In Conversation With Tomekah George
Image Credit: Tomekah George
Tomekah George (she/her) is a Sheffield-based freelance illustrator and artist whose artwork has been featured in editorial and branding publications.
The Free Black University (FBU) founder, Melz Owusu, approached Tomekah to create artwork that could be used for FBU’s podcast.
Tomekah delivered a piece that was inspired by her conversation with Melz, aiming to capture colours, textures, knowledge, and spirituality.
Tomekah shares some of her thoughts with us below:
Furaha Asani: Hi Tomekah. Could you tell us a little about yourself and your art?
I work as an illustrator and occasional animator who's passionate about bright colours, textures and Black representation in the creative industries. I'd describe my artwork as somewhere between a painting and a collage. When creating illustrations, I tend to listen to music, usually dancehall, lovers rock or old pop songs. I think this energy can be seen through the textures, movement and shapes within my illustrations.
In your opinion, what is the best way to get inspired and tap into our talents and skills?
The biggest inspiration for my work is just my experiences. My advice is to talk to friends, family and strangers. Those interactions can help you think of approaching a topic or an art medium differently.
Can you take us through the artwork you created for The Free Black University podcast? What was the process of creating an image and story that links with our core mission of Black transformative knowledge production?
I started by breaking down the core values of FBU and looking at ways to translate critical parts into a visual narrative. It made sense to weave imagery of Black activism through a lense of strength and resilience. During the process, Melz introduced me to the orishas such as Yemaya and Obatala. In the illustration, they are depicted distributing knowledge and enlightenment down to the listener.
Early sketches of FBU Podcast image by Tomekah George
How long did it take you to create the FBU piece from start to finish? How do you get yourself going if you have 'artist’s block'?
I worked on the FBU piece between projects, so it's hard to say how long, but roughly two to three days. I think rest is such an essential part of my process and helps me with artist block. I'll try and do something completely different like going for a walk or reading. If I'm honest, recently it's been escaping with a dose of trash TV.
As a Black artist, what are your hopes for how we can use and stretch our imagination to create spaces of healing and joy for Black people?
I believe it's about re-imagining and then creating Black-led spaces that foster collaboration across industries and communities. This could take place online or, post Covid-19 restrictions, in person. I hope as a community we continue to seek out and support FBU and others in creating spaces by and for us.
What advice would you give up-and-coming Black artists that want to make a career out of creating art?
Join or build a community you'll be able to lean on, and uplift each other when you're doubting your work or need advice. A lot of creative jobs are also advertised to those with a network or prior relationships. You'll be hit with a lot of rejection and ghosting but learn to celebrate every ‘no’ and try and look at it as an opportunity to do something better.
The Black art community is small, especially outside of London, so make an effort to support each other's artwork and creative ventures.
Your artwork will front the FBU podcast. This means that your work will always link you to us. What are your hopes for FBU?
Honestly, I feel so honoured to have contributed to such an inspiring and healing platform. I can't wait to listen to the podcast and see the FBU continue to grow in the UK and hopefully further afield. I'd love to see the FBU become a leader in Black higher education and inspire similar projects in the UK.
You can follow Tomekah on Instagram @tameks_g. If you'd like to buy the full podcast artwork, it's available as a limited A3 print through Tomekah’s shop here: 25% of profits from this collection are always split between FBU and Black Minds Matter, with the rest going back into Tomekah’s aim of supporting and mentoring artists from marginalised backgrounds through Yout Studio.
