Yinkore: On using art as an escape from pain, transitioning from law to art to do what she loves, making her salary in a few days, and showing up consistently — #020
I started painting because I needed a distraction from the pain I was feeling from the sickness and the heartbreak. And art was a very grounding practice for me.
Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Yinkore, a digital artist from Nigeria whose art focuses on the representation of black women. Yinkore, a trained lawyer, transitioned to pursue a career in art after being called to the bar and quitting her law job, made her salary in a few days from art, and continues to show up.
In this interview, you will get to know what led her to art and how she got started, why she transitioned from law to art, what she enjoys doing outside of art, the challenges of being an artist and how she navigates them, her favourite projects, the people that inspire her, and the people and brands she would love to work with. You will definitely love and enjoy reading this!
Tell us about yourself
My name is Yinkore. I am a digital artist from Nigeria. My art focuses on the representation of black women.
I'm also a lawyer—people tend to find that interesting.
How did you get started with art? What led you to digital art?
In 2017, I got really sick and was in a lot of pain. The sickness came suddenly and the doctors told me it was something I had to deal with for the rest of my life because they didn't see any solution. It was really bad and I was in pain almost 24/7. I was also going through my first heartbreak at the time.
I started painting because I needed a distraction from the pain I was feeling from the sickness and the heartbreak. And art was a very grounding practice for me.
Also, I was just scared and thought to myself that if this thing was as bad as the doctors said, I would die without accomplishing a lot of the things I would have loved to accomplish at that age—I was about 19 or 20 years old.
I chose digital art because I was in too much pain to do traditional art. I couldn't stay up for long periods to paint. So I downloaded a couple of digital art apps on my iPod touch—a really small and tiny device—and started painting. And so far, digital art has given me a means to express myself.
How did you go from wanting to be a lawyer to transitioning into a career in art?
I really didn't make the conscious decision; at least not at first. I didn’t sit down and decide to pursue digital art as my full-time career. It just happened.
When I started drawing and painting in 2017, I would post my art online and a few months in, I started to get commissions from people.
I was in the university at the time and it was extra money for me so I just continued. But after I was done with school and got called to the bar in 2020, I started struggling with my mental health. I needed a break and didn't just want to be a lawyer at that point in time so I quit law and focused on digital art.
The interesting thing is that I got a job in a really good law firm in Abuja—they're quite well-known—straight out of law school. I resumed the job but I stopped a week or two after I resumed. I wasn’t mentally ready for the job so I stopped.
After I quit, I saw a random tweet where someone needed someone to work on a children's book. I posted my work in the thread and I got contacted for the project.
Before this time, a friend had told me about NFTs but I didn’t really pay attention to it. While I was working on the children’s book project, he messaged me again about it and went ahead to send me an invite for Foundation—these were hard to get at the time. He told me not to waste it because other people wanted it but he kept it for me. And I decided to give it a try and fortunately for me, within two days of joining and putting my work up on the platform, I made two sales—which were two pretty big sales.
I made my salary in a few days and never looked back.
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How did your parents react to you leaving your job as a lawyer to pursue art?
Only my mom knew. My dad probably still thinks I work at a law firm.
My mom has always been super supportive. When I told her I didn’t think I wanted to do law any longer because I was mentally stressed out, she was fine with me quitting for a bit to take a break even though she didn't really understand what I was doing—I still don't think she understands what I do till now. But she's okay with the fact that I am doing something I love. Since I also get paid for it and seem to be happy with it, she is fine with me. More so, she was down for me at a time when I was not making money from art.
How would you describe what you do to a 5-year-old?
I make art.
What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?
My day-to-day routine has changed drastically in the last few weeks because I recently moved—to get a Master’s in Law.
But before my relocation, I had a job in community management. I was no longer doing just NFTs. And I really recommend that other artists should try that too because I think it’s one thing that has gotten me so far.
When a lot of artists started reducing their reserve prices because things got hard—which was very valid—I was in a position where I didn't have to do that because I had a job. It has also allowed me to stay present during this bear market because regardless of whatever the market is doing, I get a salary at the end of the month.
So usually when I wake up, I like taking walks. I would take a walk to start my day. After that, I get some breakfast and then go ahead to plan what I'm to do for the day.
A lot of what I was doing as a Web 3 community manager involved creating content for Instagram and working on the content calendar. When I am done with that, I move on to working on my paintings or doing some community engagement.
In the company where I worked, we mostly had meetings on Tuesdays but depending on what we were doing, I would have to be talking to a brand or someone who we want to interview because a lot of what we do is put the spotlight on artists. So I would either have an interview with an artist, need to connect with an artist or meet with my coworkers.
I also had an internship with a brand in Canada for digital advocacy at the time as well so I was also doing that. I also had an art residency at some point as well. So my days were usually pretty busy. But that's kind of how it went.
What do you enjoy most about what you do? What is the most satisfying thing about it for you?
I get paid to do this full-time. This is something I hope and wish every creative gets to experience. Because it is validating to see people willing to pay you for your time and skill.
So I would say waking up every day, knowing I would be doing something I really want and love to do. No matter what the day brings even if it is something that would ordinarily frustrate me, I remember this is something I prayed for.
What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?
As I mentioned earlier, I used to paint on a small iPod touch with my fingers. Trust me when I say having to paint with my fingers on a very small surface coupled with the mental state I was in at the time, was not a cute process. I was painting slower than most people. When I eventually saved up to buy a laptop and a tab, it really helped my workflow.
Now that I have an iPad, I'm able to paint faster and probably better quality. The brushes that are available to me are different. But looking back on what I was able to do without an iPad, with just my fingers, I am impressed. I didn't let not having the tools stop me. I started with what I had.
If there's anything career-wise, it's my ability to adapt. For example, when I moved from an iPod touch to a phone, I was a bit confused about how to work on this much bigger surface. And again, when I moved from my phone to my iPad, it was an entirely different experience. So I basically had to learn again how to figure that out.
If you look back on my paintings from 2021, you will see that I was still exploring textures. I was taking time to teach myself and relearn everything.
While a lot of things are similar when painting digitally, you still have to learn the basics when you change a device; which I did twice. The change to an iPad meant I wasn’t using my fingers anymore. I had to use a digital pen, something I had never done before in my life. It took me some time to master. I just kept going at it and I got better. So, if there's one thing, it’s my ability to keep doing what I want until I eventually figure it out.
What are the challenges you face as a creative?
There's a long list but one of them has to do with a challenge creatives generally face: money, that is, inconsistent income. One has to get used to that. I always tell people that the struggling artist is not a trope. If you are in the art industry to make money, you are probably in the wrong industry.
Sometimes you can be lucky and I find myself to be very lucky. But I understand that being able to continue doing art sometimes can require one to pick up an extra job to make sure one is able to continue making art.
Personally, I have an extra job that has helped me. But it can be stressful. I would like to note that picking up another job doesn't make one less an artist nor does it mean that one does not believe in one’s art, it’s just the reality. I see cases where people insinuate that getting a side job means you don’t believe in your art which is not true. We need to understand that money is a huge problem for creatives.
Another struggle would be being a black person and a woman in an industry like this. Even now that I have an international audience, I have to deal with a lot of ‘politics’ that I shouldn't have to deal with on such a regular basis, but one just gets used to it. I'm one of those people who tell other people to be outspoken and make sure they don’t make themselves easy targets.
Learning to manage and use one’s time properly is another challenge. There's also dealing with parents who don’t understand what you are doing so they are not supportive of what you do.
Another one is the period when it feels like nobody cares about what you are doing. Nobody is retweeting or liking your thread. You watch the numbers and it seems like nobody is fucking with your art. I have learned to stop caring. I started to get really confident when I stopped caring. Sometimes, it's just the algorithm doing its thing. It has nothing to do with you or your art.
How do you navigate these challenges?
Honestly, I don't have a lot of answers to the question. For me, it's either I deal with it or I stop making art. And I'm not going to stop making art. So I just deal with it. I feel like when you think about art in that way, it makes a lot of things easier for you. It also helps you find ways to get out of it because, at the end of the day, these are the two options you have; stop making art or find a way.
For example, a lot of people during the bear markets felt like it was the end of the road for them and that’s valid. But for me, it's like, where do I want to go? I'm going to be doing art regardless of whether the market is good or not.
In 2020, I tried to quit doing art but in a few weeks, I got back to it because it is such a big part of my life. Mind you, I was making close to nothing on my art at that point. I was making commissions here and there but ultimately, I wasn't making that much money. Now, it is easy for people to say I keep making art because I am making money (my blockchain earnings are open and public) and I am enjoying myself. But there was a point I was making nothing but I still showed up every day.
So I just find ways to navigate and deal with the challenges as they show up because every new challenge requires a new approach.
What is your creative process and workflow?
My process is very chaotic. My process for commissions and personal projects is different. For commissions, I have to do what the clients want, regardless of what my interpretation is. This is why I don't do commissions very often now that I can afford and choose not to.
When I was taking every commission that came my way, some clients would say they wanted this and that. Is their request my personal style? No. Will they get it? Yes. Because the client gets whatever the client wants.
So for such projects, I use the brief. Sometimes the client says things like, you have full creative control, but most of the time, it is not true. I think only one project I ever worked on gave me full creative control. And it was an amazing experience. The client didn’t give me any notes or brief, they just commissioned me to create whatever I wanted.
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With personal projects, the process is entirely different. A lot of the time, I just think about what I'm in the mood for and then go through Pinterest or Instagram to find similar references. But because I am a lawyer, I make sure not to copy stroke for stroke. I can get numerous references that look similar and by the time I am done mixing them together, it doesn’t look like I copied someone’s work.
Once I have gotten my references and a general idea of what I want, I open my tab and start to pick a colour palette and sometimes I don’t. As I mentioned earlier, my process is very chaotic.
I do a lot of pattern work. So I usually create a couple of patterns before I pick the colour. With the pattern, I get an idea of what the background will look like because If I don't figure out what the background will look like, I almost would never start a piece.
When I realised this, I started focusing more on nailing the backgrounds. Once I nail this and figure out the colour, I just wing the rest of the painting and hope for the best. Sometimes it works out exactly the way I want and sometimes I have to switch directions.
What part of the process do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy the entire process but if I have to choose I would say working on the pattern. I really enjoy making patterns.
What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?
The only tool I use currently is the iPad while I use Procreate for my digital painting. And that's all
How did the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?
For me, the pandemic just solidified how much I liked art. I tried to quit during the pandemic because I was mentally stressed out but I couldn't quit.
Also, the pandemic opened up the world for artists and made the world a global community. It opened me up to a global audience. It also made a lot of people to be more open to talking to people in other parts of the world.
On the mental side of things, the pandemic definitely screwed with a lot of people. I feel like people forget how bad it was and we don't talk about how bad it was enough.
How do you handle downtimes and creative blocks?
When I experience a creative block, I deal with it immediately. This means forcing myself to work through it and force inspiration. You have to realise that art is a job—even though some people take it as a hobby. Because it is a job, one has to clock in regardless. Having this kind of mentality helps.
When there's money in my bank account, I don't force it because I can afford to take time and space for myself. That’s just me. But when I am broke, the inspiration must come. That is just the reality of the world we live in.
If I have to force inspiration, I usually like going to an art gallery to look up other people’s work. I also check out Pinterest and Instagram to go through the works of all my favorite artists and different people. I watch movies and also love going out to places where I know I will see patterns that would spark something.
In summary, I just get really deliberate about getting back to that point of inspiration.
What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?
That has to be marketing. I don't enjoy creating content. I genuinely dislike content creation and marketing.
What are the projects and pieces of work you are most proud of?
One of my favourite pieces is titled; Spirit or Wound? It was one of the pieces I made after law school and it's probably one of my most meaningful pieces to me personally. I cried while making it and also cried while posting it. It was also the first piece I sold on the blockchain.
Another one is a piece I titled; Placeholder. I really like it because I feel like I explored a lot of different things with it. I don't know how else to explain this but I explored a lot of things that I enjoyed with that piece and I really like it.
There’s another one called “As Above, So Below”. It is a bold and powerful tapestry of 100 unique pieces, each portraying Black women in a vibrant array of environments and detailed clothing. I did it for an art residency. I didn't know I was capable of creating 100 pieces and to think I did it in less than six months. It's incredibly crazy because they all sold out in less than three days. I had never pushed myself as much as I did for the project.
How do you stay creative? What drives you and keeps going?
I really can’t say this is it because I just find myself doing it. In 2020, I really wanted to quit. I deleted the apps but somehow I found myself back. Something just pulls me back. I just enjoy it.
What do you do for fun? How do you relax when you are not working?
I live life; I touch grass. I go out with my friends and family. I read a book even though I stopped at some point but I'm working to fix that.
I also go swimming, eat, sleep, watch videos, and movies (mostly series), and generally consume content even though I don’t like creating content.
Who are the creatives that inspire you?
Lina Iras Viktor, Mickalene Thomas, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, Deborah Roberts, just to name a few.
Who are the people you would love to work with or collaborate with?
Adaeze Okaro and Bad Oats.
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What brand(s) would you love to work with?
Fenty Beauty
What would you be doing if you were not an artist?
I would probably be writing; I love writing. Or practicing law with a focus on the creative industry or on social justice and advocacy. I really love law but I had to take a break for a while but I am now back in school for a Master’s in Law.
What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out or is at the early stage of their creative journey?
The most important thing is to be consistent. So I would say, be consistent and show up every day for yourself and your art even if you have to force yourself to because the truth is that it won’t be easy. I believe that if you consistently show up, the universe will eventually align.
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What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?
Having continued practicing art (even though I said I can’t stop but you know life can be unpredictable) and reached a high level of success with my art; doing some exhibitions around the world and getting representation from an art agency.
I want to have been more involved in the marketing and production of my art. Currently, I outsource all of this. At the moment, I am not involved in how my art is marketed, printed, or transported. I want to get to the level where I am more involved in the process and also have more control over my work.
Also, I want to have done something in fashion. I am not sure of what that will be yet but I know I want to do something in fashion.
Whose story would you love to read about?
Sylvia Innocent, Olutoyosi, and Freddie Jacob.
Do you have anything you would like to plug in or promote?
Check out my website for my work.
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