Erica Chisolm
November 14, 2021: Eric L. Chisolm is a mixed-media artist, muralist, designer, art activist, master cosmetologist, and urban development specialist working to uplift underserved communities through art.
As a child growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, Erica was influenced by her mom and aunt who were both in the beauty industry. She learned many life lessons as she spent time in the beauty shop as she matured. Chisolm became interested in art early in life. At four, she was winning prizes in coloring contests. At five she started art classes. At six she looked at her mother’s art portfolio and wanted to create her own artwork. Growing up in a mostly white neighborhood, attending a mostly white school, Erica emerged with more questions than answers. One example of the artist’s search for answers came in fourth grade when she was assigned to make a square for an Alabama History quilt and she chose the KKK as the subject of her square.
Erica moved to Atlanta in 2008 where she attended Southwest Dekalb High School in Decatur. After graduation, Chisolm became a Master Cosmetologist at Aveda Academy in Atlanta. Then, on a HOPE scholarship, Erica graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgia State with a Sociology Degree in Urban Development with a minor in painting. She initially worked as a cosmetologist, but it wasn’t a passion for her. However, the job allowed her to meet people from all over the world. When Erica did a facial for one of Trayvon Martin’s lawyers, Chisolm became inspired to explore other ways to use her artistic and urban development skills to reach out to society. She now splits her time between her role as an artist and muralist in Atlanta and her role as a Community Placemaking Specialist with Urban Impact Birmingham, a non-profit organization bringing public art to Birmingham.
Chisolm’s Atlanta studio is in her home garage. Here’s how her website describes her fine artwork: “E L Chisolm uses acrylic paint, twine, decorative paper, and other textural elements on wood surfaces to represent the beauty and imperfections of growing and becoming a Black Woman.” Erica has recently been selected to paint murals in several high-profile locations around Atlanta including a mural sponsored by Tila Studios on the prestigious Sound Table wall on Edgewood Avenue and a mural sponsored by Art on the Atlanta Beltline on the Westside trail. Her murals in Birmingham activate public art spaces in impoverished neighborhoods. The artist also has a line of custom hand-made clothing.
Erica lives by the motto: “keep moving your feet because no one ever went anywhere by standing in the same place.” Despite adversities including near-death experiences, homelessness, and verbally abusive relationships, Chisolm has successfully fulfilled her motto, emerging triumphant devoting her talents to the service of others. In a 2019 interview with VoyageATL, the Erica said the following: “We are all created, which means we are all creators, and if you take away someone’s right to create, you create chaos. This chaos can be seen in neighborhoods around America. When you take away someone’s right to create you also take away their identity. My dream is to go home to Birmingham, AL and paint the city. I would like to help the people see the identity and the strength in their community. Atlanta has inspired me.”
Link to Erica Chisolm’s Website: https://elcreative.co/
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