19-Year-Old Delaware Artist Arianna Renae is Drawing Attention From Plenty

My search continues to bring you the upcoming artists from around the area. This week I got the chance to interview 19-year-old artist and Morgan State college student Arianna Renae. She hails from Delaware and I believe she will help put them on the map in the near future.

Talent is everywhere so please readers follow her on her social media and enjoy this interview! Her social media is in the caption above and also a link is at the bottom!!! 

 

First please give a short introduction of who you are for the readers!

My name is Arianna Renae, but for art, people call me AR or AR15. I’m from New Castle, Delaware & I’m a 19-year-old Psychology major at Morgan State University & I just so happen to know how to draw & paint.

 

Tell me how did you get into art? At what age would you say you started taking this seriously or realized you had a talent for it?

 

I learned how to draw in high school. My junior year, I believe I was 16 or 17, my art teacher, Ms. Davis, taught me how to draw my first portrait & I just ran with it after that. She taught me everything I know. I started taking art seriously the summer of my senior year, but after I graduated high school I took about an 8-month break. Art was feeling like a chore in high school, but in college, I felt like I was missing something. I picked up a pencil & some paper & I felt like the old feeling just came rushing back to me. I’ve been just working ever since.

What are your future goals as an artist?

I just want to try to do some collaborations with some other Delaware artists. I feel like everyone really sleeps on Delaware or really doesn’t know who we are, but we got some real talent & I just want everyone to see us & what we bring to the table.

In the far future though I would really like to be able to give a portrait to someone I really admire like Chris Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., LeBron James, G Herbo, or someone that will make me go home & think like “did this really just happen?” A feeling that I got from meeting Lil Durk & Von, but x100.

Art can be very touching especially when you do portraits for people. On your Twitter, I saw you gave your Grandfather a portrait of Tom Brady and you said he cried. Did you expect him to give that reaction and has anyone else given emotional responses similar?

I really was not expecting my grandfather to be so happy & emotional. He’s always supported me & my grandparents have been my best friends since I was born & I just want to find ways to show them I appreciate them. My family is from up north, Rhode Island & he is from Ohio, so we are big Patriots fans.

I surprised my Grandfather with the portrait I drew of Tom Brady & he cried
:(((( pic.twitter.com/Dmcd0nMbgv

— AR ? (@ariannnarenae) March 16, 2019

I knew that the Tom Brady portrait was something he’d really love. Also, I actually just finished a portrait of this girl’s brother & dad. Their dad passed away, so when I sent her a video of the portrait finished, she said she was emotional too. I never really expected these reactions though.

It Super Bowl Sunday sooooo… pic.twitter.com/gCs1iiIsrq

— AR ? (@ariannnarenae) February 3, 2019

Another post I saw on your Twitter was that you got to give rappers Lil Durk & King Von the portraits you drew of them during their concert at Morgan State University. What did you think your chances were of getting noticed and what inspired you to do those portraits?

Well, I drew Lil Durk in December & he showed love, liked & commented on it & my heart just dropped. This was when I just started back up, so the fact that people were even responding like A rapper named Kur from Philly, Brother Nature, & Lil Durk actually seeing my art & responding just felt crazy to me.

Then I drew Von & he showed love & followed me & he asked me to send it to him, but I knew he was coming to my school soon. Von & I ended up going on Instagram live together & we were talking about it & I told him I was going to give him the portrait when he comes to my school.

Lil Durk brought me up on stage last night to give him & King Von the portraits I drew of them.. My heart was in my ass.. pic.twitter.com/yGOvgSWjva

— AR ? (@ariannnarenae) April 25, 2019

Then, at the concert, Lil Durk came on stage & just immediately saw the portraits from the crowd & told security to bring me up. I knew already I was going to get seen by Von, but Lil Durk is the one that originally noticed the portraits & I wasn’t expecting him to bring me up. Von definitely was showing a lot of love for the portrait before & after I met him. He’s cool as hell. As far as inspiration, I just really like their music. I’m a big fan of Durk & Von is just coming up, but his music is hard too so far.

With social media, a lot of artists now have a platform to share their artwork with millions. What are some tips you would give upcoming artists who are just started to share their work?

Honestly, just don’t be afraid to post. The first couple of portraits I know were terrible, but getting love & support only helped me go harder & really start to develop my style as an artist. Also, there are gonna be times when you feel like you’re not being seen. I thought about giving up again multiple times, but you can’t just waste real talent. If you feel like you’re not getting the love you deserve then go harder & make them feel you. Just remember who was there & who wasn’t when you were trying to put yourself on.

What’s something you wish someone would’ve told you sooner as an artist that you think more people should know?

A photographer in Delaware, Burt, told me that I don’t have to post every piece because I was starting to feel like art was a chore again. Sometimes it’s cool to draw just because it feels good. It’s easy to get caught up in just trying to post content, so you can easily forget why you do what you do.

Another photographer, Dmose, always supports everything I do, every piece I drop & is always there to pretty much tell me to stop stressing about not getting the attention I want from art & just let it come to me. I think everyone needs someone like that in their corner to keep you on your feet & always keep it 100 with you.

 

When figuring out a price for your artwork what do you take into consideration?

First, I always think about who is actually purchasing my pieces. Most of the people that come to me are my age in college or high school, so I take that into consideration. I also think about how much time I have to put into the piece & the cost of supplies.

What are some of your favorite pieces you have done so far?

My favorite piece hands down would be the LeBron James portrait, but I really like some pieces I did recently when I decided I wanted to paint again. I just woke up feeling creative & didn’t really think about what I was doing. I just painted & I created some colorful pieces I really liked & my followers did too.

 

LeBron Portrait by me@KingJames #AR15
Follow me on ig @ariannarenaee to see the rest of my work. ?? pic.twitter.com/pg3A1DlLJd

— AR ? (@ariannnarenae) January 9, 2019

Who inspires you artistically? Do you have any specific influences?

Nobody really inspires or influences me in the sense of looking up to someone, but the people that support me & hate me inspire me to keep going. I just stay in my lane & do what I want to do & what makes me happy.

So what is in store next? I’m dying to know what you’re working on!!!!

Right now I’m actually about to work with someone in Delaware, Major, on some clothes. We just want to create something different. Also, some art collabs should be coming soon.

Last but not least please give your shoutouts and tell the readers where they can follow you on social media and how they can purchase your art!!!!

My Instagram & Twitter is @ariannnarenae

You can purchase my art by following me on Instagram & sending me a DM just letting me know what you want & I’ll get to work.

AR? (@ariannnarenae) * Instagram photos and videos

5,041 Followers, 732 Following, 89 Posts – See Instagram photos and videos from AR? (@ariannnarenae)

 

Journalist ✏️ (@scoobyjonesx) * Instagram photos and videos

1,319 Followers, 2,619 Following, 244 Posts – See Instagram photos and videos from Journalist ✏️ (@scoobyjonesx)