Conversations with Alicia Dianne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Dianne.

Hi Alicia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Drawing has always been at the center of what I do and how I communicate. At a very young age, I was making comics and painting continuously. When seeking art as a career path, I studied several disciplines, including fashion design, animation, fine art, art education and ultimately illustration. At the core of everything I’ve learned, there was a common thread that kept my attention, telling a story. So now, as a working artist for over 15 years, I’ve devoted my attention solely to telling the stories I want to see and read. Stories that are fun, dangerous and exciting but are loaded with nuggets of truth and the fruits of history. My mission is simple, uplift Black women by letting our stories be told for all to see.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ha! When I hear that, I want to evoke the power of Sofia from the Color Purple and just say, “Hell no!” It’s been a constant uphill. There’s been a lot of sacrifice and a lot up putting on my big girl jeans to keep moving forward despite seemingly everything and everyone pointing me to some other location but the one I was trying to go. It’s hard, there is a lot of rejection in being an artist. There’s a lot more if you are a Black female artist. Even from those closest to you. It’s not easy, and even after earning 3 art degrees, it is still not easy. But thank God, I’m determined. You have to be able to see the vision and believe in it even if you are just about the only one who does. I believe when you are on the right track, you’ll get little wins every so often to guide you, like little helpers, just an itty-bitty victory. You also need to get a lot of feedback, ask questions, seek mentorship, educate yourself – you can tell if advice is any good in 2 ways: if the person giving it has already done it successfully for themself and if it makes actual sense. If you are truly giving it your all and you see zero progress, you may need to pivot, that’s okay. I’ve learned to embrace the pivot, but your heart will still tell you if your passion is for you, because it will be in you and you will be willing to do whatever it takes to become the very best you can be at it.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an illustrator, storyteller, and most recently, a graphic novelist. I enjoy writing stories centered on African culture, women’s empowerment, and the ongoing influence of history on the present. I incorporate a lot of research in my creative process, as I feel it’s the only way to truly grasp contemporary issues. When I began working on my current graphic novel series, Jaydi’s Story, I wanted to explore the concept of faith as it relates to the complexity of colonialism. The series is shown through the eyes of a teen girl in East Africa. Although a fantasy-fiction, it’s a vehicle to explore complex topics in ways that evoke an array of feels. From loss and trauma to suspense and curiosity, lots of moments of comedy and even the incredibly human emotion of being a teenage girl having her first crush. I think what sets me apart is I challenge my reader. I want my reader to be uncomfortable at times. Truth is often uncomfortable, but can be transformative. My creative process involves a lot of drawing, paintings and studies along with writing and panel making, which has helped me to feel out the aesthetic. The graphic novel itself is entirely in watercolor, which in itself is a pretty rare find! Out of everything, though, I’d like to think that I my biggest takeaway is that my reader walk away with new perspective, particularly on the subject of Africa.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Of coarse! Absolutely, I could not have done a thing on my own. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without my faith in God. That is fact. The media paints a very ugly picture today of people who believe a certain way. Hate-filled and prejudiced. I’ve seen it for myself enough to know that those people do exist. Despite those negative images and experiences, I’ve also seen actual love, acceptance and peace that comes from what and Who is greater than us. I also have a great husband, who doesn’t understand how or why I kick my own butt everyday but loves me and is there at every art show to help set up, tend my booth with me and is my silent cheerleader. I’ve had a lot of mentors, good and bad. The good ones make the bad ones easier to deal with. I’ve also had a handful of people, who maybe didn’t even know it but told me just the right thing when I needed to hear it. They are the ones that gave me steam when I was running out.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://jaydisstory.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciadianneart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliciaDianneArt/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciadianne/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/aliciadianne
• Other: https://www.aliciadianne.com/

Image Credits
Photos by Lance Bad Heart Bull, Artwork by Alicia Dianne