About The Artist

Since we've started, we got major props from several people, including Issa Rae! Is there any celebrity you'd be shocked to see support/join the Can I Live movement?
I loved seeing the shoutout from Issa Rae for the "Can I Live" movement she is brilliant, I would be super excited to see others like "Janelle Monae, Jillian Hervey, and even Erykah Badu",

Is there anyone else you hope to see endorsing your work (in general) in the near future?
As far as gaining more support, the amount of support I've received already is really awesome, I have high hopes of seeing Amandla Steinberg, Zendaya and Jouelzy. On the male spectrum I am currently running off "Super Duper" fumes, lately I've been really inspired by the new artist Super Duper Kyle, his visuals are amazing, cohesive, insanely brilliant, receiving his support/endorsement would be a dream come true. 

Name: Thaddeus "Hippy Potter" Coates
Age: 21
City: Houston, TX

What inspired you to become an artist?
I've always wanted to be an artist since I discovered my very first manga (japanese comic), in the school library. I get inspired by so many things, and era's in general, I always play with color, contrast, and harmony, I love the art behind 80s sitcoms like "Saved By the Bell, In Living Color, and even Living Single", it was the font and the text along with the shapes that have always inspired.

Do you have a preferred medium?
I am an artist, so I've had my share of mediums, I love mediums that are easier to control, I prefer digital but by no means am I limited, the pencil and gum erasers are my founding fathers so to speak, so whenever I need to just take a step back from the digital world, I'm always sketching.

You're also a dancer! How has your dance influenced your art?
My love for dance, definitely has a huge influenced over my art, and also music in general. I often find myself getting lost in my creations because of the music, I viewed ever piece I make as a representation of not only how I interpret the particular person I am illustrating but also as an extension of me.  

The "Can I Live" campaign aims to stop the silencing of women of color. Do you think a movement like this is important?
It is amazing!, I consciously made the decision to create original pieces of women that reflect there beauty, being a black artist I always draw from my own perception of beauty, and  "the melanin goddesses" as I like to refer to them ought to feel very empowered because the beauty that women of color possess is unfathomable to say the very least. I love to illustrate hair, the crown of a women is so intricate within itself, I am most honored to enable such empowerment just back doing what I love to do.

Do you do customized pieces? If so, how can someone contact you?
I'm working on a bunch of upcoming projects, album covers, book covers, book illustrations. I do it all, and I am always taking on new clients, so yes I do customized pieces, for inquiries just shoot me an email "[email protected]"

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