'A'Dorian, Radical Self-Lover' Artist Gelila Mesfin Talks Art And Her Personal Brand of #BlackGirlMagic

[MUSIC] My name is Gelila Mesfin. I'm an Ethiopian artist. I came here when I was 18 [MUSIC] Everytime I draw something or paint something or do additional artwork, it's so that it can please me. It's part of my soul and part of who I am so when someone else enjoys ensures that we too would, it's a beautiful thing. When someone appreciates something you've created. Cuz they're accepting a piece of you. I've never painted before but during junior year in college I tool elective classes that allowed me to explore so that's when I started painting. But I never really thought that I would pursue it as a career. This digital form of art it just happened. Two month ago that's when I started. You're kidding right? No, I'm serious. [MUSIC] Initially I had like 5,000 followers based on my drawings of myself. The first really popular digital drawing that I did was the one of Destiny's Child. It was one of their album covers that they did way back. And I turned that into a digital drawing and it kinda went viral. I think Michelle shared it on her page and people started sharing it on Facebook, on Twitter. That's how the followers came. Honestly, I was so shocked. I love the art that inspires me is from Africa and the people are what inspires me in my art. Voluptuous women, thick women, women with a little bit of meat to their bones because, you know, a lot of A lot of media nowadays just shows you photoshops, tiny. And 99% of the people are not built like that. Whoever looks at my art, I hope it inspires them. I hope it makes them happy and makes them smile, that's my ultimate goal. Five years from now, hopefully God willing that I'll have my own Studio to just make art work for the rest of my life. That's physically my ultimate goal. In black girl magic, it's me, like every single black girl has their magic, it's their self expression of who they are, that's magic by itself. You have so many things that put you down like in society, so for you to even exist right now, for you to be making a stand, for you to be living your life Your own way by itself is magic. so that's what it means to me. I grow magic. [MUSIC]