We had the good fortune of connecting with Ebony Adell and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ebony, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I’m from Milwaukee, WI, one of the most racist and segregated cities in the United States. The 53216 zip code and my grandmother’s house was in the infamous 53206 zip code. I was raised with homeowners, entrepreneurs and independent women. My grandma was a trailblazer; the first African American bar owner to be a member of the Schlitz Malt Liquor Stein Club. She had to pass for white in order to do that and came out as black after it was achieved. My mom was the first African American female Assistant Director of the Dept. of Public Works for Milwaukee County. My other relatives were socialites down south, my aunt’s a diplomat, my cousin’s an opera singer etc. I come from a family of high performers. Nobody allowed racism or sexism to get in their way, each generation shattered glass ceilings and kicked down doors. It hasn’t always been nice, easy, or pretty but I’ve always felt I was capable of doing whatever I wanted without limits or fear.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been an artist all my life. I specialize in protest art, visual mantras and luxury brand management. Everything I create is a protest against socioenvironmental oppression and my mission is to raise the consciousness of the community by encouraging more of us to engage in some form of sustainability within our lifestyle.
My visual mantras are representations of balanced chakras, and my clothes translate those same visualizations into the physical world in a 3 dimensional way. That’s why the tagline is ” Transcend the trends, Beyond New Style Where Fashion is Art in 3d.” I started out just painting the first 7, Muladhara-Sahasrara. But as I expanded my knowledge beyond the physical body I discovered up to 121 identifiable chakras in your metaphysical realm. Encompassing you, affecting the aura and determining the power of your koshas.
However my latest painting is wearable art that is a modernized version of the Underground Railroad Freedom Quilt. Because reading was against the law so many were illiterate, and they had to find a way to create a map to freedom that the whites couldn’t decipher. They created these quilt maps along the road to freedom. It s such genius that I felt called to bring the concept to the forefront. We focus so much on the limited history of slavery, and the same old heroes that the oppressors want us to remember; that we forget about the complexity of the strategy of their survival and fight for freedom. There’s an abstract image of the 21st chakra then the actual motifs of the quilt glow in the dark making it 2 paintings in one. I also created a print version for my ready to wear. It’s probably some of my most powerful imagery.
Sometimes people are scared of addressing dynamic issues head on, in their work and on their platforms. I think what sets me apart from others is that I’m not afraid to be a disruptor. It’s not just a wardrobe switch and pretty pictures. We are connecting to people through their core values, identifying an element within the population with a common vision for the future; matching energies and inviting others into the fold of our vibrational reality. Activating those chakras then amplifying vibrations across social, economical, cultural, geographical and religious boundaries. Participation in the brand is an upgrade, altering the mindset of the customer. By tapping into the values we are changing the buying behavior, influencing the lifestyle choices and longevity of the community as a whole through sustainability. The holistic piece is influential on a higher level by benefitting the health of the collective. And it’s all offered at 3 price points for accessibility where sustainable and holistic options are not readily available.
I’m most excited about my growth as an artist. 2022 was a groundbreaking year for the brand because we’ve had so many firsts. I’ve been doing exhibitions all over Europe, and I had my first one in the United States at the end. La Biennale de Venezia in Italy(the most prestigious art show in the world), Swiss Art Expo in Switzerland, La Palma in Spain and Art Basel in Miami. To see my work in these world renowned galleries and shows is validating for me as an artist, but also humbling. I look at my work and I’m still shocked because it’s like, I made that, people are looking at it, I’m having an impact and this is what I’ve been praying for. I’m finally in my element at my shows and exhibitions. It’s a testament to the power of manifestation and prayer.
First of all I’ve never been afraid to move around and travel. I realized a long time ago I had to get out of Milwaukee to really see and exercise my full potential, even in my old life. Atlanta, Phoenix. LA, Miami, the UK, Europe etc. just solidified and validated it even more because things starting moving so fast once I started going further, staying away longer and going more frequently.
I’ve come a long way but I have a long way to go. We set these goals and once we hit the marker we realize that there’s more work to do. You never want to plateau so you’re always striving for that next level of greatness. Nothing has ever been handed to me so it definitely has not been an easy road. It can be difficult to introduce a concept across a wide range of audiences like sustainability and chakras that in some instances has mainstream pushback in the media. Because the brand is very outside the box people are afraid of it. Sometimes when I do yoga and sound meditations people accuse of casting spells, witchcraft and all kinds of weird stuff. As far back as college, some professors encouraged me to NOT create something new or different. They wanted me to recreate the same imagery and accused me of cultural appropriation and heresy . But what they didn’t understand is that multiple cultures have versions of chakras and variations of yoga and meditation, it’s a prayerful state. In addition I pulled from all of my own ancestry and background. I had already been teaching all of it for 4 years by the time I got to Mount Mary.
My biggest logistical challenge in all of this has been finding financing. I’ve become a force in this industry without a penny of outside investment. I want potential and angel investors to consider what I’ve accomplished on a shoestring budget and imagine what can be done with your money behind me. Not just your ROI, but you have to decide what you want your legacy to be when you leave this world. Ask yourself what you want your impact to be.
What I tell my own children, my students and my followers is that I learned that you have to be fearless in the pursuit of your dreams. Don’t be afraid if the journey gets lonely or surprised when the people you expected to support you don’t clap for you. Set a purposeful intention, manifest it, visualize it, live it and take the actions to make those dreams a reality.
I want the world to know that my personal brand and TSX Design House are cohesive. I am the brand. I practice what I preach and what I teach. I do yoga, I meditate, I live as much of a sustainable lifestyle as possible and it’s an ongoing process. I’m not perfect but I work just like my customer does to be the best human that I can be. We will never stay stagnant, we are constantly evolving just like you; and we’re here for you.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The midtown area for sure. First of all we’re in Piedmont Park meditating and doing yoga at least 3 days out of the week in the city. But Mon/Tuesday we would start off at Miss Mary Mack’s straight from the airport. We have to eat there at least twice while my bff is in town because everything on the menu is delicious. If the weather was nice we could go to the Botanical Gardens during the day and walk around downtown in the evening. Do a bar crawl and check out the hotspots for the night even if it’s the middle of the week. Maybe go to The High Note.
Wednesday is time to get pampered so I would book a spa day at Celestial Spa .with massage, sauna, facials, etc. then the next day hair, nail and lash appointment with my cousin, master stylist Shantay Robinson at her private salon Naturally Straight studio in Sharpsburg, Georgia. She specializes in growing hair, works with your natural hair but she can also do installs, clip ins, tape ins, microlinks, haircuts and custom color etc. Whatever you need.
By Thursday we could grab waffle house for breakfast, go to the Trap Museum in the afternoon and get dressed up for an art event or fashion show at night. Friday is for the strip club, she can choose which one she wants to bless or we might hit 2 or three then Saturday we’ll splurge on a celebrity event so she can show out a little. Sunday a late brunch will be booked at Negril before I take her to the airport to fly home.
She’ll be shocked by how many celebrities she crosses paths with. I still get star struck sometimes when I see certain ones just walking around town.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate this shoutout to God for making sure I gained the clarity to see this vision through all the madness, my parents; Fay Roberts and Clifton Adell. My grandparents RIP Jewel Roberts ad John Roberts Sr. My brother Henry Adell. My children; Phailynn, Eboan and Ebele. 3 professors that changed my life, Sandy Tonz RIP, Reverend Adam Bond and Dr. Jennifer Hockenberry. They all validated my ideas, encouraged me to develop them and allowed me to think outside the box. Dr. Hockenberry inspired and pushed me to write my book SxEyecon without fear, My physicians Dr. Enid Trotman and Julie Mickelson set examples and counseled me on my road to success starting at 18 years old.
The book that has had the most recent impact on me has been “For Colored Girls Who have Considered Politics,” by: Donna Brazil, Yolanda Caraway, Leah Daughtry, Minyon Moore and Veronica Chambers. It’s about their journey within the American political system following the Civil Rights Movement and leading up to Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaign. But the underlying story is about the importance of answering your call to service. It’s very eye opening and makes you examine the validity of your actions and walking in your purpose. Anybody that is second guessing their mission should read this book.
The four organizations I shoutout are PBS and Jemetris Patterson for featuring me in 2020. Oxford Fashion Studio for walking me through the pandemic to be able to launch with them in 2021, FNL Network for featuring us for International Digital Fashion Week(our first showcase with big brands like Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger, The Model Experience for our first LA Fashion Week, and The Artbox Projects for our international art exhibitions.
Last but never least my team: my muse Phailynn Marshall, Markesha Hollins(creativedirector) Cody Malone(model), Duyen T. Lam(model), Ricquelle Badger(model, assistant), Shawntay Robinson(creative director), Robin Brown(producer) and Ed Macon(my Dj)
Website: https://www.tsx-design-house.com
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tsx_design_house
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebony-adell-1384911b/
Twitter: https://www.TWITTER.com/TSXDesignHouse
Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/GodWorldGrind
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmT1xjbh0PQ9Ys97TZuPCUA
Other: sites.google.com/view/lleda-artifacts/home https://www.contrado.com/tsxdh https://www.contrado.com/chakrasana https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ebony+adell&i=stripbooks&crid=QSG4VB6C0VYS&sprefix=ebony+adell%2Cstripbooks%2C654&ref=nb_sb_noss https://naturallystraighthairstudio.com/
Image Credits
Ebony Adell Phailynn Marshall Markesha Hollins Cody Malone Duyen T. Lam Dylan Mattar tashaaa.llb The Model Experience