Today, we’d like to introduce you to Quanaisha Stafford. Quanaisha was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Ashley Miah.
Hi Quanaisha , we’re so thrilled to have you sharing your story with us today. Maybe we can kick things off by having you introduce yourself to our readers? We’d love to have you go into your story and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was a child, art has always been something for me. Whether it was the portal to imaginary worlds that I drew from my mind or characters that I created to give personalities. Art was always by my side. Many people don’t know this, but as an only child, I was first inspired by Anime characters. The big eyes and spikey hair drew me more than any other cartoon characters and I wanted to draw my own that represented people who looked like me. As I got older art had become something different for me.
Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo inspire the bases of the art you see me create today. Before High School, I had yet to become the painter I am today. My middle & elementary school years were filled with drawings, stencils & sketches. However, when I reached High School, those two women completely transformed my view of what art could be. In high school, art had become a way to express myself abstractly. Imagine a young high school girl learning who she was, the world around her, and how she would fit in that world. That was my art.
Paintings of clashing or whimsical colors combing & flowing throughout the canvas, reflecting how I felt, what I thought, and most importantly, who I was. It took a while, but the confidence to pursue art as a career came sometime after high school. During high school, painting had become such a massive part of my life that once I graduated, I decided that this was something I wanted to do forever. So with the art studio that my dad built for me in our basement, a canvas, and a couple of brushes, I began to put myself out there in the art scene. The rest is history after doing continuous shows and painting rigorously. I finally stumbled upon a series I now have called ‘See Yourself.’
A series in which I am very proud and very excited to present at Pick A Color Studio in Brooklyn.In this series, the sides of ourselves that we as women hide from ourselves.My art is now is a mirror, reflecting the beauty and love expressed by every beautiful girl I’ve ever known. We may feel isolated at times while attempting to find our place in today’s society. I hope these pieces show women that they are not alone and that when they see themselves, they realize how much they have grown.
Please talk to us about your creative work and career. What should we know?
My art is inspired by women. My art reflects the sides of ourselves that we as women hide from ourselves, the sides of ourselves that we feel we can’t comfortably express in society, and the sides of ourselves that we feel forbidden to use. I take those feelings and use those sides of us with each brush stroke to shed light on what cannot be contained. My art is a mirror, reflecting the beauty and love expressed by every beautiful girl I’ve ever known. We may feel isolated at times while attempting to find our place in today’s society. I hope these pieces show women that they’re not alone and that when they see themselves, they realize how much they have grown. The colors I choose reflect the women I know, the mothers I know, the aunties I know, and the sisters I know, and their faces are constantly changing with a never-ending story, and seeing that is what keeps me alive. My Art career has been a journey of excitement , frustration, and mainly patience. The first year of my art career was in 2019. In that year I had learned so much as it was very much the ‘Beginning Phase’. through art showcases from organizations such as ‘Passing Of The Torch’ and ‘Applauding Power’. I learned how to display, present my art, and how important it is for an artist to make their art feel present in the space that it’s in. We all know what our year 2020 was like (which added to me learning about patience) but By 2021 as an artist, I finally started to feel like my work started to have a focus and identity. No longer were my pieces, various abstract works of different emotions and experiences. My work had finally birthed a theme of its own and through art showcases from organizations like Blank Slate & Haus of Art, I was able to show that my new cluster of diamonds had arrived. Moving into 2022, I can confidently say this was probably one of my best & if not favorite years in my artist career. Through the Bler Magazine showcase “Mind Your Femme” – my first completed series ‘See Yourself’ was not only showcased for the first time for multiple days but was highly liked & recognized by my peers. In this series, I tried to explore the concept of ‘self-love’ and ‘self-acceptance’ from a female point of view. The work was appreciated for its honest approach to tackling this difficult topic and for the unique way I portrayed it. This time in my life was truly joyful. Leading up to the Culture Candy PWR 3 day exhibition I was in what some call a ‘zone’. I was focused. I felt like I knew what I needed to paint. It felt like my paintings were talking to me telling me what needed to be painted as the colors and textures blended together. And now, I’m in the midst of 2023 where my art has been featured in two month long exhibitions at The Jamaica Art Center and Allure Art Studio. In addition, my “See Yourself” series is being showcased at ‘The Culture Candy Art x Culture Rotation in April 2023′ (which you can check currently and get your nails on display at @Pick a Color Nail Studio located in Brooklyn). My work has been the result of me channeling my creative energy and vision, taking risks, and pushing myself to new heights and beyond my comfort zone. I have actively sought out opportunities to showcase my work publicly and to connect with a wider audience. I have also worked with other creatives in the art community, networking and collaborating with them to create an even more powerful and unique vision. It is truly an honor to have gotten this far. As I write this, the reflection of my journey only brings me more excitement to reach new heights. There were times I doubted myself, second-guessed my work, and even expressed frustration at not being where I wanted to be. However, if I can leave one thing I want my friends and readers to know is if you love doing it, don’t worry about where it takes you, just place your heart in the creation not the destination. You don’t need to be an expert in a certain field, just keep learning and growing. Believe in yourself and always remember that your passion will guide you to success. You will find joy in the journey, no matter what the outcome.
Ashley Miah has been a great friend to us and I know you’ve got a great relationship as well. Maybe you can tell our audience a bit about Ashley and your experience with them.
Ashley is truly a remarkable person inside and out. I meant Ashley at a Culture Candy event in NYC. Ashley’s energy was sweet, warm and welcoming. She is also an extraordinary artist herself and puts her all into her work and builds relationships with fellow artists. The support, guidance, and comfort she has provided me along this beautiful journey during my time knowing her has been remarkable. The journey of pursuing your craft can be daunting since there’s no guide on how to do it. Having her on board was like a breath of fresh air for me. She created a guide to building my art into a business. She was the mentor I needed to grow and develop. She gave me the advice and confidence I needed to reach my goals. She is an outstanding example of what success looks like. Working with The Culture Candy has been an invaluable experience for artists who struggle with putting their work out there because of lack of opportunities. This is or just the scariness of the art world or not always feeling like you are good enough. Working with The Culture Candy they give me the support and comfort needed to put myself out into the world. They provided countless opportunities not only for myself but artists alike where we together build on our individual journeys but also belong to a community where we have like minded goals and also have people to help walk us through the ups and downs of this world and how we create our art to express that. We can take comfort in knowing that The Culture Candy will be there for us and will provide us with the resources and guidance needed to reach our goals. They have helped me to break through the barriers of my own doubts and fears and find courage and strength in my craft. I’m proud to be a part of the Culture Candy family.
Website: https://www.quatroarts.com/latest-series
Instagram: quatro_banz
Image Credits
Alex Revina
