Gina Renee poses for a portrait during Capital B’s oral history project. Renee reflects on Black cultural traditions, creativity and the importance of preserving African diasporic history through art and storytelling.
My Life Is A Walking Art Gallery
After rebuilding her life in Atlanta following Hurricane Katrina, self-taught fiber artist Gina Renee transformed creativity into a way of life, drawing inspiration from intuition, texture and the energy around her.
Gina Renee is a self-taught fiber artist and textile designer whose wearable creations blend color, texture and personal expression. Originally from New York, she relocated to Atlanta after evacuating Mississippi ahead of Hurricane Katrina and has built a career creating one-of-a-kind pieces featured in fashion shows, music videos and independent films. In this reflection, Renee shares how creativity, intuition and embracing life’s journey have shaped both her art and her outlook.
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
I’m a fiber artist and a textile designer.
Everything I create starts with texture, color and intuition. I pay attention to the energy around me and let it guide what I make. Life is vibrant, and I want my work to reflect that.
I’m self-taught.
I was born and raised in New York, but my family was living in Mississippi when Hurricane Katrina approached. We left one day before the storm hit. If we hadn’t evacuated, we wouldn’t be here today.
Our children were still young then, and after we arrived in Atlanta, I hit the ground running. I started doing fashion shows, photo shoots and pop-up events. Over the years, my work has appeared in music videos and independent African films.
I take inspiration from every place I’ve lived. New York gave me one kind of energy. Atlanta gave me another. Everywhere I go, I collect experiences that eventually find their way into my art.
People are often surprised when they watch me work. I’ll be crocheting at an event without even looking at my hands because creating has become second nature. They always ask how long I’ve been doing it.
I tell them, “Since yesterday.”
It always gets a laugh.
I think of myself as a walking art gallery. The pieces I wear are an extension of who I am. Creativity isn’t something I turn on and off. It’s simply how I move through the world.
Every day is a gift. I believe in living in the present, trusting my intuition and seeing what emerges. You never know who you’re going to meet or what opportunities are waiting for you.
So I just keep walking in who I am and letting the art follow.
