Artist Interview: Curtia Wright
Let me introduce Curtia a little before going to hear from her own words. Curtia was the artist who created the Our Crowns mural with the community paint day. She is a Toronto, Ontario mural artist, arts educator and multi-disciplinary fine artist. She uses bold and vibrant color transporting audiences to her alternate worlds.
This is a photo of Curtia I took while she was mixing paint during the community paint activation.
How would you describe your artistic practice?
I would describe it as a mixed bag because I have a lot of interest that goes into it. Like most people, art started for me as a hobby or a way to escape. I would constantly doodle on my desk. A lot of my inspiration comes from film. Tv and also my environment too, sci-fi mythology anyway that I can grab that.
How did you find yourself doing this kind of work that took you down this path?
I am going to being with a funny story that my dad likes to share with me. When I was really young I used to sleep walk and he said I used to sleepwalk all the time and he would go to the wall because he would try to talk with me but I would be sleeping. But I would always walk up to the wall and there would be nothing in my hands but I would be drawing. I would just draw and one day he was like maybe this is what led you to what you are doing now. You always were drawing big but also had these crazy sleepwalking tendencies.
But on a more serious note in high school, I was approached by my art teacher. I don’t know which one came first if she asked me t paint her desk or if I started painting murals. I think I painted her desk first. She asked me to paint her desk first. It was a pretty small but chunky desk. I painted the front of it for her but after that, I painted one of the gym doors with our mascot. When I was 17 my first job was working for Mural Roots.
I worked with Rob and he was my first boss ever. We did a mural in Eglinton Hill and that was my first exposure to mural art I did it with a few other youths. I think there were 4 other youths. It was a collaboration and one of the community organizations in the area. It was a very big deal for me as a kid. I can get paid to paint. It was amazing. Then from there, every summer Rob or mural roots would hook me up with different organizations every summer I would be painting.
Recently I have had the opportunity to paint on my own, I would say in the last 4 years. I have had more private commissions but also in the beginning I did a couple of murals for free. So whatever supplies I had left over I would approach a small business about doing a mural to add to my portfolio but I only did two of those because it's not really sustainable. Material, transportation, and all that so I only did two but it did help out my portfolio a lot. They are both in Scarborough. I did an ad on my Instagram and people shared it and that's who I got the responses for the murals.
Is your family supportive?
My family is very supportive of what I do. I think at first they were a bit skeptical. When I graduated from University my mom was going "Okay what's your job what are you earning?" I need to find my bearings. It took me a while to make a living as an artist. It's not an easy thing to do to make a living as an artist. Now they understand I can feed myself. They are more on board. They were skeptical at first but accepted that I can sustain it.
How would you define public art? Who is it for?
Art that functions in a public setting with a collective focus that is for the people. One of the things that I think covid and the lockdown brought out was how important public art is. People couldn’t go to galleries couldn’t go out to exhibitions they couldn’t see art in those different ways/ They just had their morning and afternoon walks and started to explore public art that way. I think it is really important to have. There is one place that has these tables covered in mosaics. It's stuff like that that is interactive as well. Can sit down, have a meal or take a photo in front of it.
When we have community mural unveiling activities that are geared towards that one public art piece, like the workshops are very important to bring people together. I was talking about this recently with my family about how they don’t really know their neighbors. Something happens like a pipe bursts in one of the apartments and then you see each other... I think this is a great way to bring people together even in the process of installing the public art piece. People stop and ask questions and it starts conversations. It's a great thing to have for people who come out of town as well for people to see. I like to see multigenerational when people come together.
There is an exclusivity that does exist within the private sector, like galleries and especially when there is a paywall. Public art is a lot more accessible to people.
What would be some challenges that you feel being a public artist in the public?
The key is that you are in an open space. People come thinking that they have some sort of ownership which isn't the proper word but they feel as though they have this sort of right to come and quiz you and talk to you on a different level. Whereas if they saw a construction worker working outdoors they would not come and question. I get so many questions every day and as someone who is more introverted and shy sometimes it can be really hard to focus on the task at hand and socialize at the same time. That is a challenge for me.
The outdoor elements to work around are another large challenge.
You are a spectacle out there. Having to be a spectacle while you are creating. Usually, as an artist you are in your own more secluded place creating your work it's a totally different experience outside.
That's why I like collaborating with artists who have never painted murals and seeing their first reaction to being that spectacle. I remember a couple of my assistants this year were a bit jarred with how many people come up and talk to you, some people are not as nice as others, you have to really know a bit of de-escalation for your own safety if they are not in the right headspace as well.
It's not just painting a wall, it comes with a lot. It's also about building social skills as well.
We had talked about this a little during Our Crowns, how have you navigated this space as a woman in the public art field?
I am still working on it honestly. Sometimes I feel like when most men come to you I feel like I owe them an explanation but it's just how we are conditioned to feel about our space. When I work with men on murals they can be very short with people. I am working they say and then the guys walk by and don’t interrogate them as much. You have to have a level of confidence when approaching people and especially men. I am still working on it.
Would you say you have had equal opportunities as men?
Yes. I would say now more than before. Folks in the public art sphere that make things happen have noticed that there has been a discrepancy with who is getting the jobs. I think there are a lot of people within the public art sphere who have been trying to change that. For example, Bareket Kezwer has been trying to change that. She started this mural art game called Womxn Paint. She started that 6 years ago and that was my first introduction to painting on my own. It was the first mural I ever did on my own, which is where I met more people, which led to more jobs. It's really important to have that first experience. That's also why when I hire artists to work with me it's usually women because having that first job is so important. To navigate the rest of your career. Having that hands-on knowledge you can’t really learn online you need to experience certain things.
Where do you see the future of public art going?
I see it becoming a little bit more engaged with the digital sphere. I am seeing it a lot with AR murals. Integrating QR codes as well. I see them becoming a little bit more accessible in that way. Sometimes people want to experience the work. Let's say if they have low vision they can use the QR code. I have also seen braille installed as a part of the installation as well. I see it becoming more accessible with vinyl murals with folks, wall mural work is very labor-intensive if you can’t do that. Vinyl murals are a great way to put your artwork out there on a larger scale. Digital and also maybe more sculptural as well. I think kits learn more toward interactive learning. AR projection.
Where do you see yourself going next? What are your goals and plans moving forward?
I just want to keep doing this. It's such a rare thing to do. I have to remind myself that it's a niche career to have. I just hope I can continue doing it and that I am physically mentally and physically healthy as well
More career wise I would say I would like to work internationally. I have never worked internationally. My dream would be to paint somewhere else. I love Canada but I would like to paint somewhere else. The public is different everywhere and I would love to see the public interact with my work.
Thank you for reading my interview with Curtia! I can not wait to see what she does and where she goes in the future.
