Human Interest: Joseph Omolayole

We had a chat with Joseph Omolayole, an artist at Creativity Explored, to learn how he’s staying creative and how we can celebrate the creative potential in all of us.

Joseph Beuys once said, “Everyone is an artist.” In this sense, “everyone is an artist” means that everyone can and needs to be creative. For Beuys, he word artist described the essence of what it means to be a human being: the deep need and fundamental ability to create and be creative.

We believe that a range of diverse thinking, perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds is what makes humanity’s progress in creativity and art possible. On a quest to make art accessible for everyone and to bring more neuro-diversity into our community, we established a partnership with Creativity Explored, a studio-based collective in San Francisco that partners with people with developmental disabilities to celebrate and nurture the creative potential in all of us. Founded in 1983 by a psychologist and an artist, CE has facilitated the careers of hundreds of artists and serves as a model in the field of art and disability worldwide. We think they bring a unique kind of creative energy to the community, and we're here for it! We’re therefore proud to contribute to their mission through having commissioned art for previous articles, by supporting initiatives like their Art Changes Lives gala, and, as part of this series of interviews, having a chat with Creativity Explored artist, Joseph.

Joseph Omolayole has been an artist at Creativity Explored since 2016. Omolayole studied Fashion Merchandising at Skyline College and seamlessly merges art, architecture, and fashion in his illustrations and designs. Since sheltering in place, he’s been designing, draping, and assembling his own garments in his bedroom—his pieces will debut on the runway at the Museum of Craft and Design in Fall 2021.

Omolayole has a rich traditional 2D practice, applying his love for fashion to his artwork. He draws and paints freehand with marker, colored pencil, acrylic, and watercolor on paper to create "visually compelling” patterned work. His work is then printed onto fabrics which he uses to create unique “eye catching” clothing.

Omolayole has also been an integral part of CE’s Black artist group, which will debut their first show, titled Blackiful, on June 19th, 2021.

What’s currently on your mind, Joseph?

My goals—building strong art and fashion skills so I can keep exploring both. I’m a big fan of bell bottoms for men and women. I’m thinking about that since it’s almost summer. They are perfect for going out day or night—paired with a Gucci bag.

What inspires you? What gets you excited?

I’m inspired by nature and art I find from different cultures. Both play a role in my fashion and drawings. I also love when old fashion styles come back with a twist!

I get excited by any TV show about fashion. I like seeing the “behind the scenes”, how they style the models and do their makeup. Each time I watch these shows, I get a new idea, or I think about how I could do it better or differently. I’ve always wanted to work more with models, and I like thinking about what new things I could do with a runway.

Who inspires you right now?

Dolce & Gabbana—I love how their clothes are sharp, catchy, and unique. The prints are so fun.

Working with other CE artists in the Black artist group has been really great—I like seeing what others are making and helping them. They also critique my work and support me.

How has working from home changed your creative practice?

I feel like I’ve been able to adapt during the pandemic pretty good. I can easily make stuff while being at home—I just use my bed like a table! I still have all my patterns that I made in college. I’ve been using these patterns to create hats, skirts, vests, pants, and other pieces.

What new strategies have you developed to stay creative while working from home?

It helps when I take a walk or go biking. I go biking a lot. When I get home, I have all of these different ideas, and I quickly get them out of my head by drawing or making digital illustrations. Being in nature helps my mind reset and reorganize. I believe that you have to keep your mind happy and give yourself new perspectives to think differently than you did before.

When I work with the teachers and artists at Creativity Explored, it’s like a helpful brain exercise— we’re always doing something new and it makes me a better artist.

What do you do for fun?

I love the ocean, it makes me happy. I could never live too far away from the beach, anything in nature, or really anything that keeps me active. When I go on trails, I see new animals and plants that inspire me—I like to create patterns that look like water or fur.

I do a little photography, too—I’ve been taking pictures for a long time, but I’ve been doing it more during shelter in place. I just bought a new film camera from Germany that I’m really excited about. I’ll have to learn how to use it, but I like learning new things about cameras!

How can we use creativity for good?

Soak in art from every culture in the world—that’s how we learn from each other. Through art you can see our differences and how similar we are. Art can be a way we can be connected through our differences. It’s a domino effect. Nobody is alone and art is influenced from other art. It’s like a rainbow.

How can we celebrate the creative potential in all of us?

Get to know yourself, then you can place yourself with others that have the same style and learn what you like. Everyone has a way they can express themselves through art—maybe you’re not good at painting, but that doesn’t mean you’re not an artist. Maybe, instead, you’re good at architecture, and that’s how you express yourself and be happy.