In my family, growing up, the women were always the ones who were powerful, and they exuded this charisma of empowerment that I hold onto and always remember. I had some difficult times, but these strong women were always a constant. Mickalene Thomas More Quotes by Mickalene Thomas More Quotes From Mickalene Thomas We all have some flaws. But when I have a moment of doubt, I find inspiration from being in the moment, by letting go. I don't hold onto what I can't control. Doubt is a fleeting emotion that can destroy you if you allow it to consume your mind and spirit. Each person's time comes at variant phases, and the best you can do is enjoy what you're doing and work hard. It can't always be about you. Life is transformation - the wind blows, climate changes, birds chirp and trees burn. Where you are today is not where you will be tomorrow. The only person you can be is you. Mickalene Thomas hard-work inspiration letting-go Here I am, the artist, the person, the black woman, and the stereotype. I'm using myself and it has nothing to do with my muses or other women. It has to do with me. You see parts of my body moving, very collage like, flashing, and not speaking, just laying on a couch, looking out at the viewer. Mickalene Thomas artist here-i-am moving I love knowing and learning about people around the world displaying my art online. Also, it's how I learn about new artists that are in various parts of the world. The positive thing about Tumblr and Instagram is that they're a fantastic platform for art lovers. I also like, when I search for my art and it says, "see also or related artists," and I see those other artists that relate to me, at least according to the internet. I think it's fascinating - it's interesting to see hashtags people are using in relation to my work. It's another tool of communication. Mickalene Thomas communication art thinking Beauty has always been an element of discussion for black women, whether or not we were the ones having the conversation. Out of necessity, black women have always had to consider others' perceptions of a certain beauty ideal, just starting with the skin color. Mickalene Thomas black skins perception I think what I have done is claimed the space and pushed it forward as much as I can in relationship to who I am and how I live my life. Mickalene Thomas who-i-am space thinking I'm using the grid as formation. I wanted a relationship between the paintings and videos so that way when you are looking at the videos there's a direct relationship to the paintings. Mickalene Thomas painting video way I grew up with a lot of brothers and I don't have any sisters, so for me it's really important to develop my sisterhood. It's something I've always coveted. Mickalene Thomas sisterhood important brother I knew what I was doing, but I never really considered the magnitude of how my images were transformative to people. Mickalene Thomas magnitude people Beauty was so heavily important in my family, something I had to contend with. All those experiences allow me to make what I'm making today. I grew up with that. There's a reason why I express that in my art. I'm trying to figure it out myself. Mickalene Thomas important trying art Hotels are amazing spaces and platform for activism. If they placed voting booths in hotels and other space of hospitality - a lot more people would vote. Voting poll stations aren't easily accessible. These phone booths should be in more hotels and public spaces. Activism is accessibility. Bravo to the Standard for making it possible. Mickalene Thomas vote voting people I got really excited about finding new ways of using video, and the immediacy is different, in a way, than painting and photography. The creativity comes with the editing. You can layer and cut and paste. I really love that it's like another form of making my smaller collages but in video form. Mickalene Thomas creativity cutting photography The mirror is a powerful tool because it forces you to deal with yourself on a deeper level. Conceptually, paintings are like mirrors. They're an expression from the artist: 'This is how I view the world - I'm presenting it to you.' Mickalene Thomas mirror yourself you world When you look at death, it makes you understand the importance of the moment when you have life and death in front of you, and you witness seeing someone deteriorating in front of you - it's an overwhelming experience. If you don't learn from that, I don't know what else you're gonna learn. Mickalene Thomas moment experience life death To see yourself, and for others to see you, is a form of validation. I'm interested in that very mysterious and mystical way we relate to each other in the world. Mickalene Thomas yourself you way world I don't see myself as a photographer. I still see the photographs and collages as a resource for the painting. Mickalene Thomas see myself painting photographer When I decided to go to art school, it wasn't necessarily something I thought I needed. No one talked about graduate school when I was an undergrad. I went on to a residency at the Studio Museum in Harlem, and that transition from Yale to the Studio Museum, that was the real beginning of my professional career. Mickalene Thomas beginning thought art school I've always been interested in masking, layering, dressing up and beautifying yourself and what that meant to black women. I've always wanted to make things that I haven't seen before. Mickalene Thomas dressing yourself women black I'm really interested in women, particularly the kind of black woman who has overcome obstacles in her life and transformed. Mickalene Thomas woman women black life I define my work as a feminist act and a political act because I'm black and a woman. You don't necessarily have to claim that, but the act of making art itself is a political and feminist act when you're a woman. Mickalene Thomas woman you work art I started making art with art therapy. It's what I know how to do. I got a lot of criticism for that when I was in school. But I think it works for me. Mickalene Thomas think me art school
