Meet Amber Koko Allen | Multi-disciplinary Artist & Wearable Art Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amber Koko Allen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amber Koko, what do you attribute your success to?
It took me a while to figure it out how to package my personal brand. I know I wanted to share my story to empower others using my art and my voice. As a multi-hyphenate it was hard to figure out how to package everything together while appealing to a target audience. I think the thing that made me successful is the thing that most entrepreneurs and business owners say not to do. They always say niche down, but for me that wasn’t the immediate answer. Experimenting and playing around how you present creative self, determining what resonates with people the most and what gives you the most joy. Remaining consistent and Staying true to who I am and not trying to be someone else that’s when I really understood how to maneuver and narrow down my messaging, my art, and what to focus on within my brand. I let my life and my passions fuel the content so that it is authentic. After 5 years I have a greater understanding of what works for me and I know it will continue to grow, I know that my method is working because people and organizations are paying attention and my target audience is becoming more active and tuned in to my brand. They understand the message I want to share. That’s a good feeling

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My name is Amber Koko Allen, I am a multidisciplinary artist, designer, and educator born and raised in Central New Jersey. I knew at the young age of five that I wanted to be an artist and have been pursuing my dream ever since. It was my kindergarten teacher that inspired the vision. Now I can proudly say that I am an artist, designer, educator, and visionary whose mission is to empower and positivity into the world.

Let’s fast forward to 2010. I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in graphic design. I left college on top of the world, then found my world crashing down shortly after. Life didn’t go exactly as planned. With a bun in the oven and no prospect of a job in the design field, I had to pivot my plans, change career routes, and rebuild myself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This moment in my life was the catalyst to the brand and the mission; to empower creatives and entrepreneurs to look good, feel good, and dream bigger.
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The pivot was only the start. In 2011, I began to redefine and refine the person I wanted to be. The pivot forced me to set a strong foundation for my life; new years, new goals. I used my art as therapy and clarity while setting goals and intentions to rebuild my life at a time that I felt like a failure. I paused my art dreams and pursued a career in education, (my second love). I pulled all the pieces of my life together crossing off all of the goals I set for myself 13 years ago rebuilding my life and a dream. I now understand that the struggles that I faced were a necessary part of my growth and my story. The pivot forced me to be intentional about my plans. My plans transformed from lists to. visual collages. Little did I know that this practice would be a catalyst to a brand new vision.
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I worked 10 years rebuilding my life and crossed off every plan that I created for myself during times of struggle. After a lot of hard work and dedication, I vowed to get back to my dream. During this time I also decided to not only list my goals and plans for my life, I would visually represent them through vision boards and sharing them on social media. This practice literally landed me an invite to LA with CRWN Mag to their Future Craft, Vision Board event. That moment in time sparked a new vision for me. It was then that I realized I was empowering people across that country that I had never met. I have gained attention from corporations and media outlets who have featured my work, and invited me to host workshops partnered with organizations; including CRWN Magazine, Black Girls in Art Spaces, and Morris Museum. It’s 2024, and I’m starting the year off with a rebrand, Amber Koko Allen. My mentor once told me, there is power behind your name, so I’m walking into this year with clarity and purpose. I am no longer waiting for validation, I am creating and curating the life that I have always dreamed of. What I learned over the course of my life is that there are no mistakes…every part of your journey is a lesson and catalyst to something greater. It is my hope that as my mission, my art, and my work inspire and empower you to dream bigger and walk in your purpose, as I walk in mine.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a Jersey Girl, and my favorite place to go on a nice summer day is Asbury Park Boardwalk. There are so many places to explore from the beautiful murals along the boardwalk and the cute shops and food spots. There is a downtown spot filled with shops, restaurants, art galleries, Coffee shops, and so much more. There are always events happening. Whether is a beach day, a shopping spree, and art gallery opening, or just a night out with the girls that’s my go to spot.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have two shoutouts. The first being my husband, he is also a creative and entrepreneur and before I saw the possibilities for my brand, he saw it and encouraged me to think more openly about building my own platform.

The second being my sister, who is also an oil painter and creative. Having a female perspective and someone to bounce ideas off of and has a creative mind is amazing.

Website: https://www.amberkokoallen.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberkokoallen

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberkokoallen?original_referer=

Twitter: @amberkokoallen

Facebook: @amberkokoallen

Youtube: @amberkokoallen