Recognizing The Renaissance - Ketia Harris

 

Art By Ketia Harris



About Ketia: KeTia Star Harris is a Black American visual artist, born and raised in Miami, FL, USA. Her use of primarily traditional (acrylic and oil paint, graphite, charcoal) and digital mediums allow for her exploration and growing, vulnerable presentation of the relationship with self, community, and Spirit. As a public health professional, her integration of design and art has also been fundamental in her unique approach to health promotion.



Art by Ketia Harris



Who are your biggest influences in and how have those influences shaped you personally as an artist?

 My biggest influence is my family, starting from my parents who passed down the creative/artistic gene and nurtured and encouraged my freedom to purse art as something more than a hobby, and not being limited to the "starving artist" trope. All of my siblings are creatives in some form or fashion, including my big sister who I wanted to follow every move of growing up. She went to an arts high school. Of course, I followed suit. My child is my greatest influence, especially seeing her intentionality when creating art, which makes me that much more passionate about doing the same. Other big influences of mine are Bob Ross as the only artist that I really saw on television growing up; Barney & Friends, believe it or not, as I was always inclined to create whatever the day's craft was from the "Barney bag"; and Addonis Parker, whose work I was introduced to at a friend's shop during my middle school years, who I informally watched and studied from a distance as one of my favorite artists throughout high school and college, and who I finally had the opportunity to meet and briefly work under by the time I was officially immersed in my career as a public health professional, which gave me an opportunity to be directly involved in an innovative art project in Miami, as well as insight to what it means to position myself career-wise as an artist.

art by Ketia Harris





How do you see your art journey 10 years in the future? 

 In 10 years, I see my art showcased on collectors' walls, worn on my community's chest and feet, and on the minds of many, celebrated and critiqued alike both for its beauty and message. By this time, I'd also have a foundation featuring artists whose conceptual works serve as visual campaigns for awareness and advocacy efforts. I see my art journey heavily featuring my daughter and her creative works. She is my main inspiration, and is an awe-inspiring artist herself. Because her dream is to travel, or at least to "be on an airplane" (she's 6 lol), I have a feeling that our art journey may entail actual journeying to various places for art-based projects and features. I see it as fun, enlightening, empowering, and God-driven.


art by Ketia Harris


What started you on your creative journey towards creating art? 

 My parents told me that I've been drawing ever since I could pick up a pencil. Creating art has always been as regular for me as breathing, but just as necessary. Can't really say what started me outside of God and DNA.


art by Ketia Harris


How do you view your roles as a creative in the emerging AI industry and what goals have you set for your self amidst the beginning of this new era? 

 As a creative in the emerging AI industry, especially one who uses primarily traditional methods in her art process, my role is to create. My goal is to learn and understand what I can from AI art technology as a medium, and how or if this redefines what it means to be an artist and creative.

What does a modern black art Renaissance look like to you?

 A modern Black art renaissance looks vibrant, unapologetic, proud, powerful, Afrocentric, tribal, futuristic, relatable, extraordinary, timely, and timeless. The colors in these works moving us into the renewal are typically vibrant, with styles ranging from painterly and abstract to hyper-realistic. It's happening now and really is a reflection of the culture and our rebirth. A modern Black art renaissance looks like how 90s hip-hop and R&B sounds and feels. A modern Black art renaissance looks like the process and result of when we find and value ourselves and each other.


art by Ketia Harris


How would you explain your visual style and what is your thought process behind creating an artwork?

 I feel like my style is never really the same with each piece, even when working them simultaneously. Let me know, but I don't feel like I have an art signature. My visual style overall is painterly, textured, realistic, with the ability to lean classical to futuristic to abstract. Conceptually, my work prioritizes Black and Brown figures in the representation of who I am. My process is the most personal, my sketchbook feels like a diary. This is where I dive into my theories and feelings about many of the ideas I have about self and other. When able, I then consider the medium that would both bring out what I intend to portray and allow for the piece to be completed in the intended time. Then I paint, draw, layer, etc., until the works feels complete.


art by Ketia Harris





What are some of your favorite genres of art?

 My favorite genres are Baroque, with Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio being my favorite artist from that art period, and Afrofuturism, with my art friends and colleagues being all of my favorite artists.

How has your experience been being a black artist in a new emerging AI space and what difficult experiences have you encountered? 

 I feel like an amateur in the emerging industry of AI-generated artwork, although aware of the unique advantage I have as an experienced traditional artist to blend the two. To create the levels of AI art and types of detail that I have seen takes a different skill than traditional and even most digital art, although the latter still containing an AI footprint. Creating a style that is truly different than other AI artists and users has also been difficult to conquer, especially as I see this take place real-time with other AI artists creating a unique style, only see that style replicated by others 5 months later. As far as the technology goes, my greatest difficulty so far has come from manipulating prompts to what I want to see and not being able to feel the creative process. As far as reception of AI art itself, those who support or have supported my traditional work have been very positive about my AI work. If there are those who aren't fond of me incorporating AI art into my portfolio, then they've been quiet about it.


art by Ketia Harris


What's your experience using this technology, do you feel as an artist it help create the images you truly wish to see represent?

 My go-to app to generate AI art has been Midjourney via Discord, all other similar apps so far have made me feel like someone's aunt trying to use Facebook. Using this technology has been both fun and intimidating, but more importantly has shown me that it's a tool with its advantages and limitations as with any other, and will go as far as the artist's or user's skills take it. As far as helping me create images that I've been interested to see, during my first week's try at AI art, I used a prompt with rapper David Banner as the Hulk. I've wanted to see this concept come to life for years, ever since I found out that David Banner wasn't the rapper's real name but was inspired by the Marvel comics character David Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk. I've never seen this concept and, without this technology, may have kept this concept in the back of my mind for another few years. I'm also working on a memorial painting that I've wanted to incorporate Basquiat-inspired imagery into; without use of AI to create this aesthetic, the finalization of the piece may have gone a direction without this integral reference. There have been only a few concepts that I've been unsuccessful creating with AI technology, including breastfeeding art and a few other concepts (can't say what these are yet lol). Using AI has also made me realize how important the process of creating, painting, and playing with textures is for me. Overall, seeing more positive Black representation in art via AI alongside traditional art, along with seeing the capacity of this technology to effortlessly generate what reflects beautiful, positive Black imagery by the artist and audience alike, has been refreshing to see.

If there is one thing you wish to be remembered for by the end of your artistic journey, what would that be?

 My art.