Nic: Yeah, I think that's awesome. And then how does that kind of individual passion evolve into something like
Styling By Chi?
Chi: I'm trying to find the right words, I realized now that the mediums I was interested in, I was in this pursuit of some form of community. And I think I've found community in storytelling, in songwriting, in drawing, and just constantly trying to find ways to find inspiration. And as I got older, I realized that other people are looking for that, too.
Other people are looking for that 3rd space, in the arts, where it's like: you don't have to be accomplished in a sense to be worthy or to be validated or to matter, to be highlighted. I think going through a period of life, just feeling very shy and then leaning into the arts, feeling excluded and leaning into that as well.
I said, let me pay this forward. Because it's not good enough if I am the only one that comes to the epiphany about creative expression and community. If I have what it takes, and I have the wisdom and willingness to share that with other people, then I should. Because I have to say that it boils down to paying it forward.
Nic: Do you feel like on that community side, that's been an important part for you, is that something you feel like you've found in art or something you've created through art?
Chi: I think it's something I created through art and then found it.
Yeah. It kind of worked in reverse.
Nic: I know that feeling. You got the important stuff figured out though, doing it. I feel like that's always the hard part.
Chi: Yeah, getting it off the ground.
Nic: Totally. So when people look at your work, what do you what feeling do you want them to leave with?
Chi: There's a few, contentment for one. Nostalgic, in a sense. Maybe nostalgic isn't a word, but there's a difference. I'll say timeless. You don't have to always resort to the past to create timeless work. Worthy. Worthy. Yeah.
Nic: When you're approaching any piece of art, really, what are your kind of steps or process in creating it?
Chi: I'm always looking for inspirations. I love to read. I am a book nerd through and through. So a lot of inspiration comes from reading. A lot of it comes from music, nature. So let's say the season's changing, or the sound of the rain and how it looks outside.
A lot of it comes from fashion, a lot of it comes from the past, and a lot of it comes from that community that I've found through art, and what are the artists around me doing? Not in a sense to, let me draw inspiration and take everything I can, but let me approach it from a lens of admiration, and just understanding that creativity never dies. It can never be eliminated, it can only be amplified.
So I think surrounding myself with that consistently makes it easier for me to create and find inspiration and sometimes even just walking away, taking a walk and just like: hey, I'm going to go get some tea or hang out with a friend, people watch, all of that plays a role.
Nic: You mentioned inspirations and you've mentioned multiple mediums that have been important to you throughout life. What kind of particular pieces of art, or artists of any medium, have really served as inspiration for you when approaching your own work?
Chi: Can I do music, fashion music?
Nic: Oh yeah.
Chi: SZA inspires me a lot. SZA, I love watching old artists interviews. Like, how did you come up with the song and then this music video? SZA plays a huge role. Kendrick Lamar plays a huge role because his storytelling is so poignant, and so infinite, and so real and authentic.
There is a designer named
Blu Boy and he kind of ties into, the name of his brand is
WNTD Apparel, but he ties in his designs with illustration as well. Like I haven't really seen anyone do that. And it's really, really cool.
Eartha Kitt is very inspirational too. I like to watch her interviews. A lot, I love to study her interviews. I'll see passing clips and things that Toni Morrison has said, and I consider her an artist. I consider writers, artists, and that plays a huge role.
But then, at the same time, there are people in my community as well, my artist community. So, one in particular is
Martell Hardy. He's a photographer. And a director, a manager, he does so much, but he's so intentional about the way he creates. And I know now in the social media space, we have to constantly push, and he takes his time. You cannot make him put anything out. Or tell him it's been X amount of years, where have you been? He puts it out when he's ready. My best friend,
Kendraya Davis. She's a writer. She's a poet, a multidisciplinary artist,
podcaster. She does so much.
All of these individuals are just very colorful in the way that they create. And it just constantly reminds me to find the color in my work and the reasoning for my work.
Nic: So why do you think people separate art into genres?
Chi: Control. Yeah, I'd say for control. I think creativity is the thing that cannot be confined. I think we, as humans, are always looking to be in control of things, to make sense of it in our heads. So it's like, okay, if this person is a painter, let me just say that they're a painter, but they could also be a writer. Let me just put them as a painter. And I think in order to make space for it or celebrate it, we think it has to be one at a time.
Nic: When creating art yourself of different genres or mediums, do you feel like you're exercising different muscles?
Chi: Yes, I think the biggest one is discipline. Discipline, time management, organization, communication as well. That's one thing I think I really feel like artists find when they begin to really pursue any kind of artistic endeavor, is you have to be communicative. And artists are pretty quiet. They usually create and they're like, okay, here it is. But, if you want to grow, if you want to expand and build community, you have to use your words. And that's something I'm learning in early adulthood as well. You have to communicate. That is an effective tool and can be seen as art as well.
And trust. Trust. I don't know if you can consider that a muscle, but trusting myself, trusting that it will be okay. If the audience doesn't always connect, or if people don't like the work, trusting that I'll find my way back home, to what has inspired me and gotten me this far in art.
