Celebrating Beauty and Color: Mikela Henry-Lowe

Mikela Henry-Lowe shares her process and her passion for color.

‘The Pieces of Me’ (acrylic on canvas, 47.25×47.25) by Mikela Henry-Lowe

THE ARTIST’S MAGAZINE (TAM): Tell us about your education.
MIKELA HENRY-LOWE (MHL): I learned to paint from my classes at high school. I was taught color theory, which colors work well with other colors and why, and I always keep this in mind when working on my own projects. Most artists have to learn about the different “isms” of the art world, and being exposed to Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism and Cubism has molded the way I approach color in my acrylic paintings.

‘The Wrap Life 2’ (acrylic on canvas, 47.25×27.25) by Mikela Henry-Lowe

TAM: Can you describe your process in some detail?
MHL: Before I even start to stretch a canvas, I’ve already made decisions on what color goes where and how I want the subject to be positioned within the frame of the canvas. If I’m painting a sap green background, then nothing on the figure can be sap green. When I paint, I see the canvas as broken down into sections of patterns. I don’t see myself as painting a portrait. I see blocks of colors stacked one on top of the other, with and against each other to bring forward the beauty of the subject. It’s about working in layers.

Portrait painting by Mikela Henry-Lowe’s, as seen at the Black Blossoms Exhibition at the University of the Arts, London showroom.

TAM: What helps you bring out the individuality of each subject while also keeping in mind that each one is part of a larger series?
MHL: One word: “color.” I generally source the images I paint from Instagram. I bring out their individuality with the colors I feel best suit them or what might be striking against their skin tone—painting the aura I feel they might possess. My subjects are connected through culture. What country they’re from helps inform my decisions. I’ve painted women who are Haitian, Nigerian, Ghanaian and South African. They’re all connected by their shared culture, a culture of similarities.

Portrait painting by Mikela Henry-Lowe’s, as seen at the Black Blossoms Exhibition at the University of the Arts, London showroom.

TAM: What knowledge do you hope people walk away with after seeing your work?
MHL: That black women are beautiful, that black women aren’t only the stereotypes placed upon them by society. I want all types of beauty to be celebrated. It’s all about positivity.

This article originally appeared in the January/February issue of The Artist’s Magazine (subscribe to The Artist’s Magazine here). Visit the artist’s website at mikelahenrylowe.weebly.com.

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