Tiffany B Chanel: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist

As a part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist” I had the pleasure of interviewing Tiffany B Chanel.

Self-taught artist Tiffany B Chanel is driven by passion and purpose. Through her kaleidoscopic portraiture, she depicts pop icons and everyday people with unapologetic vibrancy, and aims to illuminate the inner beauty within each of her subjects. She is inspired by faces, and aims to make the subject come alive on canvas, conveying a degree of realism forcing the viewer to be moved by feeling.

Initially, Tiffany began her artistic career in 2012 designing custom-painted sneakers, before shifting her focus toward fine art portraiture. After an instagram repost by Tamara Mowry resulted in one of her works going viral, Tiffany garnered the attention of numerous collectors and immersed herself in New York’s gallery scene.

Works have been commissioned for celebrities Aisha Hinds, DJ D-Nice, Ava DuVernay and Pam Oliver, as well as brand names such as ESPN, TBS and cultural tastemakers including Carol’s Daughter CEO Lisa Price. Her artwork has been featured in The Guardian, Essence, Afropunk, News 12, The Epoch Times, CBS, HBO and Madison Square Garden.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I grew up in the vibrant neighborhood of BedStuy in Brooklyn, New York. Raised as an only child by my creative and wonderful parents, Nancy and Darryl, I was fortunate to have a close-knit family with grandparents, aunts, uncles and tons of cousins all living nearby. Back then, our neighborhood didn’t have many restaurants or shopping places, so most of our family activities and entertainment were in the city. Life in BedStuy was about spending quality time with neighbors, friends and family.

At the young age of four, I started tap dancing and later explored ballet, jazz and African dance throughout my early years. Beyond school, I also took swimming, tennis and basketball classes. In the 8th grade, my gym teacher introduced me to track and field, a sport that I embraced with a fierce competitive spirit. It became my passion for the next nine years, and I thrived on the challenges it presented.

In high school, I focused on running track, but my other passion outside of sports was collecting sneakers. After high school, I started college at Virginia State University and later transferred to Seton Hall University. There, I pursued a degree in Social and Behavioral Science with a minor in business and sociology; however, it was during this time that my interest in fashion started to blossom, leading me to work at Barneys New York in the accessories department. I began making connections by wearing my own jewelry designs in the store. Eventually, I started painting sneakers for myself and wearing them in SoHo, which led to tourists commissioning me for custom pairs. It was during this creative journey that I discovered my true passion, painting and creating art. In 2010, I decided to become an educator while continuing to pursue art alongside my full-time job, recognizing that painting and creating was what truly resonated with me.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

It all started with a need to create gold sneakers for myself. I was drawn to create a pair of all-gold Converse for myself 10 years ago, and just by wearing them every day, people started asking questions and wanted to know how they could get a pair as well. The same with portraits. When I was creating sneakers, I randomly received a DM on Instagram asking me to paint Tamara Mowry’s son. I had never painted a portrait before. For some reason, I felt like I was being asked to because they thought that I could. I do believe that sometimes people are able to see things in you that you have yet to see in yourself. So I took the challenge! When I finally completed the portrait, I posted it on Instagram. Tamara reposted the picture and it received over 60k likes. That one repost led to emails, DMs and commission pieces. That repost is why I paint even today. Even now, I continue to embrace challenges that cross my path, fully aware that on the other side of each challenge lies personal and artistic growth.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I would have to say that my most interesting story is me being commissioned by TBS for the premiere of the second season of “The Last O.G.” My first mural was for the Hattie Carthan Community Garden on Marcy Ave in Brooklyn. The crazy thing about this opportunity is that the garden is located 10 minutes away from my home. I was contacted by TBS, stating, “we have a project opportunity for you and we feel like you are the right person. It is in your neighborhood and we know that you would really appreciate this unique moment.”

I had never done a mural before. I was caught by surprise when they asked, “do you ‘think’ you can do this, because we think you can.”

As mentioned, I love being challenged but this one definitely created fear and anxiety. The mural was going to be on wooden panels and it was 8x10 feet tall (4 panels placed together). I took a day to think about it and then accepted the job. When asked to create off site, I asked if they could bring the panels in my home. Little did they know I did not know how to tackle the unknown outside of my studio, aka my safe space. They said yes, and when the panels arrived I had 7 days to complete this mural that felt bigger than life. Day 1, I laid on the floor staring at it with what felt like the anxiety of 1000 people weighing me down. Day 2 I felt ready to start and do the best that I could do.

Days 4–7 my mom assisted me. She was great at details and figuring out spacing. It was done in seven days, while still working during the day as an art teacher from 8am to 2:20pm, Monday-Friday. I didn’t feel like I would make the deadline, but I did. It was a crazy challenge — all up until they rang my doorbell to pick it up. All of the heaviness left me when the doorbell rang and I knew it was time for the mural to go to the park. When I reached the park, it had been fully renovated by the TBS team. I stood in front of my mural with Tracy Morgan, the actor/comedian from BedStuy, and we talked about the artwork. It was amazing knowing that this painting was created for a premier but more importantly to be part of giving back to the community. To this day, I remain amazed at what I was able to achieve in just seven days by simply saying yes to something I had never done before.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

Right now, I am working on a new collection in preparation for a solo show next year. I am excited because people are used to me creating portraiture art, and now I will be introducing a full abstract collection. This new work is inspired by music. Music plays a big part in my creative process. I listen to songs that have to do with love, hurt, joy, pain and anything that can trigger an emotion. I allow myself to feel everything, replay moments that were hard, embrace new moments in my life and just be vulnerable in the safest place that I know: my studio. I understand that music has a unique ability to evoke emotions and inspire movement. My mixed media abstract art serves as a visual testament to the profound impact of music on our emotions and movements, creating a multi-sensory experience for the viewers. I view music as a universal love language because it has the power to forge deep connections with people. I’m excited to witness how my new artwork can evoke these profound emotions in others.

Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?

At this point, I think I meet interesting people every day. I am still living in BedStuy and what is so interesting about it now is that it is filled with creatives, entrepreneurs and just down-to-earth people. Overall, I do believe in the law of attraction so I’m always meeting intriguing people. I always feel like I was supposed to gain something from the conversation even if it was just something to make my day a little brighter. I love being in a community with so many creatives because I’m always learning something new. I’m either learning of a talent I wasn’t aware of, understanding the lifestyle a person has to keep their job going or someone who is just filled with wisdom and wants to share.

Where do you draw inspiration from? Can you share a story about that?

I draw inspiration from everything around me. Whether it’s the pages of fashion magazines, the captivating pictures within National Geographic, the intricate designs of sneakers and clothing or the messages on billboards during my daily commute. I am constantly surrounded by sources of inspiration. Even in conversations with people about a wide range of topics, I discover new sparks of creativity. What I love most is that I never have to actively search for inspiration; it simply flows naturally, without any need for force or effort.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I’ve always loved giving back whenever I could. Becoming an artist unexpectedly opened up more opportunities for me to make a difference. I started hosting paint and sip classes for non-profit organizations like churches, schools and sororities. These groups do fantastic work for their communities, and it’s an honor to be part of their efforts.

Sharing my journey as a self-taught artist has led me to schools, universities and businesses where I’ve met people with their own challenges and dreams. It feels incredible to offer inspiration and support. Additionally, my art allows me to convey important messages and support causes I’m passionate about, whether it’s raising awareness about social issues or helping other self-taught artists with the knowledge gained from my own experiences. I believe art has a unique power to touch our hearts and minds, and I’m dedicated to using my success as an artist to bring goodness to the world.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

Growth is uncomfortable! As I was slowly becoming an artist and owning the title I encountered challenges, moments of uncertainty and instances that pushed me far beyond my comfort zone. I eventually came to the realization that in order to grow I had to say “yes,” despite how hard it could have felt in the moment. In my experience growth often feels like stretching yourself past what’s familiar or what you think your normal capacity is. Once I realized that stretching was crucial for improving my skills as an artist, I began to accept that a degree of discomfort would come with every great opportunity. My favorite quote from Les Brown is “in order to do something you’ve never done, you’ve have to become someone you’ve never been”.

Be driven by purpose, not money! When I first started out as a creative I would start out making what I was passionate about. However, I sometimes veered off course, making things solely with the expectation of selling them. What I realized was that these less fulfilling creations took more time to make because my heart wasn’t in it. It dawned on me that when you are driven by purpose, money is not a thought. If you are driven by money, it would be hard to grow as an artist because you will lack consistency. The beauty of being driven by purpose is that everything eventually falls into place and the money will come regardless.

Trust your instinct! As a self-taught artist, it took time to trust my own vision. Picture this: after college, instead of pursuing a typical career, I decided to embrace my creativity. Back then, that sounded crazy to most, especially since I hadn’t created anything significant yet. I had these creative ideas that I knew I could bring to life, even though I’d never tried before. The challenge was sharing these ideas with others and realizing that very few could truly grasp them until they were proven. The key to trusting your instincts is recognizing that you understand yourself better than anyone else and that you’re entirely capable of doing what you believe you can do. You may not be able to explain this to those who doubt your abilities, so in those moments, have faith in your feelings, let them guide you and understand that others will catch on in due time.

Surround yourself with like-minded people! When I started my journey as an artist, it often felt lonely because I didn’t know anyone who could relate to what I was going through. But as I began to meet fellow artists, it was comforting to share experiences and get advice from those who had been in my shoes. Finding your tribe is essential because they become your support system along the way.

Be prepared for where you’re going! At the beginning, I thought creativity was all I needed. However, when opportunities came my way, I discovered that I needed more. When you’re building a business as an artist, you’ll find yourself wearing many hats and taking on various roles. That’s why it’s crucial to do your homework and be well-prepared. It’s better to be fully ready for your journey than to miss out on opportunities because you weren’t prepared.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I want to start a “There’s Room At The Table” movement, emphasizing the idea that there’s ample space for everyone to thrive. This movement seeks to promote positivity, encouraging individuals to recognize the abundance available to all and fostering an environment of friendly competition. In this context, even if two people pursue similar goals, they can support each other without diminishing their own chances of success. If more people adopted the idea that they belong and that success isn’t limited, they would become more self-assured and confident. This would make them approach opportunities with pride and certainty, without any doubts about whether they belong in a particular place.

We have been blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she just might see this.

I would love to have a private Lunch with Ashley Longshore. I have been following her on social media since 2013 and I just think she is amazing! I met her once at Bergdorf Goodman but I would love to have a conversation with her because of how much I admire her. She achieved fame her way, without relying on galleries, and she never gave up on her dreams. She’s been delivering art, humor and amazing fashion for years. I’d love to hear her story firsthand, make fun dance videos with her for a laugh and sip a glass of champagne.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Instagram — @tiffanybchanel

TikTok — @tiffanybchanel

Website — tiffanybchanel.com