Black Artist and Scientist Series
Spotlight Artist: Mariama Henry
Written by Dunia Roba
Hello! My name is Dunia Roba. I am a biochemistry student at the University of Windsor and a research assistant and lab monitor here at the INCUBATOR art lab. As I approach the third year in my program, I find myself learning increasingly more from those who have walked this path before. Mariama Henry is an Afro–Caribbean multidisciplinary scientist, artist, and educator with aspirations to bridge findings within these fields. She is also an INCUBATOR art lab alum lab technician and team member from 2020-2022. Most importantly, Mariama spearheaded the Black Artist and Scientist Spotlight Series, the initiative that I now work on. I sat down with her one winter afternoon to understand the experiences and motifs that fuel her work and her wisdom.
Curiosity, creativity, and understanding have been core themes in Mariama’s practice, even as a child. She has always been surrounded by cultural events and continues to seek out art galleries, museums, bazaars, etc. While some practitioners may see the arts and sciences as mutually exclusive, Mariama has always intertwined the two fields. She recalls adding artistic flairs to her school projects and exploring the interdisciplinarity through media like microscopic imagery. Her interest in the sciences stemmed from her curiosity in understanding how, why, and what cause biological phenomena to occur. She was always drawn to scientific investigation and was introduced to microscopes (their operation and use) at a very young age. Microscopy and imaging have been Mariama’s favourite areas in science ever since.
Mariama’s practice extends to the educational fields where her research interests lie at the intersection of arts, science/technology, and education. At the INCUBATOR art lab, she served as an editor of and contributor to the Black History Month Newsletter in February 2022. In this work she emphasizes the underrepresentation of visible minority groups, including individuals with disabilities and/or different ethnic backgrounds, and provides ways to break barriers to create equal opportunity in the arts, particularly for BIPOC artists.
When asked about her creative process, Mariama expresses the importance of freedom and change. She begins her works with concept sketches and moves towards finding materials that convey her message. As an abstract mixed media artist, the mediums she chooses serve as the framework for her pieces. Creativity permeates all stages of the artistic process and Mariama ensures that she always leaves room for change. This continuous appraisal serves as a source of inspiration as she adds prints, textiles, patterns, structures, 3D effects, and bright bold colors to her works. Mariama was never a fan of colouring within the lines. For her, art is about freedom and embracing change. Mariama’s pieces are constructed like puzzles– ever-changing designs built upon a solid foundation.
Like many of us, Mariama began to truly delve into her practice during the pandemic. She notes that her motivation is derived from keeping up with the latest art techniques, artist calls, blogs, competitions, and challenges. One of Mariama’s first explorations was when she participated in the 2021 NASA James Webb Space Telescope #UnfoldTheUniverse Art Challenge. Her practice is as multi-sensory as it is multi-disciplinary, taking pictures and notes of different sceneries and sounds to derive inspiration. From fashion to nature to conversation, anything Mariama can see, hear, or form a connection with are inspirations for her artwork. She focuses on searching for new perspectives in her day-to-day life and finds that insight is everywhere when you look for it. In her educational and scientific practices, unleashing and helping to spark creativity is what drives her. Innovation is integral to all Mariama’s works. She loves to look back to her old artwork, a.k.a. her ‘Art Time Vault.’ This process allows her to investigate the changes and recall the memories she has made throughout her journey, serving as motivation for future pieces.
When asked to share advice to aspiring artists and educators, Mariama emphasizes the importance of accepting yourself, avoiding imposter syndrome, staying the course; not letting failures get the best of you, and embracing your God-given talents. The status quo will often leave young creatives, scientists, or educators feeling pigeonholed in their respective fields. Mariama states that “you just have step out of the box and take a leap of Faith.” She shares that she considers herself to be hybrid and cannot live with just one of her passions, as then she would not truly be Mariama. She also gives credit and attributes all her artistic talents and scientific knowledge as a gift from Jesus Christ. Thus, Mariama is thankful and happy to share her educational knowledge and artistry with others in society. She advises anyone who is struggling to find their identity to embrace their God-given talents and self-advocate. Success requires both practice, failure, and perseverance. Success in its totality is a tenuous and continual path where loss is inevitable. You cannot be successful without first knowing how to engage with unavoidable challenges and barriers. Mariama remarked, “It is not an easy process, but it is rewarding.” Furthermore, she states that the following quote by Steve Jobs has always kept her motivated and patient with life’s outcomes.
“If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.”
- Steve Jobs
For artists, Mariama suggests seeking out opportunities to test yourself through entering competitions, artist calls, conferences, symposia, workshops, or other events in the arts community. These are all great ways for people to know who you are and to become familiar with your artwork. She highlights how crucial networking is for all fields, especially as interdisciplinary science becomes increasingly popular. Be aware of your talents, skills, educational paths, and science passions as you explore opportunities. And most importantly, keep trying. Practice is key, and everything will fall into place at the right time.
One helpful tip Mariama shared is to not compare ourselves to others. Throughout her career, she has discovered just how competitive some people can be, which can lead to both internal and external discouragement. The key is to compete with yourself. By evaluating your own ‘Art Time Vault,’ you can look at how to innovate your practice in small ways. There will be adversity– you will face haters and copycats. You must believe in yourself because no matter what people might say, you need to have Faith in what you are doing. Being steadfast is a difficult yet crucial role. Mariama additionally warned against complacency. It is key to always continue developing and challenging yourself in whatever field you are in, be it the arts, science/technology, and/or education. Never stop learning and never give up. Being humble is necessary– do not overly boast about your work and avoid advertising how much you have accomplished. Mariama then shared this quote from Steve Jobs,
“Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life…... Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”
- Steve Jobs
While each one of her works has its own sentiment, Mariama cites “Chains of Love” (2021) as one of her favourite projects in her collection. It was her first large piece canvas at thirty-six by forty-eight for a showcase at the Nancy Johns Gallery & Framing. She only had about a week to complete it and fondly looks back on the experience as an adventure. It was a challenge for her: she had to sketch, design, and adapt under limited time. She now appreciates and embraces the time and the effort put in. Mariama is now invested in creating larger pieces in longer periods of time as innovation and creativity is at the heart of her practice. She looks forward to using the knowledge gained from her past challenges to enhance her future work.
In her interdisciplinary practice, Mariama finds herself at the cornerstone of neuroscience, science/technology, and education. She seeks to understand how and why people learn, while discovering how to facilitate this process through all stages of life. Many students, at any age, find themselves struggling in their academic career/journey. Without support, this can have many negative mental health implications. Mariama serves her community as a mental health and metastatic breast cancer (MBC) advocate and educational researcher– changing the lives of many people. Education is not a one-way street, especially as everyone learns differently. Everyone has a unique way of processing information, including those with learning and developmental disabilities and the neurodiverse community. Often times, you just need a particular technique or method to help an individual understand the concept. Everyone has a unique way of processing information and learning and there is nothing wrong with that. Simply put, people learn differently. As a lifelong learner, Mariama views this as something to keep in mind as we continue to evolve into our best selves.
This theme of equity and being aware of the differences between learners is key in Mariama’s practice as an educator. Mariama explained that she embraces all ways that help people improve their learning abilities/outcomes so that they feel equitable to their peers. She notes that this equity is different from equality. In equality, all students are provided the same resource, like a bicycle to traverse the path of life. However, some people have nice, paved roads while other people have no roads, or uneven (i.e. unequal) roads. Equity is important to ensure everyone is provided the transportation that allows them to reach their destination by removing these barriers. This is very applicable to education and highlights the importance of ‘equitable’ representation in the arts and sciences/technology. Even though everyone might be given the same exam, you must find ways to create learning environments to best acquire and express their understanding and knowledge. Empathy, equity and accessibility lead to thriving classrooms, innovative research, and beneficial initiatives such as the Black Artist and Scientist Spotlight Series.
Thank you to Mariama Henry for spearheading the Black Artist and Scientist Spotlight Series at the INCUBATOR art lab. Contact her for networking, collaboration, and artwork inquiries and explore her other works below:
Email: mariamahenry.art@gmail.com mailto: mariamahenry.art@gmail.com and/or mari.nefertariart@gmail.com
Instagram: @marih_artlife4ever
Chaos in the cosmos ecosystem: an unending tale of scientific mystery and awe, 2023: https://scwist.ca/creativity-unveiled-exploring-the-intersection-of-art-and-science/
BLACK HISTORY MONTH February 2022 Newsletter – INCUBATOR Art Lab: https://incubatorartlab.com/black-history-month-february-2022-newsletter/