Meet Penda Diakite

Today we’d like to introduce you to Penda Diakite.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve always been creative. I’ve habitually immersed myself in projects and creative endeavors for as long as I can remember. I grew up between the art communities in Mali, West Africa, and Oregon, as both of my parents are artists. There’s no doubt this fed my love of art and nurtured and supported my desire to pursue a career in the arts. As a child, I spent a great deal of time in my parents’ art studio learning traditional mud-cloth art, painting ceramics, and building small sculptures. By elementary school, I developed a passion for film, which later on led me to attend California Institute of the Arts where I earned my bachelors in film/video with a minor in cultural studies/black studies. It was at art school that I developed an equally strong passion for my current mixed media art style. I’ve been focused on my career as a mixed media artist ever since.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s not easy to carve out your own pathway in life. Especially if you are of color. Especially if your roots are in a different part of the world. Especially if you are a woman. But I can honestly say the challenge has continued to strengthen and mold me into someone I truly admire. I’ve learned so many lessons, achieved independence and gained so much knowledge. I love having the opportunity to grow and learn something new every day.

It’s really important to stay positive throughout any struggle, but I’m a big believer in proactively doing what you can to make a change. This is one of the main reasons I’m working on a platform for female artists called “She Paints Like A Girl” (@shepaintslikeagirl on Instagram). Female artists are extremely underrepresented and face so much discrimination in the art world. She Paints Like A Girl will be focused on changing this and highlighting opportunities for female artists. It’s still in the very beginning stages but to stay up to date as it develops follow the page!

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I have a handful of creative outlets I pursue, the main one being mixed media artwork. My pieces are comprised of collage, spray paint, and acrylic. I cut and pieces together old and new aspects of my cultures; each art piece telling a story about identity and humankind. My artwork is a reflection of my blended cultures and is a visual commentary on popular media’s portrayal of people of color. I illustrate my experiences as a bicultural woman in my work as well. This is a theme that spills into all of my creative endeavors: my films, my writing, and my clothing line PendaWear.

The book I am currently working on is about human identity and my experience growing up bicultural between two different sides of the world. Writing has always been a huge passion of mine and luckily it interconnects easily with my other passions such as filmmaking. On the filmmaking side of things I’m currently in the midst of producing a documentary centered around mental health in West Africa. I have a handful of other creative endeavors I’m taking on as well which you will be able to follow on my website.

What sets me apart as an artist and as an individual, in general, is my experience growing up bicultural in and out of two countries. My father is Malian and my mother Swiss. The cultures I grew up in are polar opposite; they each have a complete different way of viewing life, different cultures, and values, social norms, traditions, languages, sense of humor… the list is never-ending.

I have so much to express and if I have an idea I just going for it. I speak through my creations and when I complete a project it’s as if what I needed to express is playing on repeat for as long as that creative manifestation of my expression lasts.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The most important quality in life is staying true to yourself. Which is ironic because in a world that loves to throw around labels it can be hard to sift through all of the stereotypes, expectations, and titles in order to recognize your true self, let alone maintain and stand by it. But in the end, doing so gives you a crazy type of happiness that nothing else in the world can give you. Happiness is the ultimate wealth, so what better success is there than that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pendadiakite.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @thebeautifulartist
• Facebook: facebook.com/pendadiakiteart

Image Credit:
Photography by Ellie Mccagg and Arturo Benavides

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