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Alicia Lisa Brown

'Artist can disrupt and create worlds where the conscious and the unconscious mind can bring to life experiences that are unique yet similar to that of others through the power of imagery.'

Alicia Lisa Brown is an artist from Jamaica, she has pursued studying and producing her art in her own country, in NYC and Germany. Alicia employs classical and contemporary techniques, with historical references, to investigate narratives and dualities surrounding a post-colonial identity in the Caribbean, with human themes that speak to many.

Where is your current studio? What would be your dream studio?

My studio is not one stationery space, sometimes I work in the garage or outside in the yard when the weather allows me to. I prefer to work with natural light so having access to large backyard is great. My dream studio is either a wooden cabin or a tree house in the woods surrounded by nature and hidden from the city, I don’t want to be able to hear any artificial sounds. Do you prefer to work in silence or does certain music inspire you?

I enjoy a bit of both. It all depends on the energy of the piece I am working on, sometimes a piece requires me to be more in tuned with my inner thoughts as I try to project certain emotions, in that case I work better without any background sounds as that can be distracting.

Some works are inspired by listening to reggae music by artists like Chronixx, Gentleman, Queen Ifrica and Spice just to name a few. Sometimes the music choice is more eclectic depending on how I am feeling that day. What is your favourite/ least favourite part of the creative process?

My least favorite part of my creative process hands down is preparing canvases to paint. It is more cost effective to stretch and prime my own canvases but I do not enjoy it. I wish I could afford to purchase supports that are prepared.

I enjoy various aspects of the process when I am creating, I get excited at the beginning by a new idea that I just can’t wait to see come alive, I particularly enjoy making the drawing that is then transferred to canvas before I apply paint. When I draw first I am able to solve the problems with anatomy, proportions, some details and composition. I don’t like to draw on the canvas so this method works for me.

How has your style evolved and what contributed to the changes?

The way I approach and make work has evolved considerable. I completed undergraduate degree at Edna Manley College in Jamaica however, my art practice was limited because I was teaching for years and didn’t have the means to practice. I wanted to be able to create representational works using techniques like those studied and used by the old masters and I did not possess the knowledge and methods needed to be able to create works of this nature. In 2012 I enrolled in the Masters Program at the New York Academy of Art. The wealth of information I acquired through the great program offered at the academy has definitely shaped how my style of work have grown and continue to evolve in my art practice. My style continues to develop learning from other artists through videos they generously share on YouTube or Instagram.

Describe an obstacle you have faced and how did you overcome it.

There are a few major obstacles that I have overcome and is currently facing, I don’t feel comfortable saying what they are. However, I am overcoming these obstacles by keeping busy making art, meditation and constantly praying.

Nature versus nurture- do you believe you have inherited abilities from creative parents, do you have creative siblings? Can you identify environmental factors or influences which led to your choices or directions? It is possible that I inherited my creative abilities from my father. I don’t remember ever seeing him drawing or painting but I know his brother my uncle draws well.

As to influences, I remember as a child growing up my family environment was not the happiest and I found through drawing I could deal with the anxieties and create worlds I could escape to. I always felt good when I draw and from that time as a child I knew I wanted to be able to make art forever. What do you hope to convey through your work?


I struggle with communicating verbally ideas that I want to share with others, I hope through my works I am able convey the complexity and beauty of human physiology through the portraits I paint. I want the viewer to be conscious of how uncomfortable it is to see themselves through perception of the other and the capacity we possess to overcome obstacles, adapt and survive in the spaces we inhabit.


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