DJEMIMA ANDRE

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE YOUR ART?

"I don’t think I ever decided to pursue my art. I had to deal with a lot of negative criticism growing up and I became very critical of myself and anything I did. I’ve always loved art because it’s a whole other language that evokes emotions and tells a different story. There are so many ways you can interpret a poem, a story or an artwork and most of the times you pick up things that have significant meaning to you. I grew up in an environment that allowed me to explore the world of art at a very early age and my parents can attest to my crazy art styles growing up. Which included covering walls with stickers and crayon markings. I do my art as a way of divulging my thoughts and feelings and honestly, it is a therapeutic process that I never thought would interest anyone."

DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A FEMINIST? IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU FIND YOURSELF EMBRACING THIS LABEL?

"Equality is very important to me whether it’s gender, racial or cultural. I believe that we are all amazing beautiful human beings who deserve to be treated with respect and nobody should be marginalized. So I do consider myself to be socially aware of inequalities that are going on. It’s a very evident thing that many females are not given equal opportunities and some don’t even have any rights or they have been taken away. It’s very easy to not be aware or forget the statistic of how many girls are not given their basic right to education when you’re privileged with that opportunity very easily. Feminism is an umbrella term and for me to hold that label up correctly I have to be able to discuss what my viewpoints are. I’m still learning what it means to be a feminist and the different types of feminists there are out in the world. So I don’t know if my stands or ideas are just intersectional-feminism or any other but I do like to stand up for people who aren’t given a voice or have to fight for it in a modern society. I’m very proud of the works so many women have done for me to be able to say my piece or even have the opportunity to vote, attend university and just say I’m human and I deserve rights. I hope what I do can empower everyone especially to know their worth and to know they were not born to be boxed up or limited in any way. I’m still learning about what it means to be a feminist or an activist but I’m doing what I know and hopefully, in time I can hold that label up knowing I’m helping people move forward honestly."

WHO HAS BEEN MOST SUPPORTIVE TO YOU AND YOUR WORK?

"I’ve been very lucky to have gotten positive feedback from people who read my writing and that’s been mind altering and just crazy. I got into my blog BowiesAliens just to get a space where I could create whatever I felt and didn’t expect any feedback and I still don’t. When people say that my art or writing resonates with them it’s very moving and scary but it’s such a precious thing because it reminds me how powerful all forms of art can be. My biggest supporter would have to be my sister who got me to see how special my individuality is and that it’s okay to be me and share what I see."

DO YOU USE YOUR ART AS A VOICE FOR CHANGE?

"I like to think my art talks about change and does that. People always ask me why I use pink, purple or unrealistic shades on my portraits and I do that because I’m not going to create art that allows for people to think that beauty is limited whether it’s size, skin or anything else. My drawings have an element of unrealistic expectations because nobody should be cutting themselves into somebody else in order to be loved by themselves or others. I’m trying to create works that talk about the expectation for females in society as well as the unrealistic expectations we have placed on people as a society."

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU AND GETS YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING?

"I’m always looking for inspiration whether it’s a book, film, artwork or music. I’m always looking for things that spark my interest and a lot of times its nature. Being in open natural spaces that is raw and honest. Trees and flowers grow differently and they all have beauty in them and just the peace that can be found in that space is amazing. I also find inspiration from other artists who have their own style, medium, and vision. I love looking at other talented peoples work and seeing the magic that’s created."

YOU’RE NOT ONLY AN ARTIST, BUT YOU’RE ALSO A WRITER. WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START WRITING? WHAT KINDS OF WRITING DO YOU FOCUS ON PRODUCING?

"I started creative writing at a very young age and my handwriting was terrible but not as bad as my spelling. I enjoyed creating my own world and coming up with characters that lived interesting lives. Now having grown up, my characters have taken on identities that often reflect feelings that a lot of people don’t like to look at or talk about like mental health and bullying. I’ve always loved writing because it helped me with getting my emotions or thoughts out and to me writing is just another form of art. A lot of my writing is stories that look at the idea of identity and the things that shape us but most importantly the beauty of being an individual. I like to explore different sides of the human mind. I write about things that I find emotional and that’s what got me into poetry as well because it’s a lyrical piece of

writing drenched in emotions. There are so many different things I write about and I’m always finding a different story to explore. I would love to be a published writer one day with a story that speaks about the greatness and importance of being yourself as well as loving yourself."