Thursday, March 28, 2024

Interview with digital/visual artist NomesDee

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Naomi Doras better know as NomesDee is a digital and visual artist. She was born and raised in Lusaka, Zambia. Her surreal portraits are magnificent, portraying lively depictions of an array of characters. She combines Zambian heritage, Japanese anime and global pop culture sensibilities in her art work.

NomesDee completed her schooling upto secondary school in Zambia ,thereafter pursued a Bachelor of Visual Art at the University of Sydney where she specialized in Digital Media. While in Sydney she worked on various exhibitions with established artists and became a graphic designer professionally.

KAPA187: How would you describe your artwork?

NomesDee: My recent body of work could be described as a depiction of modern day people of colour, through the digital medium of illustration.

 

KAPA187: When did you start as a digital artist? Did you explore other forms of art first?

NomesDee: I began experimenting with digital art late in high school, I have also experimented in film, animation and painting.

 

KAPA187: Your artwork is noticeably fluorescent and vibrant, what inspires your style?

NomesDee: My style is loosely inspired by Anime, Afrofuturism and Fashion trends.

KAPA187: Do you have particular themes that you stick to or do you work according to inspiration?

NomesDee: My work generally focuses on my experience as a young adult living in the age of social media. I tend to document people I connect with and I’m drawn to online.

 

KAPA187: Could you describe your working process? Do you have a clear idea of how each work will look from the beginning?

NomesDee: I usually work from images, at times I think of an idea and source images exploring that notion. In other cases, I am drawn to a particular person and I allow them to inspire me and create work from their portrayed image.

 

KAPA187: What are some of the tools you use to create your distinct style of artwork?

NomesDee: I use a laptop and an Ipad to create the work. It’s usually a mash up of Photomanipulation and Vector images.

KAPA187: What has been your favorite project to work on to date, and what lessons did you take from the experience?

NomesDee: My favorite project to work on was an Album art I did for an artist based in Miami. I learnt numerous lessons from that experience; above all the most valuable lesson learned was to stay true to my own ethos, as that is how I create the most satisfying work.

 

KAPA187: What has been the most challenging project you have worked on?

NomesDee: The most challenging project I have worked on is likely one I am underway with right now, involving the use of the colour white and tensions between officers and civilians. It will be exhibited in August at Platform Gallery in Baltimore.

 

KAPA187: You worked on the artwork for rapper Dope G’s album cover. Tell us about that process. Did you come up with the concept/design by yourself or was it a collaborative effort.

NomesDee: Whenever I work on any album art with an artist, it is always a collaborative process. I always aim to represent the client in the most genuine way that I am able, while taking into account their personal brand.

KAPA187: Tell us about the art scene in Zambia? What can be done to take it to the next level?

NomesDee: I feel like more people need to work on showcasing their art and more spaces need to be developed for artists to do so. The art scene is burgeoning, however there are a handful of legitimate institutions to support this. More community engagement in this sector will surely allow it to flourish.

 

KAPA187: Is it possible to make a good living in Zambia being an artist?

NomesDee: I don’t see why not .

KAPA187: Are you working on any exciting projects that you would like to share with our readers?

NomesDee: I will be participating in the Chale Wote Festival 2017 in Accra, Ghana in August, and I’m very excited for that. 

(The CHALE WOTE Street Art Festival is an alternative platform that brings art, music, dance and performance out into the streets. The community-based festival takes place in James Town – one of Accra’s most historic communities – and targets exchanges between scores of Ghana-based and international artists creating and appreciating art together.)

 

KAPA187: What advice do you have for other young artists in Zambia?

NomesDee: Don’t be afraid to express yourself and share your unique experience with those around you, you may be delightfully surprised at the response.

 

KAPA187: Any last word… 

NomesDee: Thank you for allowing me to take part in this interview. It has been a pleasure. I look forward to seeing how the arts in Zambia will grow and evolve in my lifetime, and I thank you for creating a platform in which we can share our stories.

View more of NomesDee’s art work on here Instagram and Facebook page.

 

BY KAPA187

 

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