novel from ideation is what makes us all human and distinct from the other creatures we share this beautiful planet with.
My path of creativity has been dynamic but even when paths to profitability have seemed murky, I’ve always created for fun and fulfilment whether that has been sea shell art, poetry or prose.
With my practice Island Objects, seeing the impact it has for other small business owners has been my ‘raison d’etre’ and art gives me the platform to model authenticity and community in ways that may inspire other multi-disciplinary creatives afraid to be themselves and find their own callings without feeling the pressure to niche-down or shrink themselves.
When was the first time that you felt like your work was appreciated?
I have had many proud moments in my creative career, but a mural I contributed to as a part of the Daniels Art Collective at my alma mater winning the People’s Choice Award for DesignTO 2021 Festival felt validating.
The mural was a student-led initiative installed on the north facade of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, & Design building at the University of Toronto (U of T). It aimed to be a call to action to dismantle systemic racism within design disciplines.
It featured artwork and writing by Black creatives, comprising 248 individual pieces (“pixels”) that spelled out “Support Black Designers.” It is tough to pursue disciplines with limited representation and so it was a moment where my experiences and design perspectives felt seen and validated.
My contributions were about the importance of diverse experiences in design, the value of tropical architecture in a warming world and a call to action for an architecture that was more sensitive about racialized issues such as environmental racism. My academic journey was often an alienating experience so to see my work be on the walls of the building was inspiring but to have it win an award was encouraging.
What would you say is the best decision you’ve made in your artistic career thus far?
I think each person’s uniqueness is the power to their practice so the best decision I have made has been to stay curious, stay perseverant and refuse to give up my prerogative of self-actualisation. I think without the self-confidence and resolve of knowing your value, the world will often try to shrink you to a place where creation is no longer possible.
Have you ever considered giving up on the creative industry? If so, what kept you going? If not, what is it that reassures you that you’re on the right path?
Yes, several times. The creative industry is already difficult and in many cases when you’re doing work you haven’t yet seen in the world, it can grow tiring trying to help others see what you can see and it can feel more like asking permission than producing the work.
It can be hard to get guidance or genuine mentorship in a hypercompetitive environment like the creative industries and those who you may prefer to collaborate with may instead compete.
It has never been a question that I would ever stop being creative in my private life, but one moment reminded me that continuing to pursue creativity as a career was never about myself.
In addition to selling physical items, I also license blueprints to small creators overseas. In 2022, during the pandemic and in a moment where things weren’t going as I’d prefer here, a customer reached out to thank me that they sold so many of my designs that they’d been able to buy their kids a great gift for Christmas. That moment for me was confirmation that any frustrations were worth it and that the work I was doing was important and useful.
The price of originality is often misunderstanding, especially if you are a little early, so I show up for myself, am always proud of the process and not fed by its reception or popularity. That always keeps me going and ensures that I am always looking for new avenues for creativity and collaboration. It is often women and youth entrepreneurs that benefit from additional fabrication options on the island.
What does “perfection” mean to you? Do you think that it’s worth pursuing?
Comparison is the thief of joy, and design is iterative by its nature; but perfection to me means seeing what’s in my mind’s eye and realizing it. You can make it perfect later, but harder yet, is making it at all. If you neglect to create because of fear of perfection, or listen to those who are critical with the intent to curtail – you’ll end up creating nothing at all.
