Meet Edolia Stroud | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Edolia Stroud and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Edolia, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
What I believe to be the most important factor behind my success is faith—Faith in myself, my creativity and my ideas. Faith that I’m making the right choices and doing what feels right within my craft. With faith being the foundation and the key component in my zealous attitude towards success, the adoration I hold for art alone is enough to fuel my artistic excursion.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Ironically being a visual artist who’s vision is imparied,I believe my disablity in ways has aid in strengthing my artistic vision. Before mapping out a new project, i’ve usually already envisioned the image itself. After anticipating the outcome, I then contemplate on how I can externalize my ideas into fruition. Break it down step by step.

This year I become one of the first —along with six other black women photographers to be exhibted for the first inaugural Black Women Photographers exhibition that took place in my home town New York City. The gallery also decided to permanently keep one of the four images I was privledged to display and it’s of my mother. I would say that accomplishment is defintely what i’m most eminent about.

As a black creative, I face many challenges on a regular basis but staying grounded and being true to myself allows me to be true to my craft and I’d like to believe that authenticity is reflected in my work. It’s not always easy but the outcome is always rewarding.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being I’m from New York City, there is always something fun going on. My idea of a great time includes shopping, eating great food and seeing amazing art in any medium. I love going to musuems, hearing live music as well as performances and photographing the experiences in progress. It’s always a good time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to give a shoutout to Black Women Photographers (@blackwomenphotographers) for being one of the important supporting factor in my career and my close friend Malachi Smythe (@malachismythe) who taught me what I know about shooting in medium format!

Website: www.edoliastroud.com

Instagram: @edoliastroud

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edolia-stroud-78b6a5166/

Image Credits
Maria Stroud Alton Mason NYFW 20″ Laquan Smith Hakeim Rachell, Bryce Alexander