Vermillion! Pomegranate!  Prussian Blue! A Window into the Creative Life of Queen Amina

Vermillion, Pomegranate and Prussian Blue are colours that give you a glimpse into the creative life of Queen Amina,  an Abstract Painter and Multidisciplinary Creative from Charlotte, North Carolina and currently based in Florida. 

As an illustrator and editor at AIYAN, her practice centers on painting as a process of instinct and curiosity, created without predetermined meaning or direction, created from spontaneous gestures, allowing the composition to unfold naturally rather than being imposed. Through these approaches, her paintings exist in a space between abstraction and recognition; where shapes, figures, and fragments feel both unfamiliar and strangely known.

In a conversation with Queen Amina, she takes us into her world of creativity, showing us how she explores the different ways shape and color can be used when thinking of unconventional designs and how they could be brought to life. 

1. When you’re not creating, what does a perfect day look like for Queen Amina? What fills your cup outside of art?

For me, a perfect day is a slow one. I enjoy spending time outside, with loved ones, listening to music, watching films, dancing, finding a good book to read, just simply taking in the world around me. I also love sitting with my own silence and observing where my thoughts go and what ideas come to mind. A slow day is a good day because I’m able to take in so much more. I often use those days as a reset before starting new projects or completing work.

 

2. Your work is full of vibrant colors. Has your personality always been as colorful as your artwork, or is art where you express a side of yourself people don’t always get to see?

I’d say both because I am naturally expressive, but there was a time when I resonated heavily with the color black, while my artwork was always colorful with strikingly strong contrasts. Now, while my work is still full of color, I’ve been aiming to work with deeper palettes because they resonate more closely with how much more grounded I am as an artist and reflect the time I’ve put into evolving. I like to think that when I’m creating, my mind is speaking for itself and I’m just the vessel. My use of color and shape lets me speak intuitively, and it’s where my curiosity, playfulness, and vulnerability all exist together.

 

3. You grew up in Charlotte and now live in Florida. How have those two places shaped who you are; both as an artist and as a person?

Charlotte raised me, and while I only did sports growing up and crafts were merely a hobby, it did help me understand the importance of consistently practicing at anything you’re wanting to achieve. Florida is where I was introduced to a new environment, began to focus more on artistry and slowly started to step out of my comfort zone. Together, they’ve shaped both my perspective and the way I approach my work.

 

4. You trust instinct when creating your work. Is that something you’ve always carried into your everyday life, or have you learned to trust yourself over time?

Trusting my instincts is something I had to develop over time. I would second-guess myself constantly. The more I created for myself, the more I realized that my strongest work came from releasing the need for validation or perfection.

 

5. If someone who has never met you could only understand you through one piece of your artwork, which piece would you choose and why?

If I could show someone one piece of artwork for them to understand me through, I would choose Residue. Residue is a piece that truly shows a pivot in how my work has evolved. It holds mystery, clarity, and questions, and rather than telling people exactly what to see, it invites them into a conversation. That openness reflects who I am and I value curiosity more than certainty within my work.

 

6. Your paintings invite people to ask “what do you see?’ So let us flip the question— when you look at yourself today, what do you see that your younger self would be proud of?

My younger self would be proud that I’ve found a place within myself where I can choose authenticity over expectations. She would be proud that I continue to trust myself and my vision, even when things feel uncertain or challenging. Most importantly, she would be proud that I’ve continued creating, evolving, and learning not to limit myself to one box.

 

7. Every creative has rituals. Before you sit down to work, what are three things you absolutely need- whether it’s music, coffee, silence or something unexpected?

My creative ritual includes starting off with a clear mind and a cup of cinnamon tea. Whether it’s sitting in silence or journaling my thoughts at the time, it helps me understand where I am at the moment and the tone of my workflow for the day. Secondly, my space needs to be organized, which helps me focus and create a new mess. Music will follow third, while I sometimes work in silence, I also enjoy having music playing softly because it helps me escape into the work.

 

8. FashionEVO celebrates individuality and self-expression. How would you describe your personal style, and do you think it influences the way you create your art? 

I would describe my personal style as calm yet edgy. I’m drawn to bold silhouettes, flowy textures, and unique combinations. My style exists in various manifestations, and it reflects through my work in the same way; from paintings to illustration, writing, design, dancing or photography.

 

9. What’s one misconception people have about artists that you’d love to set straight?

One misconception would be that creativity is driven entirely by inspiration. Being an artist also requires consistency, discipline, problem-solving, and the willingness to create even when the inspiration isn’t immediate. I believe art is both a passion and a practice.

 

10. If your life right now had a color palette instead of a soundtrack, what colors would it include, and what would each one represent?

This is a good question. If my life had a color palette instead of a soundtrack, I’d first choose the color Vermillion because it represents the boldness and confidence within me. Pomegranate would come next for its passion and intensity, and Prussian Blue would follow, representing imagination and possibility. For me, these colors reflect areas of my life that have evolved through the years and through my work.

 

Queen Amina shows us what is possible when the mind processes shape and color while still focusing on the proportions of a figure, how these colours can be blended together to create never seen before pieces of art and finally, her work teaches us to embrace and celebrate art in all its shapes and forms.  To know more about Queen Amina, follow her on instagram @qayael or visit her website qayael.com