Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Hodge.
Hi Dominique, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I knew I wanted to be an artist from a young age. I spent my youth drawing inspiration from some of my favorite animated shows like Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z, and Naruto, filling countless notebooks with the characters. By the time I was in the 6th grade I had decided I wanted to pursue art as a profession in the form of cartoon animation. This passion for art continued as I progressed through grade school, where upon completion I went off to The Art Institute of Charleston, where I studied graphic design. It was in college that I first discovered black representation in art, something I did not see often growing up. This pivotal point sparked the revelation that I could create artwork that reflected myself and those who looked liked me.
After collage my first steps into the art world were through a small art studio in Sumter, SC where I began teaching youth classes as well as instructing sip-and-paint events geared toward all age ranges. During this time I also joined the Sumter County Gallery of Art as well as the Sumter Artist Guild, in which I won honorable mention in the 2019 Sumter Artist Guild Exhibition.
My introduction to the Columbia art scene was made through First Thursdays at the Arcade Building, at the time hosted by Paige Miller owner of Pelliclaude and curated by Dalvin Spann and Maya Smith. Through the First Thursday event at the Arcade Building I was able to meet and connect with a number of talented artists, many of which I am still close to today. It was through these connections that I was introduced to Karen Alexander-Banks and the Auntie Karen Foundation. I became apart of the Foundation’s Artpreneur Program, a program that seeks to empower the youth through the arts by placing actual artists, singers, dancers, and musicians in rural area schools to provide quality art education. I have currently been working with the program for the past 8 year in which time I have had the joy of nurturing thousands of young creative minds.
Over the past decade I have had the privilege of traveling across the state where I have made lasting connections with many artists. In such places as Spartanburg, Greenville, Lake City, and Charleston. As well as beyond the borders of South Carolina such as North Carolina, George, and Florida.
One of my most recent accomplishments has been joining Roc Bottom Studios. An amazing space for artist of all kinds to work, socialize, support, and connect. All of which is made possible by the beloved captain of the ship, Corey “Roc Bottom” Davis. Through his hard work and dedication he’s formed connections that are helping to flourish the arts community. It was though Roc Bottom Studios that I have also joined Gemini Arts. I have also spent a great deal of time in Lake City, home of ArtFields. There I have connected with the amazing artists of Acline Studios.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t believe any road worth traveling is necessarily smooth, especially when you are pursuing a creative path. The struggle of not knowing when the next paying project is coming. The struggle of maintaining your creative integrity knowing it may not sell over compromising you artistic vision for quick profit. The struggle of discerning the difference between those who are truly for the arts and the artists that create it, and those who simply seek to profit off the arts with little to no regards for the mental, emotional, or financial state of the artist. The struggle of knowing that many doors are accessible only by sacrificing to those who hold the keys. Or the struggle of thinking you’re not good enough no matter who tells you otherwise. Yes, I have struggled as an artist but I find that to struggle is the price of living my most authentic life as an artist. For that reason I harbor no disdain for the struggle, but instead I have learned to embrace it, using it as fuel to further nourish my passion for creating.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an Afrofuturist artist. My work, whether it be hand drawn illustrations, acrylic paintings, or intricate murals all reflect the heart, mind, and soul of black people. I view artist as the true alchemists, and the process of creating the true alchemy. Being capable of converting pain, suffering, and joy into a physical manifestation is pure magic. Being able to transmute the unseen world, viewed through the conscience of the black experience into works of visual art that transcends time and space is a real world superpower. To achieve this goal I draw from a plethora of sources such as mythology, religion, history, astrology, astronomy, esoteric and hermetic philosophy.
It is important to me to show positive, purposeful, and powerful black imagery in my work. As humans our primary method of absorbing and processing data is through sight . The images that are put before us play a large role in how we perceive ourselves and others. Take for example the Uncle Tom or Mammy imagery that was made popular in the Jim Crow Era, or the gangster/drug dealer imagery popularized today. These images are fed to black people who often times absorb these concepts into ourselves and our communities. Not only that but to think of nonblack people who see these images, absorbing them into their conciseness leading them to develop negative perceptions about a people they don’t know.
No, I want my work to awaken the god within every melanated person that beholds it and instill a state of reverence and respect in the non-melanated viewer. Common themes in my work are divine beings of darker hues in cosmic settings. Vibrant use of color helps to elicit memories of our younger days when the world was still new to us, full of wonder and magic. Above all else providing young black boys and girls with thought provoking and inspiring images to look up to.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
To those starting out on their artistic path and those who have been on it for a while but haven’t seen the growth they may have hoped for I’d say, put yourself out there. By that I mean venture outside the confines of your comfort zone. For some that may mean traveling to other states, for some that can look like traveling to other cities, for a lot that can mean to just get out of the house and interact with the creative world around you. You can be the most talented artist in the world but it doesn’t matter because you never leave your house so no one knows you. I was raised on a simple principle, “it doesn’t matter what you know, it matters who you know.” Most of the opportunities I have been blessed with have come from word of mouth. I met someone who thought of me when an opportunity presented itself. Posting your work on line isn’t enough. I believe art at its core is meant to connect people and bring them together, the human element if you will, people don’t want to just see your work they want to get to know the person behind the work. That’s what people invest in, the artist not just the work. Remember that the art is only special because you are the one creating it. Let people get to know you. Above all else just remember to stay creative!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadreamdesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dadreamdesigns
- Twitter: https://x.com/DaDreamDesigns
