Welcome to season five, episode 12 of The Abundant Artist, the show that dispels the myth of ‘the starving artist’, and shares how you can live an abundant life as an artist and make a living from your talent, one interview at a time.
Joining the podcast today is one-of-a-kind artist, Genesis Be. Genesis’ goal with her art is to bring human dignity to the forefront of our divided world; to advocate for compassion, vulnerability, and the burning need for freedom.
“When someone asks me what kind of art I make, it changes by the day. If you were to ask me right now at this moment, I’d say: I make art that reflects my experiences.” — Genesis Be
In this conversation, Genesis highlights and calls attention to the importance of artistic expression from the soul; the connection between activism and art; her personal story of growth, expression, and exploration as an artist; and why it is that she does art. Genesis also shares insights on the importance of trying new things and getting messy, finding the balance in making money while staying true to yourself, and discovering solace in solitude.
In this episode:
[:30] Genesis Be shares about her love for the people of Mississippi and why she sees it as part of her mission to spread the message of love about the people in her state.
[2:40] Genesis highlights examples of what makes the Mississippi especially resilient and inspirational.
[4:47] How Genesis would describe her art.
[6:16] How Genesis’s artistic expression differs in the various mediums she expresses herself in (such as art, music, poetry, theatre, etc).
[11:52] Genesis describes what an NFT is and why she began to engage with the blockchain as an artist.
[14:34] The importance of trying new things as an artist and not being afraid of getting messy.
[15:00] Genesis shares about her favorite videogame.
[16:58] About the powerful and important activism work Genesis has been doing throughout her life.
[22:09] Why Genesis paints stick figures that interact with barriers; her artistic mission statement.
[27:49] Genesis’s insights into why our youths’ mental health is eroding and the main drivers at play.
[32:21] Genesis’s experience with finding solace in loneliness and solitude.
[36:00] How writing played a key part in Genesis’s journey early on.
[37:50] The difference between art on social media vs. in person.
[41:24] How Genesis makes a living and supports herself financially as an artist.
[43:29] Genesis’s advice to other artists on making money.
Resources mentioned:
Genesis Be
Mississippi Rising Coalition
VyZen
“We Are Mississippi | Theo Sutton Interview”
Soledad O’Brien
About the guest:
Genesis Be is a critically acclaimed Hip Hop performer, activist and painter from Biloxi, Mississippi. Her work has been featured in The Associated Press, New York Times, NY Daily News, and VICE. She often uses theatrical protest during her live performances to bring attention to both global and localized issues surrounding racial justice, peace movement, queer visibility and gender equity. She creates original paintings, poetry and music under her ever growing collection, People Not Things.
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