Meet BLKGRLFLY: Visual Artist

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

Hi BLKGRLFLY, what matters most to you?
Above all, to thine own self be true. Even if you feel like people won’t understand, you owe it to yourself to live your truth. Everything you put into the world is a reflection of you. Advice can be good at times, but always allow your inner voice to have the final say. Make sure you clear your mind and your heart so that you can receive the message. Being true to yourself also involves speaking up and voicing your concerns when something doesn’t feel right. I made an entire brand out of who I am and people can feel it. When they buy a product, they are buying into my truth.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Although I’ve been an artist my whole life, I’ve been making visual art as BLKGRLFLY for five or six years. Over the years, I’ve developed my personal style which I would describe as ‘chromo-pop-noir’. I draw from cultural references, both current and historical. Aesthetically, you’ll find bright colors and heavy use of black in my paintings. It’s an extension of my personality in that, I can be very emotional and dark at times but the sun [ I’m a leo btw 😉 ] within me always shines through. Duality is a major theme in my work and in my life. I got to where I am artistically by embracing solitude. As an artist, it may seem like you’re on your own. Instead of looking to others, turn inward and find what makes you really you. I had to find out who I was before I could show others. Naturally, people started gravitating towards me and the work I put out. Opportunities would be brought to me and I’d be ready to take them. I wouldn’t say the journey has been easy, but it gets easier. I like to put in the hard work on the front end and build upon my foundation with every new idea. If there’s anything I learned along the way, it’s that there’s no substitute for hard work. Discipline will get you anything your heart desires.

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.
If one of my friends was visiting Atlanta, the first place I would take them is the Roswell Mill/Chattahoochee River area. I know that technically isn’t “Atlanta” but it’s one of the most beautiful places in the area. The waterfall has an ancestral feel that makes you feel rejuvenated. After connecting with nature however, I’d take them to Fritti to eat some pizza and calamari. Maybe we’d do some shopping in Little Five Points. We’d probably finish it off with a night in East Atlanta Village.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
God has been with me at my loneliest. I never stay down for long knowing what they have for me is for me. After God, I have to thank my parents. No matter what crazy idea I have or new direction I want to take my life, they always support me wholeheartedly. My sister, Daryl Elon, is my heart and an amazing creative in her own right. Other than my family, I have grown a community of like-minded people from both South Carolina and Atlanta that rely on each other not only for artistic collaboration, but real life support. We share in the accomplishments and the hardships of one another. When one wins, we all do.

Website: www.flystudios.co

Instagram: @blkgrlfly and @fly.stu