Artist Asiah Thomas-Mandlman
Who are you?
First, I am a woman, I just happen to work as an artist, vocalist, and performer as well. I am of African American, Japanese, and Jewish descent, I was born and raised in the same home in New Mexico since I was three years old, and I want to learn Spanish.
“Cover Your Mouth”
By Asiah Thomas-Mandlman (Finalist 2nd Edition)
Charcoal
“Originally "Cover Your Mouth" lightheartedly took a look at black men; rarely do you see black men portrayed laughing and when it is seen they cover their mouth. Coincidentally, during a pandemic is the perfect time to cover your mouth. Looks like they had it right the whole time.”
What inspired you to start creating art?
My interest in art was a rapid accident. I was a girl who had a sparky competitive streak to be better than her parents. My parents were not the type who would tell their child they were good if they didn't believe they were. If I was told by the parents I was good at something, it was honest. What started my passion for art (winning), is not the reason I do it today. My creativity ended up being the only way I was able to explain myself clearly. Through visuals I can finally say what my stuttering mind cannot. Creating art is my faith.
“Cow Eyed”
By Asiah Thomas-Mandlman
Charcoal
“"Cow Eyed" is a part of a series in progress titled "Torn Pages". Large scale charcoal pieces of faces (or pieces of face) are coupled with short excerpts based on people or written by those people in collaboration.”
What inspires your work now?
Humanity... Characters. We’re undoubtedly imperfect and we have to interact with that imperfection every day. Humans are stressful and confusing, but all we can do is relate. It’s the reason I’m interested in stories, in people, and communicating. It’s the very mundane happenings that rouse us. My mother always says the arts are dying, I don't think that's true. As long as people are alive, the art will be too.
“Noodles (Series)”
By Asiah Thomas-Mandlman
Photography
“Part one of a photography series on hair that tied in pieces of my asian and african american roots.”
What mediums do you work in and experiment with?
Recently, my preferred mediums are charcoal, colored pencil, and ink. I have also utilized hair, fabric, felt, and video/photography imagery in my work. Charcoal is my dream. She’s messy, sexy, and sincere. For a 2D material, charcoal is extremely moldable and forgiving. I like colored pencils for the opposite reason. Colored pencil is silly, slick, and will not tolerate mistakes. You have to work hard to get her, she’s misunderstood and isn’t taken seriously. Colored pencil appears unprofessional, but with the right amount of layers and blending, you’ll find her very capable. A great example of this is 1st place winner in the 2nd Edition, Jesse Lane.
“Noodles (Series)”
By Asiah Thomas-Mandlman
Photography
Do you have any particular ways that you work through a creative block?
My creative blocks usually begin with the one rule that destroys me “create a masterpiece as ingenious as Picasso.” At that starting line, I’ll never finish, let alone begin. Creating anything with that standard in mind is the ultimate creative cockblock. Only working through it can get me past it—I will come up with terrible ideas in the process, but that’s just the process.
To view more of Asiah Thomas-Mandlman’s work