Goblin is a self-taught visual artist based in Bronx, NY. Her work includes fashion and commercial photography, as well as portraiture and mixed media pieces. You are immediately drawn to her unique style and alluring visuals. Her bold use of color and attention to detail is what catches the eye. She says of her work, “My art expresses all sides—the love, truth, anger, and painful sides of me.”
Goblin first started shooting in 2015, but her creative journey actually began with her writing poetry as a way to cope with being bullied in high school. As she started to open up and express herself more, her words conjured images. She turned to photography to better convey herself and her truth. It was photography that helped our Artist break out of her shell.
After attending BMCC for 1½ years, she decided to take a break to really think about what she wanted to do in life. She says that this was one of the best decisions she’s ever made because the time allowed her to explore her true passions. She always felt aligned with photography, but she never imagined it being a career. But in the end, she decided to take the leap and commit. Her brother, who was the first person to invest in her craft, gifted her with her first camera.
Those that know Goblin know her relationship with the color orange. It’s more than just a branding tool, it’s her—down to her striking, orange fro. She explains why the color is special to her during our interview and speaks on her next endeavor, NAHSomethingOrange, which she hopes to build a community with. In all that she does, she remains humble and is always there to collaborate and support other creatives in the industry. She has worked with fashion designers, name brands, festivals and other creatives. Recently, Goblin was the first photographer to shoot the Nike ‘De Lo Mio’ Air Force 1.
She is an advocate for mental health and encourages openness, communication and vulnerability. When it comes to self, she says, we can all find ways to learn and grow.
How would you define yourself and your art?
I don’t think my being can even be defined. Like Walt Whitman said “… I am large, I contain multitudes”. My art expresses all sides—the love, truth, anger, and painful sides of me.
In a way, photography is like storytelling. Do you have a concept in mind before you shoot? Or do you feel like the narrative develops as you’re shooting?
For me, it can go both ways. But, as I enter a different stage of my photography, I’ve slowed down my pace in order to conceptualize and tap back into sharing my story. I think back to when I first started photography, I would conceptualize a lot more and release photo series that spoke my truth. Creating a narrative helps me connect with people, and also helps me release a lot of negative energy vs. building it up.
What is your relationship with the color orange?
Ever since I was little, the color orange has been my favorite. It started when I looked at my horoscope in a magazine as a youngin’, and my lucky color that day was ‘Orange’. When I was 20years old I went into my best friend’s mother’s hair salon to get a Kid Cudi inspired hair color. It was supposed to be purple and orange, but ended up orange. I didn’t know how to feel at first, that was my first really bold hair color, and on top of that I was still getting used to my afro. But after a while it just fit. The color orange makes me feel more like myself; providing me with happiness, joy, creativity, passion, and making me feel light. It’s stuck with me because it forced me to really get out of my shell and not be afraid to be seen.
What are your plans with #NAHSOMETHINGORANGE?
My plans for NAHSomethingOrange is to ultimately create art and build a community. Right now, I am taking some time to nurture that baby before I let it out into the world. I’ve been advising everyone to follow NAHsomethingorange on IG to stay up to date with the project. People can also tag anything orange with hashtag #NAHsomethingorange, I’ll see it and then I’ll be able to share it on my story.
Congratulations on being the first photographer to shoot the Nike ‘De Lo Mio’ Air Force 1, a sneaker made for Dominicans by Dominicans! How did you get involved in this project? What was that experience like for you?
Honestly, I feel like that was the universe. I’ve just been doing what I was called to do: to create & spread love. Somewhere along the way, I was presented with the opportunity. As a New Yorker, born and raised in the Bronx, my initial reaction was to be skeptical when I got the email. But when I realized it wasn’t a scam and was actually real, I was shocked. The experience was unbelievable—to be acknowledged for my efforts was overwhelming. What made it more unbelievable was being in a room full of MY people who are all successful in their mediums. The little me couldn’t help but cry a couple of times that night we all got together. Being able to have something tangible to show my mother and my brother was just a beautiful reward and reminder that I CAN do anything I set my mind to.
You are very open about mental health and mental health awareness, how important do you think being open about these conversations is as an individual and as a creative?
Mental health is extremely important, especially in this generation. Unlike people who only speak on mental health because it’s trendy, I am actually talking about it, as in having the conversation with myself and other individuals/creatives. I use to be that person who wasn’t “tapped” or “woke” spiritually and I would think “this is it”. Only after I discovered my spirituality did I learn that no, this isn’t it for me. When it comes to self and the world around me, I will always have something to figure out, heal, learn and grow from. Having to constantly figure my shit out, redirect energy, shed, and transform is OKAY. Being vulnerable is OKAY. It’s essential. Every day we are given the choice to decide to stop living in our heads with this cloud covering our eyes. Every day is a fresh start to live in the present moment where everything we “want” and “need” lives. Digging deeper into your own mental health and then helping others is just a part of the process. It’s eye-opening and your perspective changes drastically. Without awareness in mental health, how would we be able to create let alone genuinely connect with our brothers and sisters?
Would you say that you make art for the sake of art, or do you create as a way of connecting with others?
Subconsciously, I create art as a way to connect. Before photography I was a very shy person, I lived in my head and was in a shell. I longed for community as a teenager. Once I started to create I was forced to come out of that comfort zone/shell and talk to people. They say ‘there’s no magic in your comfort zone’—something I made sure to write down when I decided to start shooting. Creation has presented me with beautiful opportunities and all of those opportunities connected me back to community.
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Interview by Rahel Tekle