We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brezaja Hutcheson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Brezaja, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
I feel like this is something that I am still working on to this day! It ebbs and flows. Risk-taking is important not only in creativity, but in life as well.
I learned to develop this skill in art by fostering my creativity – not shutting myself down before I start. I like to imagine all possibilities for a creative idea that I have, the more ambitious, the better. It’s about having an unwavering belief in yourself. Accepting that even if things don’t go according to plan, that you will still gain something from the experience. Personally, I believe that it is more satisfying to know that I tried something and failed, rather than the fear of failure preventing me from trying at all. I feel like when you take a risk, it is almost impossible to fail. You are proving to yourself that your ideas are worth it, and I think that’s the most important thing to keep in mind.
In life, I think that the same message applies. You don’t know until you try. I think the thing that is always comforting for me is knowing that I am not the first and will not be the last person to take a leap of faith or try something new. It’s always going to be scary. But I think when you feel that fear, it’s almost confirmation that it is a step in the right direction. Trust your gut and go where you feel you are being lead! Making choices will become a bit easier after experiencing the feeling of betting on yourself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a photographer, filmmaker, drawer, and painter!
In 2020, I graduated with a BFA in filmmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. I had entered studying Communication Arts, which is akin to storyboarding, concept art/illustration. I have been able to draw for many years, however I was also starting to have a budding interest in photography, so I decided to change my major. I completed my junior and senior year of undergrad in the Photo + Film department, which was a very pivotal change for me. I began to experiment with the moving image, and becoming obsessed with film photography.
At the end of 2021, I had made a film, one of which was shown at Beeler Gallery in Columbus, OH. My friend, DJ Love Higher had curated the joint show, “i know it’s the end & i am full of beauty” with myself and another artist, Maria Joranko. That was really cool, because it was my first experience getting back into a fine art space since graduating. I had shot the film on motion picture film – 16mm, and I had made images using medium format film. This was a turning point in where I envisioned how I want my work to operate, sharing my worldview with others in a space that encourages art for art’s sake.
In 2023, I got a job as a Color Designer for New Balance as a design apprentice. I got to work on creating unique colorways for a bunch of running and walking shoes, which was really fun! A very interesting pivot for me. Honestly, I always say that my knowledge of color theory and composition helped me get the job. I really enjoyed creating combinations and seeing my ideas come to life! I had learned a lot in a year’s time. At the end of my time there, I made a decision to dedicate myself more to my personal artistic practice, and see where I could get once I chose to refine my newfound interest of painting.
At the beginning of 2025, I had 3 paintings shown at The LGBT Center in NYC. I was in a show titled, “Resilient Voices: Celebrating Black Femmes in Art”. That was such a magical experience for me as a Black queer artist! I feel that experience was super informative for me about taking a chance on myself. I decided to share my art on Instagram one night, and that actually lead to me being contacted by the curator of the show, encouraging me to submit to the exhibition. We had followed each other on social media for years at that point, but I had no idea that a show was even in the works, nor that she was orchestrating it. That’s why I try to remind myself and others that connections can really take you so far. Putting yourself out there is the other step to achieving what you want.
Currently, I am in a year-long mentorship program under NYC Crit Club, called the Canopy Program. Myself and 8 other artists meet every week to discuss our work with our mentor, painter EJ Hauser. It’s been really informative to my practice. Painting is still my newest venture, but I’ve been having fun with it! My cohort has a group show that will be opening in NYC at the end of June, so I feel really grateful and excited. My plan is to just keep making things, whatever medium it may be in!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three things that were most impactful were the willingness to learn, consistency, and belief in myself.
I think with learning anything new comes setting the time aside to say to yourself, “Okay, what do I need to do to achieve this? What can I read? Who can I ask?” Putting any pride aside to figure out what is essential. Learning from people who have done things before you, what inspired THEM. A lot of inspiration comes from learning, too. Looking at art history, literature, etc.
Consistency is another one. I think it can be hard sometimes to continue if you’re unsure about where you’re going, or at least that’s how I felt at times. But knowing what I know now, it pays off. A step is a step, no matter how big or small. I think just doing something consistently will also tell you if you enjoy what you’re doing. The good thing about that is that you can always change direction if needed.
BELIEF IN YOURSELF. Believe in yourself!!! Take a chance on you. It’s scary sometimes, but you really have to have this unwavering sense of self-confidence in your abilities and ideas. A lot of people talk about manifestation, and the key to that is believing. This also ties in with knowledge, learning. Feeling like you know what steps to take, or how to accomplish something helps a lot, too.
None of these come easy or all at once. It’s a steady buildup. I’ve had a lot of challenges with these, I still struggle with these things sometimes, we’re human. But I think just really sitting with yourself, listening to your heart and gut about what you see yourself doing, and where you want to be can help you get on the right track.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
I think something that comes up for myself is thinking about if other people will appreciate what I put out into the world. Some days I don’t care, other times I find myself prioritizing other people’s eyes over my own. It’s hard because we live in a world where everything is so easy to share, things are essentially being judged in real-time (likes, shares), so sometimes I worry myself with who may respond to my work.
I resolve this by focusing on how I feel about it, if my needs are being met by creating this thing. I know that whatever moves me, I will feel it from within. I know that I’ve hit a sweet spot in my practice when something feels just right. I am working on not letting the opinion of others determine how I feel about my own work. I am also letting go of feeling that I cannot “mess up”. Failing is part of the process. It’s okay to play and not take myself so seriously at times.
I think i’ve been loosening up with this which is great. The wonderful thing about creatives is that we have the ability to produce things again and again and again. There is no cap on our capability to produce something. I am grateful for this.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brezajamonet.com
- Instagram: @brezaja.monet
Image Credits
Portrait of me by my paintings is by Jess Kirkam
B&W portrait is by Dashaun Knight
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
