In this episode, I speak with acclaimed film directors and producers Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah. The directors share their experience putting together the three-part documentary film that has been in the making for over 20 years on the cultural zeitgeist Kanye West. Their Netflix documentary https://www.netflix.com/gh/title/81426972  details Kanye West’s meteoric to fame and his recent plummet from grace. We talk about how the pair met during Kanye West in their early career and the filmmaking process for Jeen-yuhs. 

We also talk about: 

• Their separate journies into filmmaking 
• Coodie's shot at comedy 
• Coodie starting channel zero
• Chike working together with Coodie & Kanye for their first music video "Through the Wire"
• Coodie's experience meeting Kanye's mom 
• Kanye's drive, fearlessness, and belief in himself
• Learning to be patient with your vision 

You can connect Coodie&Chike at https://www.instagram.com/coodierock/ and https://www.instagram.com/cozah/

In this episode, I speak with textile artist Andrea Van Der Kuil from Johannesburg, South Africa, who is currently based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Andrea is an award-winning production designer, crafter, theatre-maker, performance artist, textile artist, and writer. Her work focuses on textile design, durational performance, and the concepts of labor and women’s work in relation to domestic craft.

In this episode we also talk about;

• Working as a costume designer
• Her inspiration behind her work and her creative process
• Learning to find confidence in her own ideas and putting them out into the world
• Art as a form of language 
• Trusting that the right people will find your work 

You can connect with Andrea at https://www.instagram.com/andreavanderkuil/

In this episode, I speak with self-taught Nigerian artist Barry Yusufu who works with gradated charcoal drawing techniques and boldly colored acrylic paints to create his iconic works that reflect both a deep-rooted Christian faith and an intense desire to elevate the image of African men and women in art. 

Barry cites his work as an intense desire to reflect the modern African as an opportunity to foster an evolution of Africanness. He takes on the challenge of shattering the stereotypes and clichés associated with African imagery through his portraiture.

We also talk about;

• his unconventional path to starting his art career
• his struggle with depression and finding his purpose
• his interest in storytelling and his use of bronze skin to represent royalty 
• learning to use his work to speak on social issues 
• experiencing rejection 

You can connect with Barry at https://www.instagram.com/barryyusufu/

In this episode, I speak with Blessing Ngobeni a fine artist who creates abstract works of art with a variety of different objects. Blessing is known for his distinctive style, created with layers of exaggerated figures and contradictory images, He uses his expressionist paintings not only to overtly critique the current status quo but to ask uncomfortable questions about the African’s experience of the world.

Blessing's recent works delve into the idea of Africa's haunting past that he uses to criticize the current political and socio-economic state of the continent, attributing it to its colonial past. His aim is to emphasize the ongoing impact of colonialism on Africa and provoke reflection on the need for change. 

He aims to prompt viewers to reevaluate their understanding of Africa's history and its present realities.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• The dire need for leadership on the continent 
• Learning to understand life as an observer without being hardened by it
• Removing fear by choosing to show up in life as yourself
• Going to prison at the age of 15 and falling in love with art
• Working as a storyboard artist
• His art style and influences 
• The Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize annual program

You can connect with Blessing at https://www.instagram.com/ngobeniblessing/ and through his website at https://blessingngobeni.com/

In this episode, I speak with Richard Mensah an Environmental Scientist based in London, he works and paints with different media. Richard describes himself as a born artist as his style is mainly intuitive. He relies on his intuitions to bring his ideas and concept into reality.

Richard has been involved in numerous exhibitions and was selected in 2020 as one of 25 emerging artists in the UK to watch out for by a Mayfair gallery.

In this episode, we also talk about:

•  Balancing his day job as a scientist and working on his art practice in the evening
•  His drive to tell the African  story from his own perspective 
• The grieving process in different cultures 
• His motivation to contribute and document for posterity 
• The importance of being patient as an artist

You can connect with Richard at https://www.instagram.com/officialrichardmensah/

In this episode I speak with Mederic Turay a versatile storyteller that employs a range of techniques to bring his narratives to life, using a combination of figurative and abstract entities that serve as the focal points in his graphic stories.

Mederic's distinctive style and the themes he explores are a reflection of his life journey and his West African heritage. Although he spent his formative years in the United States, he only discovered his heritage in Côte d'Ivoire as a teenager. Mederic considers his artistic pursuits a privilege, and through his multidisciplinary approach, he endeavors to shed light on a diverse range of subjects through painting, sculpting, and music. 

We also talk about;

• What it takes to be a great artist which requires being skilled over a period of time
• He navigates his career with his state of mind that he's special as a way of staying curious. 
• Not falling in love with your own work is a way of always striving to improve your work.
• The duty of an artist is to remain in service 

You can connect with Mederic at https://www.instagram.com/medericturay/

In this episode, I speak with Linda Dounia Rebeiz who is an artist, designer, and curator whose transdisciplinary practice explores the relationship between the immaterial and the material. 
Linda shares her experience growing up with parents that could both draw and paint which encouraged her creativity, she expresses art always being part of her life, something she had not given up but something she also didn't consider as a career early on. We talk about her exploratory path in looking for answers on how to become an artist for someone that didn't have connections to the art world. 

We also talk about:

• How the art world is heavily segregated with low representation from the global south 
• Art sales for Latin and Africa represent less than 6% of the global market.
• Her journey into the NFTs space and into minting 
• Beeple's iconic sale of his NFT at $69million
• Ethereum 2.0 and its capabilities
• Why artists are considering NFTs
• NFTs as a mechanism to commercialize art and decentralize access to art

You can connect with Linda at https://www.instagram.com/sandwyrmdance/ and through her website at https://lindarebeiz.com/

In this episode, I speak with Barbar "Barbora Kysilkova" an exceptionally talented artist whose life took a remarkable turn when two of her art pieces were stolen. We delve into her captivating story of her becoming friends with the thief and the incredible story of redemption that has captured the hearts of many. We also discuss the international recognition she garnered as her story gained global attention from the documentary that was made about her stolen art pieces and the friendship she formed with the thief.

She shares how her art becomes a means of understanding and capturing the complexities of human emotions.

Documentary trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcifoEG_Mkg&t=7s

She also talks about:

• How the theft of her artwork impacted her outlook and her life 
• How the recovery of her artwork contributed to the healing process of Bertil who was a drug addict at the time 
•  How uses art as a tool for comprehending and addressing fiery topics."like death”
• Learning to create from a place of intuition
• Finding beauty in life
• How art can heal, transform, and connect people

You can connect with Barbar at https://www.instagram.com/artbarbar/ and on her website https://artbarbar.com/

In this episode I speak with  artist, muralist, author, and educator Brandi Hofer.  Brandi specializes in figurative, abstract, and portraiture painting, expressing themes of empowerment, positivity, love, and inclusion. She engages in various creative endeavors, such as design, custom curation, interior murals, art mentorships, and developing art education course content.

As a mother of 3 young boys Brandi shares her experience in learning to balance  responsibilities while still finding time for self-care and her practice. We talk about her new book, "Color Me Happy," which delves into the importance of finding joy in everyday life. 

We also talk about:

• the experience of being a mother artist and embracing the other aspects of balancing responsibilties and finding your routine
• her love for work and learning to be grounded to be present with her family
• Learning to show up authentically 
• Creating a series  of 44 works with her son Gus 
• Creating passive income structures 
• Burning out
•  Painting a 3000sq foot mural 
• Doing community work with her creative gift 

You can connect with Brandi at https://www.instagram.com/brandihoferstudios/ and on her website https://www.brandihofer.ca/

In this episode I speak with Lawyer and artist Dufie Kufuor from Ghana whose work focuses on gender, spirituality, and identity. She shares her experience learning to balance her work as a lawyer and practicing as an artist.  She shares her sentiments that sometimes you have to be hungry to pursue your passion to see where it can take you.

We also talk about:

• Learning to push your boundaries and to sacrifice for what you want
• Finding time to create during her working week
• Her being inspired by her grandfather who was also a lawyer 
• Learning to work and explore different media 

You can connect with Dufie at https://www.instagram.com/kufuorrr/