Till Death We Do Art

Black artists are often celebrated in their communities. From the depictions of ebonies giving birth to green earth, to the brush strokes closely emulating the bush that is our hair. These spiritual paintings are a hit and deserve praise for mirroring the beauty that is black. But not all artist adopt this style of painting but use different methods that sometimes are called "wack"

Paul Shelton, better known as Mcflyy, is an African American digital artist and painter. After graduating from Florida State University with a degree in engineering, Mcflyy moved to the Los Angeles area where his art really began to gain traction.

His inspiration is an eclectic one, drawing from the mysticism of the late 80s, early 90s anime. An art form and series of cartoons not very popular among black kids at the time. This was due to the foreign themes and complex narratives that powered these shows, ultimately making it an acquired taste.

While the art is something special and hearkens back to a time passed, it isn't fully accepted. In fact, there was a time when it wasn't accepted at all.

In the early 90s, anime was a guilty pleasure among black children. Anyone caught talking about one of the shows, walking around with the merchandise, or even daring to draw in that style, was instantly the butt of the jokes and labeled as "lame." or "wack." There was nothing cool about it and the same stigmas still linger today.

With this particular culture and art form being a deep-rooted taboo if you want to be viewed as "cool," how could anyone make a career out of this while simultaneously gaining the support of his/her peers? Well, that is exactly what Mcflyy has done.

Despite the stigma in the community, Mcflyy has built a successful career with the artform of Anime. It was this unique style that led him to do artwork for famous artists like, Chris Brown, Meghan the stallion, and Beyonce. His range isn't limited to musicians either. He's also done work for Kyle Kuzma of the Lakers and even landed a deal with Nike. He continues to work on high-profile jobs, putting his art at the forefront in LA.

It's all very inspiring, but how did he do it? How did he overcome the obstacles of being ostracized for his choice in art?

He says, and I quote: "Stop judging your art by the amount of applause it gets." -Mcflyy

His mantras seem to always be revolved around hard work and dedication. Dropping gems like:

"Find what you love and let it kill you."

And "Till death we do art."

It is his dedication to his truth in art that allowed him to expand into the uncharted waters of the fashion industry. From custom sneakers to his own clothing line.

TDWDA (Till Death We Do Art)

Paul Shelton is an example of what happens if you throw caution to the wind. When you could care less about what your peers think of you. When you find what you love, draw your sword, and carve a path that only you can walk. It doesn't matter what you have a passion for, or how small the market may be for it. With a will, individual style, and armor for critics, you can create anything that people will line up to be apart of.