Honey Williams is an Jamaican-British artist who grew her name Nottingham where she had grown up, she studied at then known as Djangoly school during the 90s and later moved to London where she would go on to study at London college of communication. Honey spoke during her talk about how she has always faced adversity and struggled with bullying throughout her educational years wether it was about her skin or her weight which was unknowingly due to her PCOS. (https://www.healthline.com/health/polycystic-ovary-disease#:~:text=Polycystic%20ovary%20syndrome%20(PCOS)%20is,for%20them%20to%20get%20pregnant.)
She even spoke on how teachers would often side with others that would bully her as well as bringing her down themselves ,doubting her abilities and minimising her potential for growth. Unbeknown to them this would be the motivator and subject that would make Honey into the artist she is today.
Honey’s work is strongly based on black culture and she often uses her work to uplift and educate others.
one of her first pieces she had done whilst at university was on the natural hair movement and bringing a focus to the struggles and beauty of black women’s hair. The artwork as shown below has the subjects hair replaced with words of which many black women heard or felt about their hair even to this day. I really love this piece as it not only celebrates black women whom play big parts in my life as i am half black myself but also brings attention to the colourism and racism that black people face..
Hair politics 2004
Ink and acrylic on wood 50×50
Honey has used a range of artistic techniques over the years from digital illustration to painting, multi dimensional art and working with murals. over the past years of her career she’s had many opportunities that have allowed her to grow not only in her community but also around the uk as she actively hold campaigns as well as hosting art classes for black artists like herself.
https://thehoneyeffect.wordpress.com/ : link to website to find out more
I admire Honey for the work she has continued to put out as they all hold strong messages as well as inviting a large group of people to resonate with her work she also does projects where she gets others to be involved in the process. The educational aspects of it are also desirable as you get to learn new things whilst immersing yourself in the the bold colours and graphics of her creations.
Some of her achivements also include her doing many workshops and commisions such as being the cover of LEFTLION magazine a small magazine ran out of nottingham where she had created two art pieces based on the windrush scandal. She aslo had the oppurtunities to create a mural for her community. unfortunetly though for her they did not invite her to the unveiling of the piece.
Along side this opportunity she was also the winner of a muralist residency ” paint up yuh space” at studio 174, Kingston, Jamaica British Council. This was a chance for artists to enter and create a piece of art and whomever won would get the opportunity to fly over to Jamaica and not only have their work showcased but also get the chance to work along side other professional artists.
In more recent years Honey has expanded slightly and has started doing work not only for others but for herself and has done some self portraits as well as work surrounding her own mental states and feelings.
I am excited to see the upcoming and ongoing work and projects Honey Williams come out with and how she continues to grow as an artist as spread her messages and positive energy whilst being able to educate and bring real life adversities to light.