Adelaide is a fast-learner — for proof, look no further than her work.
Photo by Duffy James
The Atlanta native started college at just 16 through the Advanced Academy of Georgia as a joint enrollment student at the University of West Georgia. She transferred to the University of Georgia as a junior to study International Affairs, but it was her experiences studying abroad that inspired her to change her career path.
Her studies in Italy led to a position at an art museum in Tuscany, which she credits as the inspiration for switching her focus onto art as a career pursuit. From there, she became the self-taught painter she is today.
Now a West Midtown dweller, the artist (her full name is Amanda Tai, but she goes by Adelaide artistically) has shown her work at Facet Gallery, Studio 249, Markay Gallery in Marietta, and elsewhere. Here, she talks with CommonCreativ about her work’s aesthetic, being a full-time artist, and which of her family members double as her favorite artists.
CommonCreativ: How did you end up in Atlanta, and how long have you been here?
Adelaide: I’ve been in Atlanta for six years. I ended up in the city after college. While I was figuring out where to land, I fell in love with the arts and music community here and have called it home ever since.
CC: What sparked your interest in art?
A: I started to appreciate art in a context greater than simply my love to create while in college studying International Affairs. Through learning history, I noticed that art has the ability to both reflect and to shape environment and culture and that artists have a unique honor and responsibility to elevate humanity because of our fluency in a universal language.
CC: Describe the aesthetic of your work in one sentence.
A: My work represents the freedom of the soul and the romance of the physical world.
CC: What inspires your pieces?
A: Connections within the natural and spiritual world including love, surrender, and play.
CC: What does the creative process look like for you?
A: I start with color and consider composition secondarily. I have a general vision for the first layer and then I build layer by layer with resin and mixed media until I balance the energy.
CC: Are you a full-time artist?
Artist Adelaide
A: I am a full-time painter and in some seasons I play music too. I feel incredibly blessed to be doing work that I love and consciously choose. I encourage people to look at areas of their life they feel they have no control over. Some areas where we feel powerless, whether it’s with work or relationships, are actually causing us pain because of the fear of the consequence of taking action rather than an actual absence of freedom, so we live in self-imposed imprisonment.
My commitment to art is synonymous with my commitment to being true to myself i.e. refusing self-imprisonment. For me, this path is a practice in trust and love — those are my highest ideals.
CC: What have been some of your greatest achievements as an artist?
A: Even though my most recent collection, Moss.Stream.Sky, is an abstract body of work, I had specific messages of hope in mind while I was creating it. It feels like a huge accomplishment that the feedback I’m getting mirrors the place I was in during the creation process.
CC: Who are some of your favorite artists?
A: My sisters are my favorite artists. My youngest sister Eden is a photographer and writer and combines both expressions in the most interesting, sweet, and powerful ways. Taylor makes sassy and cute illustrations and felted characters. Her sense of humor is palpable, even in her minimalistic line work.
CC: What do you think about the current state of Atlanta’s art scene?
A: It’s exciting to see Atlanta artists on the rise, and the recognition on the part of both the city and business and development decision makers that public art is a worthwhile investment.
CC: What’s next for you? Any fun pieces, collaborations you’re working on, etc.?
A: I have a few things cooking — I’ll be throwing a party at Studio 249 in Castleberry Hill [this month] for the closing reception of Moss.Stream.Sky. I’m excited to be working with this gallery because they’re intentional about highlighting the work of women of color in their space. I’m honored to be featured in their solo show this month.
There’s one piece left from a collaboration I did with John Carroll of Make Blackout Poetry this year, and we’re talking about doing a new collection together soon. On the music front, I have a new project called Lady Clementine’s Fantastic Party, and we will be releasing music in 2019.
CC: Lastly, why do you create?
A: I make art to spark connections and conversations about love and freedom.
See more of Adelaide’s work on her portfolio site and Instagram.
