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

Hi Lex Marie, what do you attribute your success to?
I believe the fact that I am always open to growth and change in my practice rather than boxing myself in has been a major attribute to my successes in my art career. Additionally, another major contributing factor has been the support from my community and collectors. Many of the opportunities I have received have been presented to me because someone who truly believes in me and my work has mentioned my name in a room.

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.
My artistic practice is an ever-evolving exploration of the weighty realities experienced by many African American children and children of color. Coming from the perspective of being a black woman and mother, I offer a unique voice that is not often seen or heard in art rooms. It has been quite challenging to find success in the art world and has not been an easy road since this career isn’t very accessible for parents, specifically single mothers.. I’ve overcome some of these challenges by supplementing my income in order to make sure I am creating work that is truly honest and meaningful rather than creating work simply to make money. Additionally, building a strong support system, finding a positive work/life balance and respecting my need for rest when needed has been very beneficial in moving my career forward.

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.
Washington DC has some incredible museums so of course we’d have to go see some art. I’d take my friend to the Hirshhorn Museum, Renwick Gallery and around the National Mall to check out the latest exhibitions and do some sight seeing. For food and vibes we would go to Dlena for dinner and live music, or Lardente for the best lasagna there is. We’d then go to Eaton Hotel’s rooftop for drinks and music to end the night.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A couple of fellow artists/curators and I started an art collective in which we consistently have open and honest conversations about the difficulties of the art world, we have critiques of our works and we are always giving encouragement to one another. Shoutout to Ciara K. Walters, Thomas James and Charles Mason III for making this path a lot less lonely and for being incredible creatives who inspire me.

Website: www.lexmarie.com

Instagram: thelexmarie

Linkedin: Lex Marie

Image Credits
Photographer credit for studio shot: Dee Hardaway

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