Hi, I’m Xena, but you probably know me as Xenxen. It’s a nickname my dad gave me when I was young, and it just stuck. I’m a Black Queer woman, proudly from East Vancouver. My journey into the art world began early, surrounded by a family of creatives—my grandma, a jazz diva from Jamaica, touring Europe; my mom, a singer; and my dad, a soapstone sculptor. Creating art and music has always been my sanctuary, where I find belonging and make sense of the world.
What sparked your interest and led you to pursue a career in the arts?
My family is a massive source of inspiration! My mother is so ambitious and multidisciplinary! An ex inspired me to start taking my art more seriously. He was very encouraging of me to show my art to people. I’ve always had a very abstract view of the world, which is helpful as a creative, but battling self-doubt was tough. Eventually, being told I was good enough gave me the confidence to believe in myself.
Artistic Inspiration:
Humans and their joyful interactions are my greatest inspiration. The world around me, particularly my recent gig in plumbing, introduces new materials and textures. Dust, metal, concrete, rust, copper—it’s a whole new world!
Artistic Process:
My unique style is Collage, which is a bit like a mood board. Images usually spark a feeling and from then on I’m searching for other images that match that energy. So, I would say the theme is reflections of the inner mind.
Freedom is key in my collage process. Starting with one inspiring image, I let the pieces connect organically. I have stacks of magazines around, and I’ll start looking through them randomly, highlighting the pages that connect to me. This could be pure visual satisfaction or feeling-based. Usually, the art ends up completely different from what I thought, but that’s the beauty and freedom of it all.
Favorite Projects:
My piece, Golden Overflow (Home), still feels really special to me. I made it after moving to the UK and feeling really stuck creatively. It felt like I released a blockage and finally settled into a home. Home was within me all along, and it felt like gold. It’s super corny, but I think that was a really defining piece of art for my personal art journey.
Challenges and Growth:
Due to my specialty in collages, organizing magazines is an ongoing battle, and creative growth is a continuous journey. Sometimes, it’s about trying new mediums or allowing myself to rest. Other times, I give myself different obstacles! Sometimes, I do time limits or supply limits and see what happens. Also, spending intentional time with myself to listen to what the creative mind is saying. Also, YOU GOTTA ALLOW YOURSELF TO MAKE “SHITTY” ART! Just make some fun stuff and take the pressure off! Imagine you’re five, and you only have an hour to make something for your teacher(you). You wouldn’t criticize a 5-year-old art, right?!
Local Collaborations:
I was lucky enough to do the 2023 Culture Crawl, a huge art festival held in East Vancouver. I grew up attending the crawl, so it was an honour to feature my art. I work in a fantastic studio with several amazing artists, and I’m grateful for the community I’ve made.
I value community, especially being black and queer. Without community, we wouldn’t have survived. So collaboration is essential, in my opinion. We need each other, and there’s space for all of us to be uplifted.
Community Engagement:
I’m still navigating this, but Openmicgrooves has been an excellent space for showcasing art. They host artists of the month and let me put some art on the walls. Every time, I learn more about what makes a good display. I’m open and excited for more connections.
Future Goals:
Keep making and developing my skills! I want to be an old lady with many quirky hobbies and skills! I would love to start making larger-scale art and involve my love for painting in my collages.
I hope I inspire people to create because art is essential for the world. It’s the most beautiful gift we can leave behind, in my opinion.
Balancing Passion and Practicality:
It’s a constant learning process. Gratitude and acceptance help me navigate the balance. I’m really ambitious, so I tend to push myself harder than I realistically can within the confines of a Mon to Fri work week. So, I’m learning to surrender to my limitations. Allowing myself room to flourish when I have the time and energy.
Advice for Aspiring Artists:
Keep going. You’re better than you think! Do it for the love of it—you’re a superstar.
