august artist
🎨Introducing our Color Palette of the Month artist, Jameela Hill!
Artwork Title: “Blue Water Road”
Medium: 11×14 acrylic on canvas
Year: 2022
Memories and emotions danced in harmony, revealing a profound connection to the water that once cradled my spirit. In the heart of the desert, I found solace amidst the mountain views. But nostalgia’s embrace was strong, tugging at my heartstrings like the gentle waves of the Great Lakes in Michigan once did. Blue Water Road became a testament to the beauty of change. Like an everlasting dance of contrasts, the desert’s warm hues merged with the cool blues of the water, weaving a tapestry of growth and adaptation.
I am moved by emotion most often when creating and choosing colors. Whether it be my current mood or the mood I am trying to inspire, I use my heart to decide what colors might reflect that emotion in the moment. Most times joy is bright and colorful like the culture here in Tucson. Other times it’s muted within a monochromatic scheme influenced by childhood memories or ideas I never got to bring to fruition. Every time, the goal is to find a joyful release and induce a range of feelings in the viewers.
Jameela Hill on How she Chooses her Color Palettes
Jameela Hill is a Detroit native who moved to Tucson in 2018 to pursue a new life path. As a dedicated artist, yoga teacher, doula, student, and full-time mother, Meela is committed to empowering Black women through her retreats that combine art, movement, journaling, and other wellness offerings. Meela’s professional entry to the arts came as a teaching artist for DREAM School’s KindeziCare youth program where she led movement through storytelling. She has since partnered with SAGA, NAMI, and Owl & Panther. She is currently pursuing an IT certification at PCC. Meela founded Jijivisha Holistic, a healthcare company combining her yoga and doula knowledge, to empower Black women in finding their purpose and cultivating healthy, affirming relationships. As a member of Rooted Doula Collective, Meela is dedicated to creating spaces for Black people to birth, learn, create, parent, and simply exist in ways that resist the trauma of white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism. Meela was awarded the Project Creosote grant in 2022. She used the funds to host a multidisciplinary retreat for Black women called Healing Through Blues in March 2023 at JTH Tucson.
Meela’s mission is to hold space for everyone to live with authenticity and joy. She has been selected as the Artist in Residence for Catalyst Creative Collection inside Tucson Mall for the months of October and November. Look out for upcoming events. If you are interesting in collaborating with Meela during her residency, contact her directly at FindYours@JijivishaHolistic.com.
