Meet Teylor Parks | Multi-Hyphenate Artist

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

Hi Teylor, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
2020 was a tough year for me. I was dealing with post-grad depression and anxiety from adulting, work, the pandemic, civil unrest…the list goes on. I needed tools to pull myself out of a dark place, so I created affirmation and journal prompt cards. After using them for a few months, I noticed my mood and confidence increasing. Once I realized how well these cards worked for me, I knew I had to share them with others. That’s how Breathe in Color was born.

I always wanted a business that I could personally relate to and that would somehow make the world a better place (as cliche as that sounds). Breathe in Color became just that.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a self-proclaimed Multi-Hyphenate Artist! I am a singer-songwriter and visual artist, with a passion for creating affirmation-driven art. My songs cross genres and speak to my life learnings. They are tools, like my affirmation cards — kind reminders when life gets icky. My visual art is…random. I like to create multimedia collages and paint vinyls. From time to time, I dabble in jewelry making and clay sculpting.

My fluid artistry comes from my diverse education. I took a lot of visual art classes as a child (shout-out to Arts Clayton), but became a vocal major at my fine arts high school (shout-out to Stilwell School of the Arts). So many people supported my creativity as a child and teen. I’m extremely thankful for that.

Most of the challenges I’ve faced are around my self-confidence and time management. It’s hard not to compare myself to other artists. I overcome this by just throwing myself out there and sharing my craft. I’m also a busy body. If I don’t prioritize creating, I get caught up in other projects, like community work or other entrepreneurial ventures. I really have to set aside time to create.

Along the way, I’ve learned that art is subjective and none of us needs validation from others.

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?
My fav spots are:

– Clark Community Park in Stockbridge, Ga
– Little Five Points
– Ponce City Market, especially Bar Vegan
– Colony Square
– Anywhere the Circle Poetry Collective is

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I give credit to all of my family, friends, and colleagues for support and so many learnings. I am thankful for the educational institutions that nurtured and trained me: Clayton County Public Schools and Florida A&M University. Shout-out to the organizations that loved on me, like Friends of FAM Inc. and the Omega Xi of Alpha Kappa Psi. Lots of love to all the entrepreneurs and creatives who inspire me, especially Pinky Cole, Kandi Burruss, Solange Knowles, and Rihanna.

Website: teylorparks.com

Instagram: @teylorparks and @breatheincolor_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teylordparks/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiXc0RQEwmMOTQl0ePAgv7Q