An Inspired Chat with Okoyè Stephens

We recently had the chance to connect with Okoyè Stephens and have shared our conversation below.

Okoyè, 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: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I think I’m doing a bit of both. Some days the path feels solid beneath me… steady, sure, like each step was already spoken into place. Other days, the air feels weightless, and I can’t tell if I’m drifting or being carried. But even in the wandering, there’s a quiet rhythm… something greater holding me up when I can’t hold myself. Whether I’m walking or floating, I trust I’m being led. Not always with clarity, but always with grace.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Okoyé Stephens, the artist and founder of Okoye’s Artistry. My work lives at the intersection of creativity and everyday function. I specialize in making art that people can actually use… whether it’s something you wear, display in your home, or incorporate into your routine. I work across several mediums including digital illustration, acrylic on canvas, and spray paint, depending on the energy of the piece and the story I’m telling through it.

What makes my brand different is the intention behind it. I’m committed to creating meaningful, accessible art for communities that haven’t always had easy access to it. People deserve to see themselves reflected in art they can afford, understand, and carry with them. That belief drives everything I do.

Right now, I’m growing the brand with new product lines, collaborations, and designs that blur the line between personal expression and practical use. Art isn’t just something to look at… it’s something to live with.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What breaks bonds is usually silence. The kind that shows up when people stop listening to each other… when hurt goes unspoken, when pride or fear keeps us from being honest. Disconnection rarely happens all at once. It’s a slow drift that comes from not being seen or understood.

What restores those bonds is presence. Real effort. Vulnerability. Communication. Being willing to show up even when it’s uncomfortable, to listen without trying to fix or defend. Grace plays a big role too… knowing that none of us gets it right all the time.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Grief has shaped me more than anything else. The kind that stays quiet in a room, that reshapes how you move through the world. Loss taught me how deep love really runs… and how much can live in its absence. Some of my best work has come from that place, not because pain is beautiful, but because creating through it lets me breathe again.

I’ve learned not to drown in it. To feel it fully, but not let it take me under. Art has always been how I come back to myself. Every brushstroke, every layer, every moment spent making something out of the ache… that’s how I heal. Not all at once, but over time.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
Fads come and go quick, usually built on attention, not intention. Foundational shifts move slower… they take root. You feel them not just in what’s popular, but in how people start to think and create differently over time.

I look at what stays after the hype fades. What still feels meaningful when no one’s talking about it. That’s what I trust. I don’t move with trends. I move with what feels honest, what feels purposeful, and what still matters when things get quiet.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What will you regret not doing? 
What I would regret most is holding myself back out of fear or doubt. There are moments that call for courage, even when the path ahead is unclear or feels risky. Not stepping into those moments, not sharing my voice and my art fully, that would be a weight I couldn’t carry. Time moves on no matter what, and I want to be able to look back and know I gave everything I had when it mattered most.

Regret is tied to silence for me…the things left unsaid, the chances never taken, the doors never opened. I believe it is better to stumble, to fail, and to learn than to be haunted by the question of what might have been. Life is too short to hold back, especially when there is so much to offer. I want to live with intention, to embrace the uncertainty, and to honor the gifts I have by sharing them boldly.

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