We recently connected with Duwenavue Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Duwenavue, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
When I find myself as the only one in the room who looks or thinks like me, my first thought is that everyone is viewing me through their perspectives and values. I embrace my uniqueness and use it as a strength to tell my story. Communicating my ideas with clarity and confidence, while actively listening to others, my goal is to foster mutual respect. I focus on building strong relationships and seeking out allies who appreciate diverse perspectives, knowing that small wins come from slowly chipping away at obstacles.
By sharing my story, just by simply being in a shared space, I highlight the importance of inclusion and the value of diversity. Understanding and trusting my intuition, and believing in myself, is the greatest gift I can give myself. Trusting my intuition and leveraging my unique skills allows me to navigate challenges with resilience and adaptability. Most opportunities arise when I proactively engage and seek them out. Being proactive provides me with answers to questions, a deeper understanding of myself, and a stronger belief in my values.
Patience and empathy are crucial, as I understand that some changes take a long time. I also rely on my strength to do the hard lifting when things get tough, whether I have support from others or not. Celebrating my small wins and reflecting on my experiences helps me grow and continuously improve, turning my uniqueness into a powerful tool for success. By being adaptable and always searching to understand, I stay resilient, prepared for challenges and setbacks, and develop a thick skin and positive mindset to handle any negativity or resistance I might encounter.
I think it’s important to know before going into a space whether or not you are the leader of your narrative or if you are a supporting role in someone else’s story. Going into a new space takes courage, empathy, compassion, determination, and resilience. If the space you are in doesn’t feel your soul, no matter what it is…. move on with your best self, physically, mentally, and or spiritually. To have sustainable success takes kindness to yourself and how the room sees you won’t be such a strong focus because the room will be your supporting leads.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My story of being on this planet is told through hand embroidery and painting of top surfaces. After schooling at the Royal School of Needlework and Ecole Lesage and doing apprenticeships in Thailand and South Korea, I focus my art career on three distinct art paths. Professional growth through production, community engagement, and communications. There is a long game with art and how you run your practice, I believe that one should be aware of where they want to end up. For example, my goal at present is to have my work acquired by historical institutions. If one looks at the amount of BIPOC art in American institutions, in some places it’s nonexistent. Building a legacy, trailing a new vision forward like commandeering a ship across a great sea takes vision. I am creating spaces, and lecturing about the value of processed-based art practices, spending time with children and elders while listening to their stories of being along with physically creating my art and brand. As I grow I champion my beliefs, they are not negotiable as I move forward. For the last three years, I have been doing a lot of press talking about my hand embroidery profession. Being able to be one of the top hand embroiderers in the world and creating work for the most powerful people in the free world takes discipline. To deal with the stress of being hyper-focused, I do community service through hand embroidery lectures and workshops as a wellness practice, to inspire others to tell their stories and work on creating a larger legacy writing in more voices into the American Identity. I will eventually be in the MOMA, Smithsonian, and other institutions. I am on my way to greatness within the communities I champion and having my hand embroidery work acquired by the Victorian Albert Museum in London in 2023. In Philadelphia, I am making my mark for myself as A Black Mural Arts fellow, Delaware River Waterfront fellow, and one of 30 artists out of 700 who received a Black Music City award for 2024. Professionally, I make the President’s and Vice Presidents’ flags by hand, while being on the team that created a flag that traveled to the International Space Station in 2021.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Learning from everyone you meet is very important. It allows you to connect and communicate and to visit worlds, perspectives, and practices that are not in one’s daily practice. Volunteering and community engagement should be a goal or something one does periodically in one’s life. If you see someone doing something that inspires you, talk to them. find out how they achieved there goals.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking for collaborations. The sky is the limit. I would like to work with curators, museums, community engagement projects, and brands. If you pitch me a good idea, and I can understand the value of the concepts shared, I will think about it and go from there. I can always find time for amazing people and creatives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artxstitch.com
- Instagram: sante_artxstitch.art
- Facebook: duwenavue sante johnson
- Linkedin: duwenavue
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