Meet Aries Ali | Mixed media artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aries Ali and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aries, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
Something like that is hard to gauge. I’ve wanted to quit several times but art and being a creative is all I know. I wouldn’t feel fulfilled if I didn’t spend my time making art or designing clothes. Everytime I’ve been at a breaking point this curren$y interview replays in my head, where he explains that most people give up right before they pop and most people don’t realize how close they were to success. You have to have patience with yourself. 2 years ago I decided to go to art Basel alone to gauge what the week had to offer. I didn’t know what to expect but for some reason I believed my life would change by just being there. I was completely wrong and had the worst experience of all time. I was walking down a random street in wynwood ready to pack it up and just quit art all together. But I decided to stick with my passion and didn’t concede. Fast forward to this year i had 3 pop up events, on the same exact block, that I was ready to give up on. Your time is coming, that full circle moment confirmed that for me. I realized that my art wasn’t even up to par to showcase at the time. I wasn’t ready for that stage but I’m grateful that I gave myself grace and allowed myself to grow as an artist.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What keeps me busy as an artist is my ambition to learn and get better as an artist. Whether it’s picking up new techniques, looking for new sources of inspiration, or working with new materials. I feel like my willingness to experiment with different mediums sets me apart from my contemporaries. I’m able to add a certain layer of depth to my work by combining textures and mediums that traditionally don’t go well together. A lot of my early work was paper and pencil portraits void of all color. I wasn’t confident enough to try painting until I got bored of my own work. Since then I’ve picked up several mediums including acrylics, digital painting, oil pastels, chalk, markers, collage, and most recently air brushing. Not limiting myself has evolved my work into more thought and emotion provoking portraits filled with an element of nostalgia. My source material for references and inspo have grown too. I tend to choose scenes and stills from my favorite movies or cultural moments that resonate with me. I’m able to connect with my audience even if you don’t recognize the reference because the art conveys its own story.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If you asked me this question 5 years ago I’d say don’t even come, I used to hate Tampa. My introduction to the city wasn’t the best but I’ve grown to love it. If my dawg was pulling up I wouldn’t want to take them to anywhere typical or basic. If they’re trying to eat something good, we’re going to mango’s. It’s a cafe in temple terrace that specializes in Caribbean/ soul food. I’m Jamaican so finding that place was mandatory because there aren’t many authentic Caribbean restaurants in the city. After that we can hit places like mojo records, a vinyl and book store, and second worn, a vintage/ streetwear and thrift store in St. Petersburg. They have the best selection of curated 90s and early 2000s wear as well as archive designer pieces for affordable prices. If you aren’t into swimming but still want the beach experience we have to slide to The epperson lagoon. It’s a perfect spot to get drinks and relax by the water and they have alot of activities for the adventurous ones too. Not to be that guy but my itinerary would go crazy and I need a sponsorship for all this amazing promo.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My lil cousin (@theboyniko on Instagram) is a great photographer and videographer that definitely deserves some recognition for his work. He specializes in bts, guerrilla style photography, and has documented a lot of my journey as an artist.

Website: https://www.reezuspieces.com

Instagram: @_reezuschrist

Twitter: @ariesthegiant

Other: Email: byreezuschrist@gmail.com

Image Credits
6th photo (photoshoot for my nigo collection)
was taken by Kenny H

@kennyhcom (Instagram)