Well I\u2019ve had many different jobs, a lot of them I hated. But I always enjoyed drawing or painting in my spare time. So, I guess it was the desire to make a living doing something I genuinely enjoyed.<\/p>\n
2. You are a very skilled painter, can you say what contributed to your success?\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Up to this point I\u2019d say talent and practice. I haven\u2019t actually reached my desired success yet, but one undeniable contribution is the time I was able to prioritise to really work on and develop my ideas. Also, I have always been very creative and particularly enjoyed drawing and painting, so I\u2019d also have to attribute whatever success I\u2019ve achieved up to this point to my natural talents.<\/p>\n Yes definitely. But not just my culture but my general surroundings and upbringing. Growing up I was constantly surrounded by black women, and my mum had a lot of African\/Caribbean figurines and art of black women, so I became very fond of African art, particularly of black women and that\u2019s been one of my biggest influences.<\/p>\n 4. What are your thoughts on black artists in the UK?<\/b><\/p>\n Honestly, I only know a few Black UK artist and I\u2019m not very involved in the black UK art scene. But I do follow a few pages on Instagram, and I\u2019d like to see more of it, but its definitely growing. I see the up and coming generation of black uk artist making moves and I\u2019m really impressed by the talent and skill. Digital artist like @shans_art.x on Instagram for example. I enjoy seeing the growth and development of the younger artist and I\u2019d love to see more of that.<\/p>\n 5. Can you share the biggest challenge you\u2019ve had to overcome since becoming an artist?<\/b><\/p>\n 6. Who are your artistic influences?<\/b><\/p>\n Growing up, I often used to see the work of a local artist named Gloria Ojulari in and around Bristol. I remember seeing her murals and greeting cards in the community and she also done a project with my art class in school which I thoroughly enjoyed. I\u2019ve always admired her work so I would say Gloria was one of my earliest influences.<\/p>\n When I was in college I went through a manga and Japanese art phase and became a big fan of Takashi Murakami, his style is very bold and colourful. During that time, I became mildly obsessed with the work of Aaron McGruder, the illustrator of The Boondocks and I believe both artists contributed to the style I have developed today.<\/p>\n I\u2019m most proud of a Mural I was commissioned to paint at KG Doodles after school club. It was the first and only mural I\u2019ve painted, and I found it very challenging to complete. It took me about a week, and I had help from my sister, but I learnt a lot and was proud of the end result.<\/p>\n 8. What advice would you give to aspiring creatives in the art industry? <\/b><\/p>\n It\u2019s important to establish your own unique style in the art industry but as an artist or creative it can take a long time to find that style and be frustrating having to consistently work on developing it. So, I\u2019d say to be patient an take the time to find yourself in your work and then be persistent in developing your style.<\/p>\n I will probably be pushing my colouring books for the next year. I have two colouring books out, which are available to buy from my website, but I would also like to create more original pieces. I\u2019m looking to start experimenting with other mediums and getting creative so you can look out for that.<\/p>\n 10. Where can we find you online?<\/b><\/p>\n You can find me on Instagram @NeekArt<\/a>,<\/span> that\u2019s where I\u2019m most active. You can also find me on Facebook and twitter @NeekArtOfficial.<\/p>\n You can find colouring books, t-shirts, prints and more on my website www.NeekArt.co.uk<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/mogulmagazine.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/aviary-image-1596223821975-225x300.jpeg\")
3. Looking at your work I see you have a strong love for your culture, has this passion of yours influence your work in any way? <\/b><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/mogulmagazine.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/aviary-image-1596224022418-300x225.jpeg\")
Personally, my biggest challenge is prioritising my time to be creative. My head is full of ideas but with so many other personal responsibilities, I often struggle to free my mind and allow myself the time to really work on those ideas.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/mogulmagazine.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG-20180629-WA0042-169x300.jpg\")
7. To date, what achievement are you most proud of?<\/b> \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/mogulmagazine.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_20200720_162315_3-225x300.jpg\")
9. What can we expect from you over the next year?<\/b><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/mogulmagazine.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG-20200731-WA0013-225x300.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"