Meet Sunahtah Jones | Visual Artist & Photographer

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

Hi Sunahtah, why did you pursue a creative career?
I started creating at a very young age, whether it was poetry, drawing, photography, or other creative mediums. I used to just sit in my room for hours creating. As I got older, I let societal pressures convince me that I couldn’t make a career out of my art. When I finished my masters in 2019, I was working in corporate America and very miserable. I also ended up getting rejected from what I thought was my dream doctoral program in Atlanta. At first I was devastated, I felt so lost. Then I watched a documentary about Jean-Michel Basquiat, who has always been a huge creative inspiration for me. Listening to him talk about his growth and determination despite people continuously doubting him picked me up out of the lost space that I was in. I realized that I never actually wanted to go back to school, I just wanted to create art but I was scared of failing and played it safe. From that day on, I decided to take myself seriously as a creative instead of letting that fear hold me back. I fell back in love with my art and moved to Atlanta anyway. Art and creating has always been a part of who I am. When I create, I feel so much joy and fulfillment, it’s undoubtedly my purpose.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an Atlanta-based Visual Artist and Photographer. My visual art centers surrealism, deep color schemes and the thought-provoking portrayal of raw emotion and different realities meshed together. I’m extremely proud of my growth as a creative who started off doing amateur photography and videography with an old Nikon from groupon in 2014. It definitely was not easy to get to where I am today, especially as a Black nonbinary creative. We’re not given enough recognition. My journey thus far has been 100% worth the challenges i’ve overcome and will continue to. I really got to where I am today through determination, challenging myself, and giving myself the space to find my artistic niche. Having a great support system, remaining centered, and practicing patience with myself has continuously helped me overcome challenges. I have learned so much about myself, my crafts, and the world of creating since I first started SpiceCamVisuals, especially regarding the importance of networking, contracts, and knowing your worth as a creative. I still have a lot more to learn and it’s exciting. I want the world remember my name and SpiceCamVisuals, I am determined to be one of the greatest visual artists in the world and I will be. No matter what doubts people project onto you, you can manifest your biggest dreams into becoming your reality. The answers you need are already within you.

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.
We’re definitely going to BQE for brunch! I love that restaurant. It’s black owned, their brunch is amazing and their DJ is always on point. It’s so much fun and such a great vibe. I’d also take them to Little Five Points, that’s one of the first places I fell in love with when I moved to Atlanta. There’s so many small shops and art everywhere, and you almost always cross paths with great people that you didn’t know before that day. The Atlanta beltline is another one of my favorites, I love walking plus there’s a ton of graffiti art on the bridges, and there’s usually art installations.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my mother. She has always been my biggest supporter and was the first person to tell me that there is so much power in my individuality. There’s so much power in knowing myself, being myself, and living my life the way that I want to. She always told me that no matter what, live your life doing all of the things that make you happy as long as you’re on this Earth. I definitely would not be the person and creative that I am without the wisdom and support that my mother has, and continues to give me.

Website: spicecamvisuals.com

Instagram: spicecamvisuals

Twitter: spicecamvisuals

Other: Email: spicecamvisuals@gmail.com