TONYA PATTON (Interviewed by The RBM)
When Mecca began our search for our very first "Spotlighted Artist" after 13 months of concentrating on the
writing aspect of "art", we wanted to come out swinging, to make an impact and leave an impression on the
reader either way (good or bad), yet at the same time remain safe and preserve the "talent", "quality", and
"individual" aspects this genre truly has to offer. So when we initially decided on Tonya, we were a little
nervous because though we didn't know if she would accept our interview request or not, we had already
focused on her, believing that the work that we saw was exactly what we wanted as the foundation of the
"black art" side of Mecca, so when she accepted we knew that our goals would be accomplished. Though I
had no idea that I'd get way more than that from the experience.
When I finally got in contact with Tonya after a few days of emailing our available times back and forth, I
caught her in the middle of doing dishes. "You don't have a maid doing those for you?" I asked jokingly.
"Nah, I can handle them, but if I had more to do then I would get one," she responded with a laugh, she
continued "but no, I don't need one of those, I don't use that many dishes anyway". Just that exchange alone
satisfied the purpose of this conversation, to get a vibe of who she was, something she suggested that I do
anyway, and something that I increasingly believed was a good thing as time went on leading up to the call
itself. That opened up the door to about an hour of talk about the social status of "black art", how she plans
to change the art game through art education and the representation of other artists, and how she really
doesn't see herself being a traditional artist for too much longer, as she is focusing more on the business side
of art. I found myself listening (and hearing) to her philosophy on how life truly imitates art and vise versa,
how everyone has a purpose while they are here and how expression of art is God-given, and how that
allows her not to take "focusing" on art so seriously. I came away from our brief phone conversation with a
sense of insight, and realization, but not from the ways that I imagined or thought I would before I called.
Art is more than writing, painting, or a pencil and paper for drawing, but of how we use the tools of who we
are to change the landscape of the world we live in.
When Tonya accepted our interview invitation, we agreed that submitting the questions via email was our
best option because of our conflicting schedules, so the following questions and answers were not asked (or
really discussed) while we talked, so when I finally got a chance to read the responses, they reminded me of
the conversation we had a few days before because of the manner they are answered in.
MP
When Mecca began our search for our very first "Spotlighted Artist" after 13 months of concentrating on the
writing aspect of "art", we wanted to come out swinging, to make an impact and leave an impression on the
reader either way (good or bad), yet at the same time remain safe and preserve the "talent", "quality", and
"individual" aspects this genre truly has to offer. So when we initially decided on Tonya, we were a little
nervous because though we didn't know if she would accept our interview request or not, we had already
focused on her, believing that the work that we saw was exactly what we wanted as the foundation of the
"black art" side of Mecca, so when she accepted we knew that our goals would be accomplished. Though I
had no idea that I'd get way more than that from the experience.
When I finally got in contact with Tonya after a few days of emailing our available times back and forth, I
caught her in the middle of doing dishes. "You don't have a maid doing those for you?" I asked jokingly.
"Nah, I can handle them, but if I had more to do then I would get one," she responded with a laugh, she
continued "but no, I don't need one of those, I don't use that many dishes anyway". Just that exchange alone
satisfied the purpose of this conversation, to get a vibe of who she was, something she suggested that I do
anyway, and something that I increasingly believed was a good thing as time went on leading up to the call
itself. That opened up the door to about an hour of talk about the social status of "black art", how she plans
to change the art game through art education and the representation of other artists, and how she really
doesn't see herself being a traditional artist for too much longer, as she is focusing more on the business side
of art. I found myself listening (and hearing) to her philosophy on how life truly imitates art and vise versa,
how everyone has a purpose while they are here and how expression of art is God-given, and how that
allows her not to take "focusing" on art so seriously. I came away from our brief phone conversation with a
sense of insight, and realization, but not from the ways that I imagined or thought I would before I called.
Art is more than writing, painting, or a pencil and paper for drawing, but of how we use the tools of who we
are to change the landscape of the world we live in.
When Tonya accepted our interview invitation, we agreed that submitting the questions via email was our
best option because of our conflicting schedules, so the following questions and answers were not asked (or
really discussed) while we talked, so when I finally got a chance to read the responses, they reminded me of
the conversation we had a few days before because of the manner they are answered in.
MP
The RBM: "Art is like air. They are both necessary components of life that are largely taken for granted. But without
them, we cease to exist". A great quote, your quote. So at what age did you begin to artistically "breathe" and describe
the feeling you got when you realized you were meant to express yourself this way?
Tonya: I personally, could survive just fine without a paintbrush. When I compared art to air, I meant it more in a collective sense.
Air is just like a backdrop. It is the most necessary component to life, it is required for our survival. It is our lifeline and yet no one
really gives it a second thought. The same with art. There are so many examples of art all around you: fashion, murals, architecture,
landscape. This beauty that pervades us is really what keeps us sane. It is the "breath" for our soul. Most people, who are not artist,
really don't pay so much attention to all of the creativity and beauty around them -- but they would if it were taken away. If
everything suddenly became grey and monotonous, everyone would suffer. Productivity would be at an all time low. So this is what
I meant by that quote. Art and air are backdrops for our lives -- the air sustains us physically, the art sustains us spiritually.
The RBM: As a professional artist, where do you see the industry headed in 2007 and beyond? More specifically, as a black
artist, is your forecast the same for the genre?
Tonya: I think people are starting to appreciate art much more. It is a process though, so it might take more than a year. Right now,
it seems as if alot of people are followers. It appears that alot of people need permission before they accept or acknowledge
something. You can see this with fashion. In the early mid-nineties, when Biggie and Puff started pushing Versace and other name
brand outfits, everyone else started to feel like they needed that kind of stuff too. Now, going out the house without at least some
type of label is almost unacceptable. The same is happening with art. Rich people have been collecting art, in fact, annual art sales
are around $270 million dollars. Because of videos, rappers, etc., the mainstream (whites too) are beginning to feel more entitled to
luxury lifestyles. The rich are becoming the role models for everyone. Everyone thinks that they are just like the rich people (think
how many non-rich people have a dog like Paris Hilton now). The only thing that wanna-be rich people are lacking now is the
artwork. They already have the car, the dog and the wardrobe. Art is probably next on everyone's list!
The RBM: Speaking of that, IS "black art" an artistic genre, or just "black artists painting or drawing for black
audiences"?
Tonya: For most cultures, their culture is the default culture -- their culture is the norm, so they don't specify it. Like if you were in
a Jewish community, their art would be called "art" and everyone else's art would be specified. If you are in a Chinese community,
their art would be called "art" and everyone else's art would be specified. Since this country was colonized by Europeans, then their
is no such thing as European art. The European art is called "art". Now here is the problem. When you specify, then you are saying
that who you are is not the norm, which is crazy. First, if you are black, then black should be your default. You dream in black,
think in black and anything that comes out of you is going to be from a black perspective just because you are black. To specify is
really admitting that you are not the norm, you are a subgroup of the norm. Black people are the only people who ever consider
themselves a subgroup of the norm. That is crazy! You should always be the norm to yourself. I do use the term Black art though
because I want black people to buy my art and I want them to know that it is art that they can probably relate to. But once I get to
the point where most people know me, I will just refer to myself as an artist or maybe a "Dope-as-Hell" Artist!
The RBM: Do you believe that we as African Americans are represented well in the "mainstream" world of art? Do you
encounter any hindrances because of your race or gender as often as you would in a lot of other societal areas?
Tonya: Two race questions in a row... Honestly, I love being black and I think that their are alot of genetic benefits of being black.
However, I do not think about the fact that I am black that much. Just like I do not think about the fact that I am tall or that I have a
big butt. Now, being tall with a big butt probably affords me certain advantages and it probably has its consequences, but it really
doesn't matter. If you focus on where you want to go and that is all that you focus on, then you are going to get there. It doesn't
matter who or what you are. When you start thinking about the pros and cons of your identity too much, then you turn into a
philosopher or a social critic, and if that is your goal, cool. But if you have the desire to excel or succeed in your field, that is what
you must focus on -- success. There might be things happening to you that aren't happening to other types of people, but you won't
notice them because they won't be important. So to answer your question, the only thing that has and ever will hinder me is myself.
The RBM: Another quote of yours that struck me was what your artwork says about you: "My artwork is a reflection of
what becomes of us when we merely allow life to happen instead of creating what we want to happen". In so many ways
our writers in Mecca can apply those words to our writing and what it stands for. But how difficult is it to consistently
produce those same types of pieces when your work is in such high demand and how often have you completed a piece and
later realized that your voice isn't speaking from it?
Tonya: That quote was speaking of the emotional state of the characters in the "Butterfly"Collection. To me, all of those characters
look powerful, but troubled. So what I was saying was, "If you feel troubled in anyway, it is because you are allowing life to choose
for you instead of taking control and choosing for yourself. In my opinion, there is no such thing as a bad choice. If you make
deliberate and conscious choices, then you are always going to be filled with some type of passion because you will begin to
understand that your life is in your hands. So you will begin to say: "I chose to do X and I got a bad result. I wonder what would
happen if I slightly change my approach?" With this line of thinking, you will always be too busy doing and expecting to feel
"troubled".
The RBM: How often do you find yourself in your studio painting?
Tonya: Oh, whenever I feel like it. I feel like I should sound studious since I am being interviewed but honestly, it's not that serious.
Life is supposed to be fun! Really, what else is the point? 80 years from now, I am going to be dead, and I am not going to get any
medals for being studious or being proficient or being a hard worker. So if being studious, proficient or hardworking isn't making
me happy right now, then why do it. I paint whenever I am moved. It works like this: I'll get a loose concept of something I want to
paint or maybe I'll get an urge to do some abstracts using orange paint. Usually, I don't act on the concept right away, but it just
feels real exciting thinking about it. And I'll be real excited for a couple of days, and in a whirlwind, I'll go buy all of the materials I
need for the particular project. Then, once I get the products, the whole thing doesn't feel as urgent anymore and I'll probably wait
another week before I actually get started. Usually, this happens in spurts, so I'll paint semi-consistently for a few months and then
not do anything for a few months. One time though, I did a piece for this guy I loved. Now we weren't dating or anything, I just
really loved him and he wanted me to do a painting for him. I started immediately, within like one day of him asking and I got done
in a week (my paintings are usually like 6x9 feet!) This makes me think that maybe I am more passionate about love than art and
that, I should try to paint from a place of love more often.
The RBM: Who are some of your favorite artists?
Tonya: Favorite artists? This interview is starting to make me feel like such a non-artist! And this isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm
just starting to realize that I don't take this too seriously. I am like a child and my work comes from innocence. Children don't know
how to answer questions about what they do because their expressions are pure, done out of the joy of doing them. This is me.
Painting is just fun. I like Frieda Kahlo.
The RBM: Your work has been displayed in places like the Axis Gallery and The Museum Of Science And Industry in
Chicago, and on MTV Cribs. How are you able to stay focused and at the same time keep things in perspective?
Tonya: See last answer. Life, the whole thing, is just to be enjoyed.... When I was in elementary school, I was kind of like the
outcast. No one really liked me and I got picked on. The thing about this is, I got to do whatever I wanted to do. No matter what I
did I still wasn't going to fit in, so what the heck. If I wanted to wear a karate vest and some polka dot tights, then I could. If I
wanted to eat grass, then I could. Nobody liked me anyway! I say this to say, that I think I kind of formed a little bubble around
myself -- a bubble called "Tonya's world" and I can just do what I want. What other people are doing or thinking is almost irrelevant
to me. So that is how I stay focused. My focus is always on me and what I want to do. And anyway, I'm not even popular yet!
The RBM: How thin IS that line between remaining humble from allowing yourself to believe the commercial hype and
success to consume the artist mindset?
Tonya: This is kind of like an analogy as to why, no matter how successful I get (and it's going to be very!) I will never care about
commercial hype -- I am considered quite pretty by most people. Being "pretty" allows you to see and experience "hype" on a small
level. My photographer works with alot of artists (usually vocal ones) and models. Once he touches up our pictures, any
imperfection that we have in real life is gone! Now that is so fake! You can look at your pictures and get the big head if you want
to, but why even fool yourself! Or even when guys try to hit on me. It's like, I know that I have naturally nice features, but if it
wasn't for this weave and this fly outfit, my popularity might dwindle some. So what am I going to get the big head for? Over an
illusion? All hype is the same. It is based around an image, not the real thing, so why fall for it?
The RBM: What do you believe is the biggest myth about black artists? What's the truth (smile)?
Tonya: Myth about Black artist? I don't know...that they are crazy. I guess that's just a myth for artist in general. Really, I haven't
met many crazy artists, but I do find that many artist are a bit insecure. And I think that this is because, in order to be a good artist,
you have to have a certain sensitivity to life and to others. You have to be able to pick up on the subtles that separate things. When
you capture these subtles on a canvas, or in a song, that's what makes your art a hit. However, when you pick up these subtles in
yourself, it can make you self-conscious or hyper-critical. It's like other people are so busy, busy, busy with things outside of
themselves that they don't get to find out who they really are. Since artist have to be in touch with life to create, we know our
internal issues and struggles and it can make everything just seem so much more intense. I would really suggest that, artist, more so
than other people, should really just focus on our very best qualities. We are so sensitive, that if we did that, we would be able to
evolve into better versions of ourselves faster than the average person..
The RBM: Finally, your The Ohio State Buckeyes versus Florida in the national championship game. I assume your
biased, so how many will the Buckeyes win by?
Tonya: Ha! Ha! If I was eighteen again, not only wouldn't I have gone to Ohio State, I wouldn't have gone to college period. It is a
bummer that I didn't spend four years of my life living in some hut in Costa Rica instead.
Wanna know more about Tonya? Contact her by visiting her website: TonyaPatton.com
them, we cease to exist". A great quote, your quote. So at what age did you begin to artistically "breathe" and describe
the feeling you got when you realized you were meant to express yourself this way?
Tonya: I personally, could survive just fine without a paintbrush. When I compared art to air, I meant it more in a collective sense.
Air is just like a backdrop. It is the most necessary component to life, it is required for our survival. It is our lifeline and yet no one
really gives it a second thought. The same with art. There are so many examples of art all around you: fashion, murals, architecture,
landscape. This beauty that pervades us is really what keeps us sane. It is the "breath" for our soul. Most people, who are not artist,
really don't pay so much attention to all of the creativity and beauty around them -- but they would if it were taken away. If
everything suddenly became grey and monotonous, everyone would suffer. Productivity would be at an all time low. So this is what
I meant by that quote. Art and air are backdrops for our lives -- the air sustains us physically, the art sustains us spiritually.
The RBM: As a professional artist, where do you see the industry headed in 2007 and beyond? More specifically, as a black
artist, is your forecast the same for the genre?
Tonya: I think people are starting to appreciate art much more. It is a process though, so it might take more than a year. Right now,
it seems as if alot of people are followers. It appears that alot of people need permission before they accept or acknowledge
something. You can see this with fashion. In the early mid-nineties, when Biggie and Puff started pushing Versace and other name
brand outfits, everyone else started to feel like they needed that kind of stuff too. Now, going out the house without at least some
type of label is almost unacceptable. The same is happening with art. Rich people have been collecting art, in fact, annual art sales
are around $270 million dollars. Because of videos, rappers, etc., the mainstream (whites too) are beginning to feel more entitled to
luxury lifestyles. The rich are becoming the role models for everyone. Everyone thinks that they are just like the rich people (think
how many non-rich people have a dog like Paris Hilton now). The only thing that wanna-be rich people are lacking now is the
artwork. They already have the car, the dog and the wardrobe. Art is probably next on everyone's list!
The RBM: Speaking of that, IS "black art" an artistic genre, or just "black artists painting or drawing for black
audiences"?
Tonya: For most cultures, their culture is the default culture -- their culture is the norm, so they don't specify it. Like if you were in
a Jewish community, their art would be called "art" and everyone else's art would be specified. If you are in a Chinese community,
their art would be called "art" and everyone else's art would be specified. Since this country was colonized by Europeans, then their
is no such thing as European art. The European art is called "art". Now here is the problem. When you specify, then you are saying
that who you are is not the norm, which is crazy. First, if you are black, then black should be your default. You dream in black,
think in black and anything that comes out of you is going to be from a black perspective just because you are black. To specify is
really admitting that you are not the norm, you are a subgroup of the norm. Black people are the only people who ever consider
themselves a subgroup of the norm. That is crazy! You should always be the norm to yourself. I do use the term Black art though
because I want black people to buy my art and I want them to know that it is art that they can probably relate to. But once I get to
the point where most people know me, I will just refer to myself as an artist or maybe a "Dope-as-Hell" Artist!
The RBM: Do you believe that we as African Americans are represented well in the "mainstream" world of art? Do you
encounter any hindrances because of your race or gender as often as you would in a lot of other societal areas?
Tonya: Two race questions in a row... Honestly, I love being black and I think that their are alot of genetic benefits of being black.
However, I do not think about the fact that I am black that much. Just like I do not think about the fact that I am tall or that I have a
big butt. Now, being tall with a big butt probably affords me certain advantages and it probably has its consequences, but it really
doesn't matter. If you focus on where you want to go and that is all that you focus on, then you are going to get there. It doesn't
matter who or what you are. When you start thinking about the pros and cons of your identity too much, then you turn into a
philosopher or a social critic, and if that is your goal, cool. But if you have the desire to excel or succeed in your field, that is what
you must focus on -- success. There might be things happening to you that aren't happening to other types of people, but you won't
notice them because they won't be important. So to answer your question, the only thing that has and ever will hinder me is myself.
The RBM: Another quote of yours that struck me was what your artwork says about you: "My artwork is a reflection of
what becomes of us when we merely allow life to happen instead of creating what we want to happen". In so many ways
our writers in Mecca can apply those words to our writing and what it stands for. But how difficult is it to consistently
produce those same types of pieces when your work is in such high demand and how often have you completed a piece and
later realized that your voice isn't speaking from it?
Tonya: That quote was speaking of the emotional state of the characters in the "Butterfly"Collection. To me, all of those characters
look powerful, but troubled. So what I was saying was, "If you feel troubled in anyway, it is because you are allowing life to choose
for you instead of taking control and choosing for yourself. In my opinion, there is no such thing as a bad choice. If you make
deliberate and conscious choices, then you are always going to be filled with some type of passion because you will begin to
understand that your life is in your hands. So you will begin to say: "I chose to do X and I got a bad result. I wonder what would
happen if I slightly change my approach?" With this line of thinking, you will always be too busy doing and expecting to feel
"troubled".
The RBM: How often do you find yourself in your studio painting?
Tonya: Oh, whenever I feel like it. I feel like I should sound studious since I am being interviewed but honestly, it's not that serious.
Life is supposed to be fun! Really, what else is the point? 80 years from now, I am going to be dead, and I am not going to get any
medals for being studious or being proficient or being a hard worker. So if being studious, proficient or hardworking isn't making
me happy right now, then why do it. I paint whenever I am moved. It works like this: I'll get a loose concept of something I want to
paint or maybe I'll get an urge to do some abstracts using orange paint. Usually, I don't act on the concept right away, but it just
feels real exciting thinking about it. And I'll be real excited for a couple of days, and in a whirlwind, I'll go buy all of the materials I
need for the particular project. Then, once I get the products, the whole thing doesn't feel as urgent anymore and I'll probably wait
another week before I actually get started. Usually, this happens in spurts, so I'll paint semi-consistently for a few months and then
not do anything for a few months. One time though, I did a piece for this guy I loved. Now we weren't dating or anything, I just
really loved him and he wanted me to do a painting for him. I started immediately, within like one day of him asking and I got done
in a week (my paintings are usually like 6x9 feet!) This makes me think that maybe I am more passionate about love than art and
that, I should try to paint from a place of love more often.
The RBM: Who are some of your favorite artists?
Tonya: Favorite artists? This interview is starting to make me feel like such a non-artist! And this isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm
just starting to realize that I don't take this too seriously. I am like a child and my work comes from innocence. Children don't know
how to answer questions about what they do because their expressions are pure, done out of the joy of doing them. This is me.
Painting is just fun. I like Frieda Kahlo.
The RBM: Your work has been displayed in places like the Axis Gallery and The Museum Of Science And Industry in
Chicago, and on MTV Cribs. How are you able to stay focused and at the same time keep things in perspective?
Tonya: See last answer. Life, the whole thing, is just to be enjoyed.... When I was in elementary school, I was kind of like the
outcast. No one really liked me and I got picked on. The thing about this is, I got to do whatever I wanted to do. No matter what I
did I still wasn't going to fit in, so what the heck. If I wanted to wear a karate vest and some polka dot tights, then I could. If I
wanted to eat grass, then I could. Nobody liked me anyway! I say this to say, that I think I kind of formed a little bubble around
myself -- a bubble called "Tonya's world" and I can just do what I want. What other people are doing or thinking is almost irrelevant
to me. So that is how I stay focused. My focus is always on me and what I want to do. And anyway, I'm not even popular yet!
The RBM: How thin IS that line between remaining humble from allowing yourself to believe the commercial hype and
success to consume the artist mindset?
Tonya: This is kind of like an analogy as to why, no matter how successful I get (and it's going to be very!) I will never care about
commercial hype -- I am considered quite pretty by most people. Being "pretty" allows you to see and experience "hype" on a small
level. My photographer works with alot of artists (usually vocal ones) and models. Once he touches up our pictures, any
imperfection that we have in real life is gone! Now that is so fake! You can look at your pictures and get the big head if you want
to, but why even fool yourself! Or even when guys try to hit on me. It's like, I know that I have naturally nice features, but if it
wasn't for this weave and this fly outfit, my popularity might dwindle some. So what am I going to get the big head for? Over an
illusion? All hype is the same. It is based around an image, not the real thing, so why fall for it?
The RBM: What do you believe is the biggest myth about black artists? What's the truth (smile)?
Tonya: Myth about Black artist? I don't know...that they are crazy. I guess that's just a myth for artist in general. Really, I haven't
met many crazy artists, but I do find that many artist are a bit insecure. And I think that this is because, in order to be a good artist,
you have to have a certain sensitivity to life and to others. You have to be able to pick up on the subtles that separate things. When
you capture these subtles on a canvas, or in a song, that's what makes your art a hit. However, when you pick up these subtles in
yourself, it can make you self-conscious or hyper-critical. It's like other people are so busy, busy, busy with things outside of
themselves that they don't get to find out who they really are. Since artist have to be in touch with life to create, we know our
internal issues and struggles and it can make everything just seem so much more intense. I would really suggest that, artist, more so
than other people, should really just focus on our very best qualities. We are so sensitive, that if we did that, we would be able to
evolve into better versions of ourselves faster than the average person..
The RBM: Finally, your The Ohio State Buckeyes versus Florida in the national championship game. I assume your
biased, so how many will the Buckeyes win by?
Tonya: Ha! Ha! If I was eighteen again, not only wouldn't I have gone to Ohio State, I wouldn't have gone to college period. It is a
bummer that I didn't spend four years of my life living in some hut in Costa Rica instead.
Wanna know more about Tonya? Contact her by visiting her website: TonyaPatton.com
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"I wanna be the Run DMC of art, know what I'm sayin'?" Tonya
begins saying as a smile appears on her face through the telephone, "I
don't wanna retire then un-retire to be remembered, I wanna cause
enough momentum so that others can come up because of me".
Serious or not, Tonya Patton is already an innovator. With her approach
towards her art a reflection of her attitude towards life, Tonya conveys
an "individualistic", an almost "me against the world" type of mentality
that anyone listening to her can't help but to notice . It shows not only in
her work, which by talking to her is obvious only a small part of who
she is as a person, but also through her demeanor, her personality, and
the confidence she speaks with.
begins saying as a smile appears on her face through the telephone, "I
don't wanna retire then un-retire to be remembered, I wanna cause
enough momentum so that others can come up because of me".
Serious or not, Tonya Patton is already an innovator. With her approach
towards her art a reflection of her attitude towards life, Tonya conveys
an "individualistic", an almost "me against the world" type of mentality
that anyone listening to her can't help but to notice . It shows not only in
her work, which by talking to her is obvious only a small part of who
she is as a person, but also through her demeanor, her personality, and
the confidence she speaks with.