Story & Lesson Highlights with Quanaisha Stafford of Queens

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Quanaisha Stafford. Check out our conversation below.

Quanaisha , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My first 90 mins is making sure I have a sip of coffee or tea to get me ready for whatever the day brings.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Quanaisha [Kwon-ai-ja] is an artist born and raised in New York. Quanaisha’s is painter who works are describes feminine, floral, and inclusive work represents the diversity amongst Black women.

Quanaisha works with paint on canvas to express the diversity amongst women she has seen throughout her life, such as her mother, close friends, etc. In addition, Quanaisha’s love for painting emerged after seeing the work of two powerful women in art and inspiration to her: Georgia O’ Keefe and Frida Kahlo. By discovering and sharing her interpretations of these inspirations and others, she finds her magical yet realistic style.

Quanaisha’s vision and intention with her painting share much of the same qualities one would find in a mirror: the ability to see oneself. Her work observes people through a lens where their beauty is endless, where their quirks are rosy, and where one can find love and self-confidence.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As an only child, I believed that being alone meant I was somehow different that my quiet nature and tendency to spend hours drawing or imagining stories made me separate from other people. I thought that because I didn’t always express myself in the ways others did through conversation or group play that my thoughts and emotions were meant to be kept inside. I assumed that no one else would truly understand how I felt or the worlds I created in my imagination, so I kept them to myself.
Back then, I saw solitude as something to hide behind. I believed that my creativity and emotions were things I had to manage on my own. Art, at that time, was more of a secret space than something I could confidently share. Drawing was something I did quietly in my room an escape, not something I realized could be a connection.
Now, I no longer believe that being alone means being disconnected or misunderstood. I’ve learned that solitude can actually be a source of strength and clarity. Through years of drawing and eventually painting, I’ve discovered that creativity isn’t something that separates me it’s something that helps me connect with the world in a more meaningful way. Art has become my voice. It allows me to express thoughts and emotions I don’t always know how to explain in words, and it helps me find common ground with others who feel or see things deeply in a mirror of them seeing themselves.
What I once thought was a kind of silence keeping to myself was actually the beginning of me learning how to communicate in a language that feels truest to who I am. I’ve come to understand that there’s value in quiet reflection, in expressing yourself authentically, and in using your imagination to connect rather than retreat.
So, what I believed as a child that I was meant to keep my inner world to myself is something I no longer hold onto. Now I believe that creativity is meant to be shared, and that my emotions, thoughts, and imagination are not only valid, but also valuable. I’ve grown to see my artistic expression not as something private and separate, but as a powerful bridge between who I am and the world around me.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one kind thing to my younger self, it would be this, “always grow”. Grow in the way you see yourself, because the relationship you have with yourself is the most important one, you’ll ever know. Grow through the change’s life will bring some will be beautiful, others may be painful, but all of them will shape you into who you are meant to be. Grow in the choices you make, knowing that even the hardest ones are teaching you something, guiding you toward a better version of yourself.
I would remind little Quanaisha to grow into spaces that challenge her, to grow into opportunities that scare her, and to grow into love for herself, for her journey, and for the people she will meet along the way. Growth won’t always be comfortable, but it will always be worth it. And at the end of your long, beautiful, life changing journey, you’ll see that every step was necessary the places you went, the people who crossed your path, and the woman you became all came from your courage to grow.
So, if I could tell my younger self one thing, it’s this: never stop growing.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A belief and project I am committed to, no matter how long it takes, is creating art that reveals and honors the hidden sides of women the parts of ourselves. Creating a mirror for woman of black and brown that society tells us not to show, the emotions we are taught to bury, and the voices we are told to quiet. These are the sides that feel too heavy to carry in the open, too raw to express freely, and yet they are the very parts that make us whole. My art gives those hidden layers a home, a place where they are not only seen but celebrated.
Through my paintings, I turn silence into color and suppression into expression. Each piece is a mirror, reflecting the beauty, strength, and love I’ve seen in every woman who has touched my life. I want my work to remind women that they are not alone. Even in moments of isolation or uncertainty, when we struggle to find our place in a world that often misunderstands us, there is connection and healing in our shared stories. When women see themselves in my art, my hope is that they recognize their growth that they see how far they’ve come, how much they’ve endured, and how deeply they are loved.
The colors I choose are never random; they are born from the women I know the mothers, aunties, sisters, and friends who have shaped my understanding of resilience. Each shade carries the warmth of their laughter, the depth of their struggles, the quiet power of their sacrifices. The faces I paint are always changing, shifting into new expressions and stories, because a woman’s story is never finished. It is a never-ending narrative of transformation, and capturing even a fragment of that truth is what keeps me alive as an artist.
This work is not just a project for me it is a lifelong commitment. I am devoted to telling the stories of women in ways that society often refuses to. I am committed to giving voice to what has been silenced, to creating spaces where women can recognize their reflection and feel both seen and understood. No matter how long it takes, I will keep painting, keep uncovering, and keep reminding women of the beauty in their growth. Because to me, that truth that constant becoming is worth dedicating my life to.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing? 
I won’t regret not doing anything, because I never want to look back and wonder if things could have been different. The truth is, nothing would have been different I chose what I felt was best for me in every moment, through the good, the bad, and the ugly. I stand by those choices, because they shaped who I am, my art, my career, and my everyday being. Every decision, every step, has been part of my growth, and I will always honor that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.quatroarts.com
• Instagram: quatro_arts