“Discovering Emotions Through Art” an interview w/ Alexis Tyson!
scroll to the bottom for a direct link to Alexis’ website and other creative happenings!
instagram : @twiztiee | @thetwzIf we were to go through the journey that is your life, from childhood to adulthood, what women would you say have inspired you the most?
“All the women in my family, my mom definitely. My mom has always been an active leader in her community. She’s great at maintaining strong relationship dynamics and she showed me different ways to show up for other people. My mom would be the first to go out of her way to be kind to people who may be less fortunate, to a stranger, to a friend, to everyone. My mom has always been that example. Both of my parents actually, they always taught me to do good not just for myself, but also for the good of the world so that, when the time comes, my child or my children can live in a better world. My sister inspires me by teaching me how to show up for myself; implementing self care, keeping a great mental spirit, and the importance of filling my glass before I decide to pour into someone else's. I’m also very grateful to have my grandmother around. My grandma often tells me how proud she is of me and that I do things that she was never able to do. I’m realizing each generation is just another step into full self actualization.”
When did you first notice the existence of the subconscious mind [as something different or separate from the conscious mind]? What is your experience recognizing the power of the subconscious mind and how do you use this awareness to your benefit?
“It [the subconscious mind] comes up a lot in my artwork. I think I became aware of it at a pretty young age. Shoutout to my parents for always putting me in spaces to better articulate and understand myself, like art camp. I was always at art camp as a child, and I remember when I first started going. I was such a perfectionist and would be very critical about everyone's art.” Alexis laughs. “All my life though, art has helped me to understand my emotions. When I was maybe five years old, my eldest brother was murdered, and I don't have many memories from that time but not too long ago my mom showed me a drawing I made from that time. It was a drawing of my brother in heaven with clouds surrounding him. My sister says that, although i didn't ask many questions about it or verbalize how i was feeling, she could tell that I was aware that he was gone and I was really sad about it. Fast forward to being in middle school and dealing with mental health, I began to realize that even when I couldn't verbalize how something made me feel, I could illustrate it. So the realization that I can have thoughts that I'm not actively thinking, but can feel in my body, began around fourth or fifth grade.” Alexis continues…
“I also love watching body language, you can read people really well through body language. That always posed the question for me; ‘What can I read about my own actions that can tell me more about how I deeply feel?’ It can take a long time for deep feelings to come to the surface in a way we can clearly identify. When you learn something new, its probably going to be confusing for a while before it starts to make sense to you.”
So if you want to learn or be something worth your while, it’s gonna take some time. Its going to be a process.
“—but i’ve always had a desire to learn the world, a deep need to know more.”
How many artists, businesses or organizations are you currently working with?
“I’m in school for graphic design full time. I freelance graphic design. I’m a junior curator at the Peale Community Museum. I'm on the board for the Baltimore Arts Collective, currently working with Night Owl Gallery (which is having a women's show in June). I received a 20k grant from Emerging Creatives Fellowship For Black Arts District, and am currently planning an end of the year exhibit on Baltimore's graffiti and mural history. I’m in the early planning stages for another mural project for southwest Baltimore. I have a couple of passion projects in the works, I also do consulting, and I am an Art Director for Love Groove Fest."
Periodt! Okay Ms. Tyson , we see you working out here!!
How do you manage the workload of consistently working with others on small to larger scales? What does this work teach you about yourself?
“This month, I've been trying to get better at managing. Getting better at recognizing my resources; using planners, setting reminders, and even learning how to count on my friends and family to support me when I do feel overwhelmed. I’m learning I have to be serious about my rest and make space for different types of rest when needed, like social rest. Being a community organizer, projects require a lot of social presence and I love people, but when I have meetings all day that require me to show up at a high level, I sometimes go non-verbal afterwards to recoup and recalibrate. Thankfully, my friends and family are understanding of that.”
Alexis goes on to explain why & how she navigates creating
and honoring her internal boundaries.
“I had to learn to not overload myself with work, to get comfortable with taking things off my plate. I always think I can get anything done in a short amount of time if I'm motivated enough, and honestly that has been one of my downfalls in the past. I used to find it very hard to say “no I actually don't have the time or space to take on another obligation or project right now”. Last year, I fell into a bad habit of going hard at work for hours, and then coming home and going straight to sleep. Repeating that cycle for days on end was unhealthy for me and really negatively affected my mental & social health. This year I decided I never wanted to do that again. Also living with bi-polar disorder, when negative or unexpected things happen in my personal life they really can throw me off, but being able to rely on an amazing support system of understanding and caring friends, family and coworkers has taught me that if I need to step away from something for a second or put everything down for a week, I can, and they will support me however they can while I get through it. I’ve gotten a lot better with self talk and giving myself grace. I used to think in black and white and within really harsh parameters, but over time and through trial and error I realize it’s okay if I’m not where I want to be at any given moment because I’m constantly making progress toward my goals.”
What do you enjoy the most about your identity and the world you are crafting for yourself?
“I am most in love with my love of life!” Alexis says with the biggest smile and the warmest eyes. “I’m a very happy and bubbly person, a very high energy person. I’m becoming more comfortable with the intensities that come with feeling things very deeply. I love to sing and dance and have always been happy to share. My Grandma says I have a happy soul. I pride myself on being considerate of how I show up for others and am able to connect with others. Knowing that I have natural ways of showing up & being myself that brings light and positivity in other people's world means a lot to me. I am always going to try and be my fullest self. I want to be an example for people to always show up as heir fullest selves. I like to go to new places, and I like to explore. I love existing. I love the world around us… I used to be very cynical and I’m extremely happy for the change that came.”
It seems like a lot of intention and work goes into curating one of your art shows. Can you describe what some of that work is, and how you feel in the before, during, and after stages of event curating?
“I like to give myself at least six months to a year to plan anything. I love organizing! I get great satisfaction from putting things in their place, and I must have all ends and odds planned out months before an event. I really like to be involved with the installation of the artworks and design for a show— taking my time to stare at things for a long time, making sure they make sense aesthetically, trusting my intuition and trusting the creative process. Being strategically prepared is so important to me. I'm so adamant about good planning to limit the number of surprises or negative outcomes.”
“I also like to think about what I want to express and what makes sense for what I want. Fleshing out why’s, what’s, and who's, thinking of every detail and the significance of them. For every show I want to create a depth of experience for everyone involved, thinking of how I, the audience, or other artists would feel in this created environment; what would allow folks to really be able to absorb the content of the show. My first art show opened me up to the love for sharing art. When attempting to understand other people, our emotional intelligence is really dependent on our knowledge of emotions. Art is a way to have reflective conversations about emotions without the necessity for direct words or direct explanations about what it means on a personal level. Art is therapy, its a way to get clear about how we feel inside. These exhibitions provide people with a space for vulnerability and honesty. When we experience processing emotions, it makes it easier to connect with others. We all need that.”
“As far as afterwards, as i said earlier, social events can be incredibly fulfilling but can be equally exhausting, so afterwardsI like to take my time to zone back into myself, and take things slow until I feel ready to get back in action.”
On your website, you mentioned wanting to eventually work with children in arts. How do you see the livelihoods of the children (or adults) in your life affected by their proximity- closeness to or distance from art? / How important do you think art is in child development?
“My career end goal is to have an arts center that trains kids in artistic fields and is a safe space for anyone to explore art. Art gives you a space to be vulnerable without really knowing it. Art therapy is a great way to process with less heaviness. Talking about wounds can be very overwhelming but visuals often help. You aren't just mad, angry, there are shades to it. When you expose children to art at a young age, you naturally give them a space to express themselves outside of how they think, and more so how they feel.”