Meet Honey Martin, ACAVA’s Assistant Facilitator
23 January 2024
Meet our artist community: Q&As
Part of an ongoing series, members of our artist community share insights about their work, their stories and their relationship to ACAVA. Visit this page to read more.
Name
Honey Martin
Where can we find your work?
Instagram
Please introduce yourself
I am an artist and designer born and raised in West London. I am of mixed-race heritage and Muslim. Growing up between categories and definitions, you are forced to see the world from many different angles and points of view, providing life lessons and knowledge that ultimately shape you. I was lucky to grow up in a very diverse family and area. I am currently studying Product Design Engineering at Brunel University. Whenever I’m creating, I try to combine my background and community.
Which ACAVA programme you’ve worked on so far has been your favourite and have there been any highlights?
I’ve been working with ACAVA for a little over 2 years, though before this, I used to attend holiday workshops with my younger brothers, so have experienced a range of ACAVA’s programmes in different capacities. It’s hard to choose a favourite as they all offer something different. I’ve enjoyed working on various Flourish workshops including, textiles, installations, large-scale collages, mosaics and storytelling. It was also great working on the Young Artists programme, and seeing how all their hard work came together for an end-of-programme exhibition.
What would be your dream project?
I have a small business where I customise shoes and design clothing. In the future, I would love to do this on a bigger scale and involve the younger members of my community; a collaboration where they all have the opportunity to see their designs come to life, whether they draw, paint, write, and incorporate how they express their creativity and celebrating that.
What inspires you to make art?
Art for me is like a universal language, I like to draw inspiration from life and the environment around me. Coming from a diverse background I had different cultural influences from a young age and I like to embrace that within my practice. I draw inspiration from other artists, there is always something to take from seeing how other people view the world or topics and how they convey that in their work. I often like to challenge things in my art and create pieces that spark conversation; I think it’s best when you can share art with others.
What materials do you use? What do you like about those?
The materials I use change as I’m often working on different canvases. When I’m customising, it’s usually acrylic but since starting university, I’ve been experimenting with digital design. My favourite mediums, however, are oils. I love the way they blend and the vibrant tones you can create. I often find myself painting portraits and oils help me to achieve that realism I prefer. I think experimentation is important so I’m never against mixing materials, it’s good to step outside your comfort zone and try new things.
Where do you want to take your art next?
Fine Art has been the foundation of creativity, with painting being my core medium. I want to develop my skills in this area, creating pieces that are accessible to everyone, whether it’s on clothing or prints, my main aim is to create art people can engage with and that reveals a piece of their story.
How has creativity impacted your life?
Having a creative mindset has allowed me to be more open-minded and patient, and improve my ability to problem solve. I can appreciate the small details, although in some ways this can be a challenge, as I can be a perfectionist and find it hard to let go of my work until I’m happy with it. While my internal creativity has given me opportunities and insights, the creativity around me has also impacted me. Words, music, fashion, and interactions with friends and family are all forms of creativity that impact me every day. For me creativity allows me to think without limits.
