Today, we’d like to introduce you to Mia Makes It.
Hello Mia Makes It, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Creativity has always been a part of me. I began drawing as soon as I could grip a crayon, and I quickly became known as the kid in class who could “draw well.” Art classes were always an “extra” activity, which I think sent signals to me that being a creative person and making art was not something to pursue in life but just an “extra” thing you can do when you have free time. I constantly struggled with this. I was a child from a working-class family that was artistic, but simultaneously, I felt that art and creativity weren’t valued in larger society.
I went to college (the wish of my parents – neither of them went to college and believed it would put me on a path to a better life), changed my major and school a few times, and eventually ended up in a visual arts program anyway. I studied many different types of printmaking while continuing to develop my illustration style. I also began working with fabric and dabbling with embroidery. The opportunity to show in galleries came a one-by-one, and before I knew it, I was graduating (2018).
Since then, I have worked in multiple galleries and museums and have shown my work across town. I am still a student at heart – I love learning, and I have many hobbies and interests. I continued to make comics, embroider, and make ceramics, and I have even learned to code websites. (Check mine out if you want: miamakesit.art)
One major shift that occurred between my practice in college versus now is a shift toward community and the collective. In school, I was a lonely person who made prints and illustrations from a place of pain and sadness. Now, I conduct workshops and work together with the community to create. Luckily, facilitating and coordinating are two things I am good at and that I also enjoy. So, the idea came up to teach art workshops in the community. I had taught a couple of workshops at a gallery I was previously employed by, and I really enjoyed it.
It was fulfilling to teach people a new skill, watch them struggle a bit, learn by doing, and create something that they never thought they could. I decided to continue with the workshops under the name C.A.R.E. Collective. C.A.R.E. stands for Cooperative Art, Resources, and Education. I am still building this collective up with the help of a few peers, but I believe sharing and building together creates a sense of worth and belonging to the individual while continuing to foster creativity and space for empathy. If you want to check out that website, you can go to https://carecollectivefl.superhi.hosting/.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It isn’t smooth, but it’s worth it. Almost like driving over a gravel road in a car that has virtually no shocks and eventually reaching a waterfall surrounded by lush trees and a rainbow.
Doing work in the community is fulfilling and sometimes tough. Normal life things sometimes slow down the momentum, like health issues, home issues, and family troubles. Sometimes, I just feel scared and want to recoil and hide from everyone. It comes with a lot of responsibility to be seen as a teacher by people you may have never met before. The experience could contribute to shaping their worldview! For better or worse!
Another struggle is the monetary component. I do not get paid to do these workshops. The classes are free and open, with a suggested donation for the materials provided (but it is never enforced). The money I receive always goes back to the workshops, and I am grateful for the donations we receive. And, at the end of the day, it isn’t about the money, but when I was struggling with money when I started, it took a little bit of a toll on me (burn-out). Now that my finances have at least stabilized, I have more capacity to give my free time to the community (I also do this by volunteering).
I have put the project on hiatus several times, but I have always come back to it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
I am a jack of all trades, which is why I chose the name Mia Makes It. “It” could be anything. Right now, I am making a lot of zines, coding my website, and picking all sorts of vegetables. Out in the world, I am mostly known as an illustrator and educator. I have illustrated posters for several concerts, drawn portraits of people and their loved ones, and sold my prints at markets and shops all around Florida. Although I am still an illustrator at heart, what inspires me the most is learning and teaching all sorts of skills.
I love teaching people how to mend their favorite shirts or how to grow vegetables. In turn, my students/peers teach me all sorts of things. It’s really a level playing field – I never make myself out to be an expert, and I always tell the people who participate in my workshops to turn to other experts that I have found online (or otherwise) for more opportunities to learn. We can create a brighter and more beautiful world when we work together to do it. None of us can do it alone.
What changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Honestly, I believe that creative community work will not be going anywhere. Creativity is innate, and even if the jobs disappear or become scarce, there will always be a need.
Contact Info:
- Website: miamakesit.art
- Instagram: @miamakes_it and @thecarecollectivefl
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@miamakesit
- Other: https://carecollectivefl.superhi.hosting/ ; https://www.patreon.com/miamakesit
Image Credits
Mia Makes It
