Artist Interview: Zola Arts Factory
All SHE Makes has been a huge fan of joyful illustrations by Zola Arts Factory. Can you imagine our excitement when Brittany’s work was selected to our directory?! We are happy to speak with Brittany about finding her creative community, uprise of black illustrators, becoming an independent artist, and the importance of staying true to her vision.
Tell us a bit about your background in art and your first interest in creating:
I started drawing when I was about 11 year old. My interest in art and illustration began when my fifth grade class drew and painted a mural for the hallway of my elementary school. The mural is still there to this day, 25 years later.
What about your subject matter? Are the people you paint inspired by a particular person? Who or what do they embody?
My work is heavily influenced by afrocentricity mixed with urban style. The woman I create represents the special characteristics and style trends black women embody. The braids and hair adornments, the Afros the gold bangle earrings. I want to celebrate the uniqueness that makes us beautiful.
Has it been important for your creative process to find an art community? If so, did you find a local art community, online, or both?
I think finding an art community is extremely important whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting out. For me, a community of other women artists are especially needed. There are a few women painters and illustrators I absolutely adore. They inspire me to keep creating!
What has been the highlight of your creative career so far?
There has been a few milestones and personal goals that I’ve reached during my career so far. The absolute best was when I realized I was able to live off my art full time! I quit my 9-5 and focused solely on my artwork.
We want to embrace and discuss the various aspects of what it is to be a womxn in the arts and often discuss cultural backgrounds with some of the artists. Would you want to share your perspective of what role does race play in the art world? Has it affected how you express yourself artistically?
The reason why I draw black women is not only do I relate to it more as a black woman, but I started to focus on them because I didn’t really see it enough. When I started exploring “black illustration” on social media about 6 years ago not much came up for me. Nothing really spoke to me until I started to create it myself. I think that black illustrators and artists have been an afterthought or even overlooked for years. I’m glad things are changing.
We are strong believers that the more people discuss failure, the less significant the possibility of it becomes. In our society, we are so terrified of possibility of something not working out, that it halts all our efforts to begin with. We ask all of our interviewees if they can share a time where something (a project or opportunity) did not work out and how did you move forward?
There has been quite a few failures in my art career. From failed product launches, applying for art related opportunities in my community and getting a “no” reply. I think my biggest failure, however always comes when I am trying to rush or trying to produce what another artist is producing. I think we artist can get caught up in social media and “keeping up” with the art trends that we tend to lose focus on why we started. From these types of failures I learned to be myself and to let things flow naturally. That’s when the real success started coming my way.
Any events, shows, or projects coming up you'd like to share with the readers?
I do have a few projects in the works. I will start illustrating for my first art book I want to publish! I’m so excited about that.
Connect with Brittany AKA Zola Arts Factory:
You can follow me on IG @ZolaArtFactory
Shop my art www.ZolaArtNation.com
You can also find me on YouTube Zola Arts Factory
