We recently connected with Perpetua All Mother and have shared our conversation below.
Perpetua, so great to have you with us and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with the community. So, let’s jump into something that stops so many people from going after their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. We’d love to hear about how you dealt with that and persisted on your path.
Sometimes, I think persistence is the ultimate life challenge. Throughout my journey of creating and sharing my art, I’ve become really good at feeling negative emotions—both in expressing myself and in hearing the world’s response to my work. The most important thing is to push through it. To persist.
In the very beginning of my career, people often said I was “trying too hard.” That was the biggest critique I received. As a young artist, I never understood when trying became uncool. The truth is, I *was* trying hard, and I still am. I’ve been working on my media house for almost ten years now, and I’ve faced a range of critiques and hate related to myself and my brand. But ultimately, I’ve gotten very good at being misunderstood—and it’s okay. I’ve made peace with my dreams and desires, and I’m always willing to bet on myself, even when no one understands what I’m doing.
After years of wandering without purpose, I’ve learned that it’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life not only worth living, but interesting. Over the years, as I’ve shared my story through art, some critics have vilified me, seeing me as the embodiment of rebellion. Others have built me up as a symbol of defiance. Though I don’t adopt any of these labels, persistence—despite the critics, haters, and naysayers—has taught me about the power of perception.
When the noise gets too loud, I think about the wonderful yet misunderstood artists who came before me. It’s true—I’m not everyone’s favorite party guest, but neither was Anaïs Nin. I imagine Edgar Allan Poe wandering through foggy streets, murmuring to himself. Mary Shelley, unflinching among the poets by the lake, crafting her nightmares while others dreamt smaller. Strange, odd, peculiar people refusing their bindings. The originals. The ones most remembered. Creators who found their audience through ink and paper, leaving tears in our eyes and fire in our hearts. Those who lived and loved as if grief cost them nothing.
Surely, these artists were not only masters of their craft but masters of persistence, despite their naysayers.
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 Perpetua All Mother, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’ve always felt a strong pull toward art, poetry, and media production, finding joy in exploring new directions with my work. I love surprising audiences and stepping outside conventional boundaries, and this has helped me build a community eager to see what I’ll do next.
I aim to create immersive experiences that blend fine art with media production, taking people on artistic journeys that stir their emotions and spark their imaginations. I’m passionate about pushing creative boundaries and embracing the strange and unusual, making my work both captivating and thought-provoking, with layers of meaning in each piece. I want to keep the art world on its toes, full of wonder and fascination.
Recently, I returned to Tulsa after several years in NYC, reconnecting with organizations that were vital to my early development as an artist. I’m especially excited about my collaboration with Youth Services, a nonprofit that supports runaway and homeless youth. This experience has reignited my passion for community-driven creative projects and motivated me to use my art for social impact.
As we approach the end of 2024, I’m preparing to unveil several new projects, with a featured artist spotlight magazine set to release in January 2025. I can’t wait to share these new creations and hope they continue to challenge, inspire, and captivate everyone who experiences them.
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?
Looking back, if I had to narrow it down to three, I would say they are reading, self-forgiveness, and the ability to tune out pessimistic and intrusive thoughts.
Reading has been absolutely essential—perhaps the most crucial element in my development. Before I ever began creating, I spent years reading. I didn’t just consume words; I sought to understand different perspectives without judgment, without condemning or condoning. Reading allowed me to observe how others think, how they communicate their experiences. I’ve always been an avid consumer of poetry, literature, and anything word-based. There’s a comfort in the stories of those who came before me, who endured heartbreak and survived. Analyzing others’ intellectual creations has shaped who I am as a writer and helped me learn to express my own thoughts more deeply. For anyone early in their journey, my advice is simple: read widely and read often. Understand how others see the world, and it will give you endless insight into your own creative voice.
Self-forgiveness is another vital aspect that has shaped my growth, and it’s something I’m constantly learning. As a perfectionist, I can be incredibly harsh on myself when things don’t meet my expectations. But throughout my career, I’ve had to remind myself that my hands have made some good mistakes—and they will make even better ones in the future. It’s easy to get stuck on failure, especially when you hold yourself to high standards. My advice here is to give yourself grace. Let your imperfections guide you to new discoveries rather than weigh you down. The process of forgiving yourself will open you to new possibilities.
Lastly, the ability to tune out pessimistic and intrusive thoughts has been key. Early in my career, I was easily overwhelmed by the concept of failure. My mind would spiral into worst-case scenarios, creating anxieties that had no basis in reality. It’s taken time to unlearn those coping mechanisms and to remind myself that I don’t need to conjure up additional grief—there’s enough real-life difficulty to manage. For those just starting out, my advice is to practice mindfulness and be gentle with yourself. Don’t let imagined failures cloud the potential for success.
In short, read to broaden your perspective, forgive yourself to keep moving forward, and protect your mental space from the noise that seeks to pull you down. These three qualities will take you far on your creative journey.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
“The Velveteen Rabbit” by Margery Williams has played a significant role in my development, and it continues to be a book I return to time and again. It’s the story of how toys become real, but its depth goes far beyond a simple children’s tale.
While it’s often labeled as a children’s book, I don’t believe that’s entirely true. There’s so much wisdom in its pages, and if you read it, be sure to have a box of tissues nearby. To truly appreciate *The Velveteen Rabbit*, you must *be* the Velveteen Rabbit. Symbolically, I think we all are. Some of the most impactful literary quotes I’ve ever encountered come from this story.
One passage that particularly stands out is when the Skin Horse says:
“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”
“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.
“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real, you don’t mind being hurt.”
“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”
“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out, and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
This is not just a book for children but for the adults reading it too. It grows with you, becoming more meaningful as life adds its layers. This story hasn’t just impacted my development—it inspires me endlessly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.perpetuaallmother.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perpetuaallmother/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerpetuaAllMother
Image Credits
Photos Taken and edited By: Lance Tylen
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