Miracle Stars by Minjic Minjic Artists Parlor

Milan-based, multidisciplinary artist Avvassena invites us to peer into her art practice, which is deeply rooted in the exploration of energy released from the human soul. As she shares her belief that each individual carries within them a blend of positive and negative energies, Avvassena leads us to delve into the core of the human experience, unveiling the intricate interplay of energies beneath the surface.

In this episode, we follow Avvassena's path as we uncover the veiled dimensions of the human soul. Through her skilled craftsmanship, she weaves a distinctive tapestry of emotions, where both light and shadow cast light upon the intricacies that shape us. Her adept use of various lighting conditions takes on a pivotal role in her artwork. The interplay of light and darkness affords her the ability to convey distinct layers of meaning within a single piece.

Throughout this conversation, we have the privilege to delve into the essence of her works such as "Inner Mask" and “Ubuntu: I am because we are.” Avvassena underscores the universal inner conflict that resonates within humanity—the battle to embrace and acknowledge the coexistence of contradictory emotions and thoughts within oneself. She asserts that individuals often repress these sentiments, leading to an imbalance. Join us as we navigate the intricate dance of light and darkness, decoding the profound narratives they unveil within each of her captivating pieces.

Outline:
In Today’s Episode with Avvassena
1. The “Inner Mask” body of work and humanity’s inner reality
2. Playing with light
3. Ubuntu: I am because we are in Nguni Bantu language
4. The concept behind Avvassna’s installation work made of X-rays

Artist Bio:
Avvassena is a young and talented multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Milan, Italy. She holds a bachelor's degree in Interior Design from Politecnico of Milan and a master's degree in Communication Design. Her natural curiosity and inclination to pay attention to her surroundings fuel her unstoppable and diverse creativity. She has collaborated with international magazines, brands, and companies. Since the age of 16, her work has been shown in numerous galleries across Europe, including Italy, Spain, and Germany.

Guest: Avvassena (@avvassena)
Host: Jamie-May Minjie (@jamiemayminjie)
Contains original remix music by Vidy Thatte

Host Bio:
Jamie-May Minjie is a millennial writer, poet, visual artist, and cultural entrepreneur. She holds an MA from UCL and has appeared in several publications across the U.S, and is the author of numerous poetry books. Minjie founded of MINJIC, a California-based art platform for queer and female artists, was a member of UCL Innovation & Enterprise’s incubator BaseKX, and a founding member of TXTNFT, an artist collective based out of New York City.

For more information on the Miracle Stars Minjic Parlor project, visit https://www.minjic.com/

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© MINJIC LLC 2023 All Rights Reserved

In this episode, Slovenia artist, Sara Voss, shares her life as she pursues art full time. Sara's paintings are a manifestation of her emotional release and therapeutic outlet, as process overwhelming emotions. She believes abstract painting is the best form of therapy for her. Sara's artistic journey is a tale of resilience and creativity. Originally drawn to the world of gemology and dreams of owning a jewelry business, her path took an unexpected turn due to health challenges. Faced with obstacles, Sara found solace and expression through the strokes of a brush.

Sara's paintings are more than just visuals; they're a raw and poignant release of emotions. Sara discovered that abstract painting became her sanctuary, a therapeutic haven where she could process and communicate overwhelming feelings. Join us as Sara unveils how this unique form of art became her lifeline.


Outline:
In Today’s Episode with Sara Voss:
1. A Career Pursuit From Goldsmith to Painting
2. Influences from Joan Mitchell, Elaine de Kooning, Corinne Michelle West, and Judith Godwin
3. Role of Female Artists in the Art World
4. Art as an Emotional Release
5. Finding Inspirations from Daily Lives
6. Experimenting Different Medium
7. Life in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Guest: Lydia Smith (@lydiasmithartist)
Host: Jamie-May Minjie (@jamiemayminjie)
Contains original remix music by Vidy Thatte (@vidythatte)

Artist Bio:
Sara Voss is a Slovenian-born artist specializing in contemporary abstract art and primarily creating in acrylic. Voss finds inspiration in everyday life events and inner emotions. Through an intuitive exploration, she continuously evolves her artistic style and experiments with a variety of techniques. She lives and works in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and decided to pursue art full time in 2022. Her art is already in collections internationally.

Host Bio:
Jamie-May Minjie is a millennial writer, poet, visual artist, and cultural entrepreneur. She holds an MA from UCL and has appeared in several publications across the U.S, and is the author of numerous poetry books. Minjie founded of MINJIC, a California-based art platform for queer and female artists, was a member of UCL Innovation & Enterprise’s incubator BaseKX, and a founding member of TXTNFT, an artist collective based out of New York City.

For more information on the Miracle Stars Minjic Parlor project, visit https://www.minjic.com/

Subscribe to our newsletters to be in the know of our transcribed interview publication date!
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© MINJIC LLC 2023 All Rights Reserved

In this conversation, Eilen Itzel Mena, a Dominican American artist from New York and presently based in London, offered a glimpse into her personal odyssey intertwined with her artistic voyage. This convergence of influences has woven a narrative as complex as her Afro-American heritage, as intricate as her spiritual beliefs, and as variegated as the landscapes of cultures she has traversed.

Within her creative endeavors lies a resolute pursuit—to bestow upon the world a resounding affirmation of cultural identity, a vivacious celebration of joy. While her oeuvre resonates with spiritual cadences drawn from the core of her being, a devout engagement with Ifá, an Afro-Cuban faith, paints an even more nuanced portrait. Her artistic journey is a fusion of her Afro-American heritage, spiritual beliefs, and experiences in various cultural landscapes. Her creative work aims to instill a sense of joy and cultural affirmation, addressing the complexities of identity and representation within the broader socio-cultural context.

Through her artistic endeavors, she seeks not just to capture joy, but to be its vessel, its ambassador, and its resonance. And in this pursuit, she becomes an artist of not just canvases, but of emotions, a curator of cultural narratives, and a weaver of joy.

Outline:
In Today’s Episode with Eilen Itzel Mena:
1. Mena’s childhood experiences from Dominican Republic to New York
2. Going to California for BFA.
3. Mena’s Ifá Practice and Her Destiny to Seek Joy Internally, Externally, and Spiritually.
4. Bringing Positivity to Viewers.
5. Mena’s Visual Language is Universal

Guest: Eilen Itzel Mena (@eilen.itzel.mena)
Host: Jamie-May Minjie (@jamiemayminjie)
Contains original remix music by Vidy Thatte (@vidythatte)

Artist Bio:
Eilen Itzel Mena is an Afro-Dominican American artist, writer, and community organizer from the South Bronx in New York, and she is currently based in London for her MFA program in painting at the Slade School of Fine Arts (UCL). Before this, she received her BFA from the University of Southern California in 2017. Through a blend of Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, and spiritual frameworks rooted in the African Diaspora, Mena highlights culturally affirming African Diaspora frameworks such as art, music, dance, cuisine and religion in her work, in response to the contextual dissonance and rejection of blackness embedded in Western cultural and ideological frameworks.

Mena has exhibited work in New York, Mexico, New Zealand and London among other places, and has been covered by major publications such as the New York Times, Vogue, Cultured Magazine, and Hyperallergic. Her work has also been featured on HBO’s Insecure and Random Acts of Flyness as well as Showtime’s Flatbush Misdemeanours.


Host Bio:
Jamie-May Minjie (b. 1990) is a millennial writer, poet, visual artist, and cultural entrepreneur. She holds an MA from UCL and has appeared in several publications across the U.S, and is the author of numerous poetry books. She founded MINJIC, a California-based art platform for queer and female artists, was a member of UCL Innovation & Enterprise incubator BaseKX, and a founding member of TXTNFT, an artist collective based out of New York City.

For more information on the Miracle Stars Minjic Parlor project, visit https://www.minjic.com/

Subscribe to our newsletters to be in the know of our transcribed interview publication date!
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© MINJIC LLC 2023 All Rights Reserved

In this episode, London-based artist Lydia Smith graciously opens the doors to her artistic practice, offering keen insights into the Web3 world and the artistic researches that have ignited the flames of her creativity.

Drawing upon a distinguished background in technical arts from UAL, Smith demonstrates an astonishing ability to encapsulate shared human experiences within her enigmatic abstract artworks. Her artistic journey began in the tender days of nursery school, where her first sculptures took shape, foreshadowing the brilliance that would follow.

Within the compelling intersection of art and technology, Lydia artfully accentuates the enduring significance of authentic human connections, a poignant reminder of their essence even amidst our ever-digitizing world. Mindful of forging a seamless synergy between technology and traditional art forms, Lydia imparts immense value to the transparency and security that blockchain technology offers with Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) for artists. Her art emerges as an invigorating catalyst, sparking profound dialogues and uniting souls through shared experiences.

With a heart unshackled by conventional labels or dogmas, spirituality finds its home within Lydia's creative process, adding a mystical dimension to the wondrous sculptures she breathes life into. As we delve into Lydia Smith's artistic odyssey, be prepared to embark on an enlightening journey, unlocking profound insights into her indelible impact on contemporary sculpture and the perpetually evolving art landscape.

Outline:
In Today’s Episode with Lydia Smith:
1. Through contemporary art, viewers have the opportunity to find connections with their shared experiences.
2. An artist’s view on NFTs–Why can NFT be beneficial to the art world?
3. An artist’s position being in the phygital world we live in.
4. How technology inspires Lydia’s art
5. Finding inspirations in ancient cultures such as the ancient Egyptians
6. Juggling between the film industry and the art world
7. Women’s position in the world and what it means to be an artist and a woman


Guest: Lydia Smith (@lydiasmithartist)
Host: Jamie-May Minjie (@jamiemayminjie)
Contains original remix music by Vidy Thatte (@vidythatte)


Artist Bio:
Lydia Smith is a London-based multi-disciplined artist. She has represented Great Britain in ice carving championships in Switzerland and China. Smith’s work is a conversation between the digital and the physical worlds. It illustrates a dialogue between line and form, creating geometry inside a physical and digital ecosystem.

After receiving her BA in Technical Arts from the University of the Arts London (UAL) in 2017, Smith has lectured at UAL. She often does commissioned work for the British Film industry and luxury brands and has exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in 2022, Last year, Smith also had her first solo show in Soho, central London and recently co-produced the duo show ‘Soft Spaces’ in New Bond Street, Mayfair.

Host Bio:
Jamie-May Minjie (b. 1990) is a millennial writer, poet, visual artist, and cultural entrepreneur living and working in San Francisco. She holds an MA from UCL and has appeared in several publications across the U.S, and is the author of numerous poetry books. Minjie founded of MINJIC, a California-based art platform for queer and female artists, was a member of UCL Innovation & Enterprise’s incubator BaseKX, Monaco-based art organization AIS (Art Identification Standard), and a founding member of TXTNFT, an artist collective based out of New York City.

For more information on the Miracle Stars Minjic Parlor project, visit https://www.minjic.com/

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© MINJIC LLC 2023 All Rights Reserved

Pam Jue, a New York-trained artist now based in the Bay Area, is on a journey that delves deep into the recesses of self-discovery and the limitless realm of artistic exploration. Following her BFA, Pam Jue pursued a career as a designer, but during the pandemic, she unraveled her true artistic voice, embracing meditation and mindfulness as her core artistic approach.

In this conversation, Pam reveals her insights into the connection between the mind and body during the healing process, drawing inspiration from her studies in Buddhism and spiritual readings. She shares how she learned to embrace discomfort as an essential element of her artistic journey, where each stroke and color choice becomes a graceful dance of self-expression.

We will also get a glimpse of Pam's artist-in-residency experience in Finland. This enchanting encounter left an indelible mark on her, igniting a visionary dream of creating an artist community where the splendor of nature, the power of art, and the essence of spirituality converge in harmonious unity.

Outline:
In Today’s Episode with Pam Jue:
1. Meditation practice in art practice
Tension, release, and flow series
Focus on the present moment
2. What is body and mind relations?
3. Inner child aka the artist inside of use
4. Artist in Residency Experience
5. Art has its own life

Guest: Pam Jue (@pamjueart)
Host: Jamie-May Minjie (@jamiemayminjie)
Contains original remix music by Vidy Thatte (@vidythatte)

For more information on the Miracle Stars Minjic Parlor project, visit https://www.minjic.com/

Subscribe to our newsletters to be in the know of our transcribed interview publication date!
https://minjic.beehiiv.com/subscribe

© MINJIC LLC 2023 All Rights Reserved

In the 1960s, Susan R. Kirshenbaum grew up in Pittsburgh, where her artistic destiny was nurtured by parents who laid the cornerstone of an enchanting art school when she was a tender five years old. Her home was filled with creative energy, featuring a photo dark room and a painting studio, which ignited her passion for all things artistic. In this intimate conversation, Jamie delves deeply into the artist's artistic voyage, delving into the early musings of drawing models. Kirshenbaum's art vividly reflects her personal connection with the models she collaborates with, resulting in mesmerizing and dynamic pieces. She demonstrates a special affinity for drawing women as she etches soul-stirring messages through her revered opus, Women in Nature. Embracing the belief in shared fundamental attributes that epitomize womankind, the artist celebrates the profound interconnectedness that unites humanity with the sacred rhythms of nature.

In Today’s Episode with Susan R. Kirshenbaum:
1. Growing up in the 60s with art educator parents in Pittsburgh:
Helping with the family art business at a young age
What the art world in the 60s was like
2. The artist’s creative process collaging photography and life drawings
Early exposure to life drawing
Use of iPad and digital drawing for portability while traveling
3. From a career as a creative director to a full-time artist
Having a satisfying career that is relevant to one’s passion
A life of multiple relocations from San Francisco to Hawaii to New York
4. Working with art models
Life drawing groups that become a community
The mutual inspirational relationship between artists and models
5. Artist Statement:
Women are just like trees and we are all connected

Guest: Kristin Middleton (@kristin_middleton_art)
Host: Jamie-May Minjie (@jamiemayminjie)
Contains original remix music by Vidy Thatte

For more information on the Miracle Stars Minjic Parlor project, visit https://www.minjic.com/

Subscribe to our newsletters to be in the know of our transcribed interview publication date!
© MINJIC LLC 2023 All Rights Reserved