Today we’d like to introduce you to Mercedes Blackehart.
Hi Mercedes, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in New York City and grew up with creative parents. As a child, I remember sneaking behind my dad’s paintings to add my own rendering to the back. At the time he was a commercial director and I grew up following him from set to the editing room, so it’s probably no mystery why I ended up becoming an artist and working in the film industry. I attended LA County High School for the Arts in the visual arts department and then ArtCenter College of Design. I chose the fine art track as it was the only track that allowed me to take any class I wanted to support my art—and I wanted to learn everything I could. My original plan was to show in galleries but found it extremely difficult to make enough money doing so. As far as being an artist, I’ve done it all to make money: after college, I started in videography, editing, and website design—I had my own business for several years—and then from there moved into graphic design and photography.
During that time, someone accidentally thought I was a production designer and hired me for a music video. I had to look up what the job was and talked to people about what to do and managed to figure it out. Someone on that gig thought I did a good job and hired me for a movie and it just snowballed from there. Now I’ve found my sweet spot between the art department and photography. I work on commercials as a Production Designer or Set Decorator and when I got into the union, I started working on streaming shows as a Buyer for big studios. My partner is a journalist, so I go with him on his stories and do the photography. One of my photos was even nominated for a Pulitzer. One of the biggest stories we covered was the final rocket launch and fatal crash of Mad Mike Hughes, the Flat Earther daredevil rocketeer, in February 2020. My photographs of the launch and crash were published all over the world.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The first really big challenge I had to overcome was a physical heart defect I was born with. When I was 14, I was given the option to have open heart surgery and potentially live a full life or a pacemaker when I was 18 and probably only live until I was 30. I opted for the open heart surgery and it went perfectly. For the first time in my life, I had energy. I grew more and I had color in my face. It was a game-changer. I even ran the LA Marathon when I was 18 to prove that I could.
There were other challenges as well. When I was younger I believed I had to have it all figured out and pick a path I would follow for my whole life. But as I got older, I realized all the paths I tried only led to the experience I have now, where I have a broader understanding of things and that makes me better at what I do. Through all the mistakes I made, I learned that it’s okay to be vulnerable and admit when you don’t know how to do something because that’s where the real opportunity to learn is, and really, how can anyone be expected to know everything? That’s really the beauty of working in the art department is that no one project is the same; you are always learning or searching for something new. One day I might be creating a dog reanimator out of cardboard boxes, a bread maker, and an old TV, and a spaceship out of kitchen appliances, dryer ducts, and ice cube trays as I did for BET’s Spoof Deez, another day creating a set that is more of an art piece with old TVs, Lucite speakers, LED lights, and plants as I did for Vice/TikTok. There was no class that could teach me specifically how to do all this; you’re sort of playing and inventing through trial and error.
As far as photography goes, for all the hundreds of photos I take that don’t meet my standards, there’s that one that just got it. And often I’ll think I missed the mark on something I created and I’ll have a client who is just thrilled to bits with what I made. I still have to remind myself not to be so hard on myself.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
As far as the art department goes, I can do a lot within it. I’m very crafty and love making things. I have advanced Photoshop and Illustrator skills and frequently use my graphic design, photography, and painting skills. I’m really good at problem-solving and coming up with creative solutions. I have a good eye for color and composition, and I’m reliable.
I particularly like photographing people. If I can catch someone in a moment unnoticed, that’s the most satisfying but hard to achieve. The photograph that was nominated for a Pulitzer was a protestor holding a California state flag in front of a line of riot police getting ready to dispel a crowd in downtown LA following the 2016 presidential election. Lately, I’ve been photographing concerts and find it really enjoyable to photograph artists while they perform.
I still love painting and making art. Sometimes I’m inspired and make something that stays within the walls of my home, other times someone might commission me to create something.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My high school boyfriend’s mother gave me the best advice when I was looking at colleges and stressing out about where to go and what degree to get. She said, “Just pick something and start there. I started in fashion, then ended up modeling, and now I sell fine wine. You don’t know where life will take you.” And that immediately took the pressure off me.
Something I would tell my younger self is, it’s okay not to know everything and admit when you don’t know something, and it’s ok to be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. After all, we are all little specks on a ball hurtling through space. Except for life and death itself, nothing should be that big of a deal.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bymercedes.com
Image Credits
Photos by Mercedes Blackehart
