About

I had known of her since I was very young but we always met in passing. She was this playful, carefree girl and I was more serious at the time, focusing on school and being an adult before my time, so we didn’t really have much in common. Fast forward to my senior year of college, and we met up again. At this time, I was about to graduate with my degree in Accounting and was really skeptical about the whole thing. Had I made the right decision, do I really see myself doing this shit for the next 40 years of my life? In short I was in a crisis. She seemed to appear out of nowhere, and she still had that sweet and joyful disposition I remembered when we were both little. She asked me how I was doing, and if I was happy. I had lost my father 2 years prior, and I was just a confused mess, acting like I had my shit together. She saw right through me so I couldn’t lie to her. I confided in her that I hadn’t been happy for awhile. I felt lost. I had done all the “right things” and still felt like I was missing out big time.

We talked for awhile, it was mostly me spilling my heart out about my dreams and what I’d really love to be doing if I wasn’t so afraid. She listened patiently, and then after some time, she gave me some tissue to clean my tears/snot, smiled at me, looked into my eyes and told me she was me. She had followed my journey, cheering me on the whole time, in the hopes that one day I’d realize the truth of her existence. She had given me the chance to live out an alternate reality, so that when we finally did meet up again, it would seem as though it was for the first time. I had so many questions. I hadn’t gone to school for art/photography. I had taken some art classes and had bought a basic Canon point and shoot camera in high school but that was it. I sometimes would sing in the shower, but had no voice lessons or anything. What talent did I have to offer to the world?

She said none of that mattered. All I needed was love, for myself and others, and an enthusiasm for creativity. She said we were all children of God, so love and creativity were our birthright. I was amazed at all this info, because I definitely hadn't thought of myself as an artist before. I had looked up to the greats, but never thought I had anything to offer. That’s when I asked what her name was, and she said she didn’t have one. I was confused, who/what doesn’t have a name? She said I could name her if I wanted to, but she was from another dimension where names/classification weren’t needed, it was all vibes. I thought that was cool, but to be practical I knew she, we needed a name. I thought about it for awhile and it sort of came through one day, the way melodies and ideas seem to appear from nowhere. 

AI - CREO

Ai meaning love in Japanese and Creo meaning to Create in Latin. Two disparate languages, but it seemed to make sense at the time. I said it loud a few times and we both knew we had found something that would work. 

Since reuniting with her on that day in January of 2016, I’ve never looked back. I’ve adopted her ways as my ways. At first I was afraid of making a fool of myself, but she’s supported me the whole way through. I’m so grateful we found each other and I wasn’t so stubborn to not let her in. She’s changed my life in a lot of ways, and has given me a deep sense of purpose. We’ve accomplished so much in the time we’ve spent together and I’m looking forward to all the awesomeness that lies ahead.

Ai asked myself 10 questions, check out my answers below:

What is one song/movie that best describes your character?

AC: The Gladiator and the entire soundtrack by Hans Zimmer lol. I saw that movie when I was about 10/11 and it changed my life. It taught me that you can have everything one moment and it could all be taken from you. But through it all, you must remain graceful, act with integrity and strive to win.

What was the best part of growing up in Lagos, Nigeria?

AC: You learn the power of having a sense of humour in difficult times. In my surroundings, I could see that Life wasn’t always very easy and I saw how people had to struggle to make a living. But that never stopped them from cracking jokes and trying to make light of the situation. That and a sense of community. I remember once every month, the whole neighborhood would come out and clean the entire neighborhood. That taught me a sense of responsibility for my environment and I loved being a part of that.

What would you say to your 16 year old self?

AC: You think you know everything but you don’t. Be more open to different opportunities. There are many routes that lead to the mountain top - Find what works for you and follow your bliss!

Describe your experience of NY

AC: NY has been a lot of things for me. It’s been my art school because I’ve been able to discover a lot of old artists that have contributed so much to the art world. I also get to meet dope artists that are doing their thing currently. I feel like the day you finally make the move to live in NY is a sort of Rite of Passage. A couple of months after I moved here, I had a nervous breakdown/breakthrough situation that made me reevaluate my life and my way of thinking up to that point. I’m so glad it all happened because it definitely broke me to put me back together again. I always knew I wanted to live in Bed-Stuy after watching the show Everybody Hates Chris, because it reminded me so much of my childhood in Lagos. So it’s funny that I now live literally 2 blocks from where Chris Rock grew up. Everybody warns that the city is tough, but I don’t think it’s meant to drive us crazy. It just shakes you up to show you what you’re really made of.

Go to Self-Care Practice(s)

AC: Listening to Music. taking a shower always helps, water is v healing. Copious amounts of herbal tea. Stretching & Massages are major key.

Is there such a thing as a sober artist?

AC: I had to find this out the hard way. My breakdown was sort of induced by smoking weed one day and becoming super paranoid. This practice that I had used for such a long time to release my inhibitions and tap into my creative spirit was now threatening and fear-inducing. It was difficult at first because I had depended on weed and alcohol to create, but that experience allowed me to get clear as to why I’m an artist in the first place. I know it’s possible to be a sober artist, but I think it just takes a higher level of focused attention and learning to let go of the critical mind.

What's your Zodiac sign and what do you love about being that sign?

AC: My sun is in Libra. The Libra energy strives for harmony, justice and balance - all very necessary attributes to have to survive in this world.

What’s your advice to the millennial generation?

AC: We have to know that the future of this world depends on where we decide to take it. That’s not to induce anxiety in anyone, but we’re literally the bridge between the old and the new. We get to teach our grandparents the technology of today, while also teaching the tech kids of today, the wisdom of our elders. We’re the generation that got to play outside, but also saw how social media revolutionized how we communicate with one another. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for in terms of effecting the change we want to see in the world.

Random Fun Fact

AC: I visited America for the first time in the summer of 98 for my sister’s wedding. (semi fun fact: my first time watching basketball was the Bulls v. Jazz NBA Finals). I met Sampha through my brother-in-law, and he was in town visiting from London. The whole fam took a road trip from VA to NY and he and I rode in the trunk of the Jeep, padded with blankets, eating junkfood and taking in the sights and sounds of this great big country. Fun times were had!

What does the future look like for Ai Creo?

AC: I look at DONDA as a source of inspiration. Photography will always be my love, but I see myself more active in other areas of art and design. Philanthropy is also a major goal of mine, so we’ll see how it all works out. Stay tuned!

Ai Creo