Interview with Marguerite Copeland

You’ve been able to exhibit your work in 19 art exhibitions around the world. How do you seek out such opportunities and what have been the benefits of exhibiting your art?

When I first started my art journey, I did not intend to exhibit my work in public spaces. It was very much so for me and my healing process. I began to share my art with my friends who then suggested I submit my work for art shows. I was very hesitant because again, it was never my goal to exhibit my work. I took the steps to apply and the acceptances started rolling in. 

Following my first international virtual art exhibition, I started looking for physical exhibitions that fit my focus. I came across an opportunity in Venice, Italy and applied. I initially applied because I’m someone who likes to push the envelope and challenge myself. I did not think I would get accepted, in fact, after applying I forgot about it. 

A few months after applying for the exhibition, I found out that I was accepted. It was definitely unexpected and quite overwhelming even though there was a 50/50 chance of getting accepted or denied. There was a pretty quick turnaround time from finding out, to sending the art and making travel arrangements. Through this opportunity, I really got to see more of the financial lifts of being an artist. I managed to do some crowdfunding and raise funds to send the painting and to book travel. It turned out to be a great experience and the push I needed to truly visualize my life as an artist. 

After that experience, I went on to exhibit 4 more times with that gallery and in the process expanded my art community. I began tailoring my art social media to solely reflect content from artists, galleries and other important art-focused material. 

Through doing so, I was able to find more opportunities for art fairs, expos, exhibits, etc. This also allowed me to budget for any application and exhibition fees. The thought was to apply to everything I felt connected to or that my artwork would align with and see what the outcomes were. I received a majority of the opportunities that I applied for. That in itself is a huge success. 

The gallery that I exhibited with virtually began opportunities for physical and digital exhibitions and I applied to a majority of them. Because of that, I was able to exhibit my work in London, France, Netherlands, Belgium & Germany. I have an upcoming exhibition with them in Spain.

Marguerite Copeland, Black Opal Muse, 2022, Acrylic on Canvas

What made you take the leap to build a creative brand?

I remember sitting with two of my friends and they just randomly asked me, “So, Marguerite, when are you going to create your art Instagram?” I was definitely stalling because I did not have a name for that Instagram and I didn’t want to use my name. So we sat for a little and on the spot I threw out some names.

I have since changed the initial name. But the point is, they encouraged me to just get started and see where it goes. The goal is to have as many people as possible interact with my art. Whether it’s through a gallery exhibition, online through my website, at a pop-up, etc., the moments to connect with people have been amazing. I really value speaking with people who connect to my art and want to know more about the work.

How has your creative process changed over time? Is there anything you do today that you wish you had known to do years ago?

My creative process has shifted a bit. When I first started creating, I would use inspiration from photos I took over the years to guide the process. Music was always included. I would put my headphones on, blast the saddest of songs, and paint.

This was a very trauma-filled part of my life so the feelings were heavy and present. I was always surprised by the fact that my art was never very ominous considering how much I was experiencing at the time. The finished pieces were very vibrant, positive, and clean.

But I think that speaks to me as a person. Even when I’m experiencing the most stressful of times, I tend to focus on the solution, positives, etc. Granted, when I look at my paintings I feel sadness because I know the true meaning behind them and what I was feeling when I painted them.

The process of using music is still very much the case except the songs are a mix of different genres: neo-soul, soca, Tibetan singing bowls, hip-hop, pop, gospel etc. Music allows me to block out the world for a good 3-4 hours a day and simply paint. I cherish the time and space to be able to do that. It centers me and I get to add another masterpiece to my collection. I would not change much about my creative process other than having a larger space where I can create much larger masterpieces.

How do you define success as an artist? What do you wish to accomplish?

The way I define success as an artist is mainly by the experiences driven by my goals. When I first started, my goal was to create art as part of my healing journey. My next goal was to exhibit in New York City-based art shows. After that, my goal was to exhibit internationally. I found an opportunity that partially fit that goal, it was a virtual international show based in London. Even though it was virtual, I felt very accomplished. My work was being seen by people all over the world.

To be frank, I was not even referring to myself as an artist. I referred to myself as “someone who creates art”. I really resisted the title of artist for some time because I tried to convince myself that because I didn’t attend art school or solely train to be an artist, I could not truly hold the title of artist.

My friends quickly shut that down! They were holding me accountable to my creative journey and encouraged me to stand in my success. I knew I was an artist, I knew I was talented, and I knew my success was deserved.

Taking the initiative to put my work out there for other people to see, resulted in me being where I am today. Every art goal I set for myself thus far has been met. My most recent goal for 2024 was to be accepted to an art residency. It would be my first-ever art residency. I’m proud to say that goal has just been accomplished. For 2025, I will be spending 3 weeks in a chateau in France doing nothing but creating art and reflecting on my past, current and future accomplishments as an artist.

What does being a Black artist mean to you?

Being a Black artist means every day I get to challenge the norm. When I create I don’t think for one second, I can’t paint this because it won’t be accepted by others in the art world or it doesn’t look like what I painted the previous year. In fact, my sole goal is to challenge myself to create something new and for art enthusiasts to expand their art palate and to broaden their thought processes around art genres and representation.

Art is all around us and being able to see art created by artists and more particularly Black artists that are pushing the bounds of contemporary art is monumental. I’m part of something that will be seen as history at some point and pivotal moments in art. It’s an honor to be seen as a Black contemporary artist.

How did you learn the skills to create? Did you take art classes or are you self-taught?

I’ve always taken and enjoyed art classes in elementary, middle, and high school. But I would say the majority of my creativity stemmed from me being able to explore and try things out on my own.

When it came to college I was not allowed to major in art because of familial pressures to study medicine and become a doctor. I found a small way around this because I went to a liberal arts college and I was able to take classes outside of my initial major, Biology. 

Two of these classes were art related. A drawing course and an art history course. They were challenging classes but I thoroughly enjoyed them. They taught me history, influence, and of course technique. I ended up graduating from college with a major in African, African American Diaspora Studies and minor in Peace and Social Justice.

To keep up with my skills, I keep a few sketchbooks in my bags and scattered around my home so that when inspiration hits, I’m able to quickly sketch out what I’m envisioning. I then transfer my ideas to a canvas and then bring them to life through painting.

In your journey as an artist, what has been the most unexpected experience, realization, or challenge?

I would say the most unexpected realization is that I determine how my work is defined. I think much of my initial hesitation with doing a full dive into the art world stemmed from not wanting my art to get defined by others. I’m not referring to people’s interpretation of my art. I expect people to have different experiences and interpretations of my art. My hesitation came from unfortunately being raised by people who would take credit for my work. My art, like everything else that I do, is mine. It’s by me, for me, because of me. I really had to work through the fear of not wanting to show me through my art because it might be taken from me. I realized that authenticity can never be stolen. Your gift can never be stolen. It’s yours.