We were lucky to catch up with Chloe Owens recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Chloe, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I am not formally trained as an artist. Being the “smart one” from a single-parent, working-poor household, I was told early on that art wasn’t a career option. That wasn’t because I wasn’t talented or supported but because my mom wanted to ensure I had a better life and wasn’t struggling the way she did. She wanted me to be secure and stable, and I’ll always appreciate and love her for that. The side effect of that, though, pushed me away from my art onto other pathways to explore.
Fast forward to my first year of college. I went to Saint Louis University and was supposed to be studying physical therapy–a field that would always provide me with stable work where I could do some good. When I got to campus and toured the facilities and labs I would be spending my time in, I immediately felt disconnected. Something wasn’t right. I didn’t know where I was supposed to be or what I was supposed to be studying, but I knew it wasn’t physical therapy.
I spent my first weeks of college having an existential crisis: Who am I? What am I doing here? Do I even know what I want to do with my life? How the hell am I supposed to make this decision? What if I choose wrong? I was in the hallway of my dorm going through these questions with some new friends when a young woman popped out of her room and said, “I think you would like the social work program here. You should go talk to Sabrina Tyuse in the social work department.” She slinked back into her room and closed the door. I sat there and thought, “Hell, what do I have to lose?”
As an Aquarius sun and Libra rising, justice has always been important to me. As a Black woman, creating a just, equitable society takes on another level of importance. Growing up, my mom taught me early on about the inequities of the world, about racism and sexism, and about what my experience walking through life as a Black woman might be. Once my eyes and mind were opened, I saw it everywhere. It pissed me the hell off and made me want to make changes. But it wasn’t until I took that random girl’s advice and met with Sabrina Tyuse that I realized I could dedicate a career to breaking down problematic systems and building ones that work for everyone.
When I became a social work major, my life changed. Every class I entered equipped me with tools to take into my world and address the challenges we faced. I started advocating for changes to sexual assault and intimate partner violence policies on campus, joined a student government board specific to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and filmed my first documentary about the experience of Black students and faculty at the school. That was just a portion of what I was doing, but it was the launching pad of my career in advocacy. Since then, I have worked to impact state and federal laws on education, violence against women, policing, health care, direct democracy, and more. I committed every part of myself to that work.
Enter undiagnosed depression.
Enter the COVID-19 pandemic.
Enter everything changing.
I was stuck at home, grinding away in whatever politically-tied job I had at the time. I was in one of the most depressed states of my life. I had a mental breakdown and had to take time away from work. I didn’t know what to do with myself. So, like a lot of people during the pandemic, I ordered some art supplies. I sat down at my desk with paint, paintbrushes, and a canvas, and I just went for it. I remember the first piece I ever did during the pandemic had a yellow background and then just the ugliest swirls of paint on it. It turned out horrible, but it brought me joy. After that point, I started incorporating painting into my everyday life. It was helping to lift me up.
Since 2020, there hasn’t been a moment of peace and calm in the world or in my life. The racial reckoning after George Floyd. The murder of Breonna Taylor. Countless lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic all while the government pretended it wasn’t happening. The passing of my last grandparent, my grandfather. Those are just the toplines. It was a dark time for me, filled with anger, sadness, frustration, numbness, and more emotions that I still can’t quite put the words too.
Through all of that I sat at my desk every day and made art. When I needed to cry, I made art. When I was enraged, I made art. When I was numb, I made art. And as the skills came back to me, the finished products gave me something else to feel: joy, happiness, excitement, contentment, bliss.
In a world that is made to tear black women down, that wants us to be constantly angry and depressed and stressed, what a radical move it is to choose happiness when I can and create beauty that can spread joy to others. Figuring that out and committing to my art and joy as a radical act is how I found my purpose.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m Chloe Owens, the artist behind Chloe The Creative. I’m a loud, dramatic, wine-drinking, potty-mouthed creative on a mission to break out of the box the world put me in and to help others do the same.
Right now, I am most focused on my abstract work. I make bold, colorful abstract pieces in the expressionism and geometric abstraction styles. While my main medium is acrylic paint on canvas, I’m currently exploring painting on glass and plan to release a glassware collection this summer.
The purpose of my brand is to bring joy and help people embrace being unapologetically themselves. As someone who still works full-time in political spaces, I also want to use my art to provide joy to activists and to create artist tools that can help them take care of themselves while doing movement work. One product that will also launch this year that I’m excited about is a social justice-themed coloring book.
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?
Perseverance: There is no success in the art world if you cannot persevere. It takes time, and success doesn’t come overnight. Don’t give up because one launch doesn’t go the way you want or you’re not selling consistently at first. Keep going, learning, adapting, and pursuing. I have been out as a professional artist for one year now. There have been several ups and several downs. But each day I find something I can do to advance my art practice, no matter whether things are going the way I want them to or not.
Say “F*ck You” to Imposter Syndrome: In my experience, imposter syndrome doesn’t completely disappear. It gets quiet and waits for opportunities to make itself known again. When I realize it’s creeping in, I remind myself who I am. And if I can’t think of what I need to tell myself, I call a friend who can slap me back to reality and remind me that I’m in this and I’m doing this.
Be Like Nike and Just Do It: I used to stop myself in the middle of creating and think, “Am I even making art? Is this what others would call art?” The answer: who cares! Andy Warhol said, “Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide whether it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they’re deciding, make even more art.” Whatever art that is inside of you needs to be released, regardless of what the world has to say about it. Don’t stop creating. Your art doesn’t need to be for everyone. Make it for you.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When I am overwhelmed, I have learned the best thing to do is walk away and rest. Being overwhelmed and anxious and sitting in that feeling takes a lot away from me. Rest and time away from my art and art practice are just as important as the practice itself. I know now that when I feel overwhelmed, that is my body saying to me, “Hey, this is a lot and I need to take a step back. Can we take a break? This is too much.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chloethecreative.com/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ayeyochlo
Image Credits
All images are owned by Chloe Owens and Stephanie Owens
