China Lyons, A Kaleidoscopic, Creator for the Masses, from Miami, USA @chimalyons

What was the situation in which this photo was taken?

It was taken at a restaurant I went to for a birthday celebration. I’d just done a dual photo shoot with one of my good friends and I headed straight over there to celebrate right after. I loved the lighting, it made me feel confident because it brought out the silhouette of my body very well. So I went for it. That day was such a good vibe.

Could you tell us something about what you do?

I’m a sculptor/Digital Designer/Animator
I discovered my hidden love for sculpting at the age of 19, I’d always had an affinity for art but growing up I didn’t have the influence nor support to truly just go for it. It was honestly out of pure curiosity that I’d discovered that I could sculpt, I simply went home in a terrible mood, my mother had to go buy some fabric from our local fabric/art store, so I tagged along, a 10 pound box of clay caught my eye & I picked it up along with some $10 sculpting tools, we went home and I sat down and like 30 mins later I’d made a face completely off the top of my head. A year later, I created an entire torso piece and presented it at my first ever art show, which was the weirdest experience since I was the only sculptor in the building lol. When I got my first IPad, I began to venture into the digital aspect of sculpting. It was beyond tedious, but I digged it. It made me want to try out stronger sculpting software. Aside from that, I really loved Photoshop so I began to go from Photoshop to Adobe Sketch and create graphics in both.

How did you first become interested in art and design?

The moment I truly got into it was my first visit for art Basel Miami. I was so inspired. It gave me such a momentum. That’s why I sort of ventured into so many different art forms. Seeing so many artists just being themselves and letting their visuals reflect exactly who they are was amazing. Truly made me want to just go on a creative binge.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

I enjoy the fact that it’s brought so many amazing people into my life. The fact that many of them see my art before they see me. And more than anything that’s what I strive for, people to love my art first, something that has every ounce of me within it. That’s sort of what many creatives want, to be admired for all of the heart that we put into our art.

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I have a few things in the making. A total of about 3 physical sculptures and 2 animations. Right now my top focus is 2 of those 3 sculptures, they’re collaboration pieces between myself and this incredible artist Named Michael Johnson. I’ll definitely be posting the process of creating both on my Instagram. And I’ll be continuing to collaborate with Many more profound artists.

What are the challenges in what you do, and how do you overcome them?

Well, patience & proactivity. I always remember to be patient and proactive.

Could you describe your personal style?

Honestly, I don’t necessarily have a personal style. I really just create what every flows within that moment. I’m in love with colors though. So sometimes I do lean towards making color combinations that’s out of the ordinary when it comes to making my graphics.

What is your present state of mind?

Right about now, I just have an undying hunger to be better than I’ve ever been. That’s the goal. I feel so strongly that it’ll take me so many places.

What music are you listening to at the moment?

At the moment I’ve been listening to a lot of sound cloud. Like, Brent Faiyaz, SONDER, EKALI, PJ – This Is What It Looks Like, Abhi-Dijon, J-Louis, Anderson.Paak, YUNA, Mona-Lxsa, Etta Bond, SugaBoy. To name the few.

Which artists or designers inspire you?

Daniel Arsham has been my inspiration for a while now. I use to want to be an architect, which is still a possible venture, but he’s and exact example that it could be done.

What is the purpose of art, in your view?

Without Art, what would this world be? Bland, in my opinion. Absolutely, painfully bland. Art isn’t just paintings and sculptures and drawings, it’s words, thoughts, images, feelings, perceptions. Everything would be forgotten and lost without art.

How do you spend your free time?

In my free time, I usually like to just catch a vibe somewhere with my people. Meet new scenes and crowds, and play around with a little photography. If I’m not doing that then I’m skateboarding or cycling with large groups of people.