Interview with Rochelle Dickerson

What message are you conveying by showcasing vibrant floral imagery in your artwork, and what experience do you intend for the viewer to have?

With the vibrant floral imagery, my goal is to create a visual experience that exudes joy and passion while evoking an internal feeling of beauty as an emotion, not just a sight to see. Flowers and their colors all have a meaning behind them, so with each flower and color painted with great intention, the piece becomes even more purposeful. I always want my art to be a positive representation of the Black community and be seen as a celebration of who we are and what we’ve overcome, even when a piece explores a more serious topic.

What comes first in your creation process, the emotion or the image?

In my creation process the image comes first. An artist who actually inspired me to start my journey, Jim Carrey, once said in a documentary about his work, “You really don’t know what a painting totally means, you think you do…and then like a year later, I’ll realize that the painting was telling me what I needed to know about myself a year before.”

Usually, I’ll have an idea show up in my head and I never really know what it means yet, I just know it’s supposed to exist. It typically isn’t until the painting is finished that I truly understand it and can see it the way the viewer is meant to.

Rochelle Dickerson, Botanical, 2022, Oil and Acrylic on Canvas

What inspires you?

All of my inspiration comes from God, and without Him, I would have absolutely no art to create. Every image that comes to my head at the most random moments after praying for direction for my next piece, I know is directly from God. In the beginning, when I’m not yet sure what a piece means, He has already defined it.

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

The most unexpected experience, realization, and challenge for me as an artist each center around social media. The challenge for me has been comparing myself and my growth to other artists on social media. I didn’t expect it to affect me as much as it did in the last couple of years, so I’ve had to find creative ways to overcome that.

I’ve since realized that even though it doesn’t have to be my main focus, social media is something that I should continue to embrace as a way to grow my career, get inspired, and meet other artists.

Some of the greatest and most unexpected opportunities I’ve had as an artist came from social media, and I would have never gotten them if I had given up on it. Even though sometimes it seems like the easiest thing to do is step away from social media, it may actually end up being the hardest.

Do you have any advice for artists who want to share their art with the world, but don’t know where to start? What has worked for you?

The best advice I could give to people who want to begin sharing their art is to do it scared. I think fear has a pretty big place in our lives a lot of the time, especially when it comes to something as vulnerable as sharing our creations with the world. So, do it scared or you’ll never do it. Then, the fear will start to go away completely.

Also, have patience and continue to work on your craft. The goal should never be to be better than anyone but yourself. The more you continue to work on your craft, the more you’ll see improvement in your work and growth in yourself. You will develop your own style and voice, and better understand where you want to take your art.

How do you define success as an artist?

Success as an artist is multifaceted, extending beyond financial or critical acclaim. I believe it’s often marked by a combination of creative fulfillment and impact.

Artistic success stems from a deep connection to one’s craft, driven by passion, dedication, and continual growth. These qualities, combined with a strong belief in oneself and in reaching personal goals, are significant hallmarks of success.

Additionally, artists can have considerable influence on society and can inspire future generations through work that sparks dialogue, challenges norms, provokes thought, or evokes strong emotions. Creating a piece of art that an outsider has an emotional connection to is a truly powerful thing for an artist, and to me, that combined with personal fulfillment is the epitome of success.

Rochelle Dickerson, Flora, 2022, Oil and Acrylic on Canvas

How can we further grow and empower the Black art community?

Art that features Black subjects or is focused on the Black experience is still not as highly regarded as art that represents Western ideals, and part of that issue lies with Black people being completely misunderstood and misrepresented for centuries.

The more we create and share our experience, passion, beauty, and strength through our own lens, prayerfully we will continue to see an increase in the level of acclaim for our art.

Further growing and empowering the Black art community comes with amplifying current Black artists, and encouraging the next generation. Finding ways to ensure they have the resources to continue their work and also make sure they feel seen through accessibility initiatives, education, and collaboration is a great step in empowering and encouraging the growth of the Black art community.

What’s next for you and your artistry? What opportunities are you seeking and where do you see your creativity taking you?

I’m working toward having my art predominately in gallery spaces. I’ve gotten a little taste of that over the last year and have so far loved the experience.

Lately, I’ve been feeling more clarity that that is the perfect fit for me and my art. I’m hoping to showcase my work internationally again as well in the near future. Having my art in spaces I never would have imagined even a year ago feels like a dream that’s in reach for the first time.

I also have a new series of small 10 in. by 10 in. paintings that I’m finishing up that I’m very excited to share . I’ve been keeping them pretty secret on social media until the entire series is completed, but I’m so excited to see how viewers respond to it.