Meet Safi | Painter and Poet

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

Hi Safi, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
My artistic and creative career is my main motivation in life. It allows me to express myself in ways that I find difficult in daily interactions. I hope for my art to one day hang in living rooms across the world. I foresee my poetry books being downloaded on Kindles and tucked away safely on slightly dusted bookshelves. I hope to make people feel deeply, to connect to that part of them that loves, that yearns—that innocent, childlike emotion. I pursued my artistic and creative career as a way to always stay tapped into myself. And I hope that by sharing it with the world, I can make some people feel a little something along the way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
If I had a dollar for every time I heard “What inspires your poems?” or “What made you paint that?” I’d be living in the lap of luxury. To be honest, my answer to those questions are always the same: “I’m not sure.” My art comes from emotions stored far away. I suppose, what sets my art apart is that it has no rhyme nor reason; it just is. When I’m painting, I’m completely present, not focused on a destination. I often change the lighting in the room; purple light is my favorite. When writing, I just write the first thing that comes to mind, releasing control and allowing my hands to take flight. In both instances, the final product is a surprise to me and anyone looking. One thing I’ve learned along the way is that the less I overthink creatively, the more receptive people are.

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.
Art, food, and fun would definitely be at the top of the itinerary if my friend came to visit Atlanta. Our first stop would be Little Five Points, purely to set the vibes. We would bounce around from the Record Shop to the Native American Store, stopping to get our souls looked into by the man outside the crystal shop, all while sipping on pristine sea moss juice from the local venture by the sneaker store. Next on the list is Ponce City Market, home to some of the best food in the city. Once we’re filled to the brim with ramen, tacos, and vegan Philly cheesesteaks, we would head to the BeltLine, snapping plenty of pics along the way. The Old Fourth Ward skate park would be our destination. Upon arriving, we would take a pit stop to admire all of the new graffiti under the overpass. Feeling inspired, we might pull out our sketch pads or journals, expressing whatever we’re feeling. In the days to come, we would hit up the local coffee shops, eat more good grub, and possibly go to a pottery class or five.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Big Shoutout to Avo! I appreciate you for believing in me and helping me to step out of my comfort zone.

Instagram: safi_speaks