Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy second Saturday of Black History Month! Yall know what time it is – time for another installment of the Black is Beautiful mini blog series – CREATIVES Edition feature! The second person that we will be learning more about today is an INCREDIBLE artist and visionary, Sage. Before we get into today’s interview, let’s take a brief dive into how I was introduced to Sage.

Sage is especially cool because he is a study-abroad friend I met virtually after living in Ghana for a few months back in 2018. Shoutout to Whatsapp for connecting us. When I was in Ghana, I met soooo many people in passing that I cannot keep up with. However, I remember my friends talking about this remarkable artist who painted several shirts for my friends. At the time, I missed my opportunity. Fast forward to coming back to the U.S., my good study abroad sis, Blessing, connected me to Sage as an opportunity to finally get my custom made shirt and to support his artwork overall. He made me this stunning shirt with a Black woman’s face in the heart of the motherland on a yellow shirt that is very flattering for my skin tone. It was such a pretty shirt made especially for me that I still wear regularly. Sage has so much God-given talent that I am so honored to share today with yall on the blog!

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Sage: Hi, my name is Laryea Enoch Nii Adjei, and I go by Sage.

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Sage: I am privileged to be an artist. I am a student of the various African artists that have come before me, and my art and techniques have grown and will continue to grow because of that. My work for the past six years has used revealing aspects of my culture and its history, which profoundly impact how I create as an artist. My art is dynamic, and like culture, it’s ever-changing, which has helped me grow as an individual and artist. As audiences view my art, it is my hope that they also undergo the process of change and evolution.

My work ranges from ceramics, sculpting, body painting, illustrating, graffiti, murals, and painting. Occupying the spaces between Afrocentrism, traditional, contemporary, modern, realism, and abstract art, I use diverse materials and techniques to manifest my ideas. I often focus on evoking the voices of those who are often unheard while utilizing various emotions when creating. 

I am interested in social change and humanity, such as the struggles we all face on a daily basis and how art can serve as a bridge to bring people together. Being from Ghana, my painting is inspired by the shapes and patterns of watching cultural dance and the expressions of my people in good and bad times. That is constantly on my mind while I sculpt, paint, and produce bodies of work. I am producing art of people who look like me with various emotions. When I create, I pull from that life experience.

One of my goals for my viewers is that they are inspired when they see my work. I hope it brings them joy and encourages them to lean into their imaginative and creative side.

My works have been exhibited in shows with the Ulti-Leaf Foundation, Ghana Commission for UNESCO, UN Information Center (UNIC) Accra, and the Ghana Association of Visual Artists. I have also collaborated on murals across Accra, Ghana.

Irene: Choose up to three words that come to mind when you think of “Blackness”. Define each word in its relationship to “Blackness”. Why did you choose these words?

Sage:

Love – Black people around the Earth love naturally. With what we have been through throughout the century and even now with slavery, apartheid, colonization, colorism, gun violence, and more, we as a people still have love within our hearts. Sometimes, it’s a bit too much, but I think it’s one of the most important things that keeps us going as a people. 

Peace – From my perspective of being a Ghanaian and within my family home where I was raised with more than 50 people in the home, whenever there was conflict in our home, the elders would always come with peace. They believed it was better to maintain peace than to fight. Just like love, I believe we are a people of peace. Sometimes that doesn’t work for us, but it’s also peace that keeps us going as well. 

I chose the words love and peace because I incorporate them in all of the work that I create. It is a part of me as a Black person.

Irene: What is the MOST beautiful thing about being Black to you?

Sage: One of the most beautiful things about being Black is our resistance – our ability to resist every condition that has been enforced on us. I would also like to add that Black culture is the most beautiful. It’s so dynamic. I attempt to add it to every part of the work I create. It makes me happy.

Irene: Define “being a creative.” How has your experience been as a Black creative thus far in your respective field/interest/passion?

Sage: Being creative is the ability of creating something from nothing. It is using our imagination and skills to produce art that evokes feeling into the viewer. Creating something that will withstand the test of time, changing mindsets, and causing societal change helps move mankind in a better direction.  As an artist, most importantly a Black artist, my art has helped me to evolve personally and understand our culture. As a Black art in Ghana, it has been a struggle, as people there are focused on survival. Thus, it’s hard to sell my art for its value. This is understandable, but I would like to see African art and artists valued for what it is and not valued down.

Irene: How did you get into the creative space? 

Sage: I have always known from a young age that I was an artist. This is something I was born to do. I have worked hard to develop this talent into a skill that I enjoy. When I was in college, I used my creative skills to develop and print T-shirts to sell. Doing that supported me throughout my time in the Northern Region of Ghana where I schooled. In 2012, I started partaking in Chale Wote. It’s an annual street festival that “targets exchanges between scores of local and international artists and patrons.” There, I learned to network, work within the community teaching kids about art, and spearheading the next generation of artists. I also picked up some skills there that I use to this day.

Irene: Tell us more about one of your favorite projects that you have worked on thus far. Why was this project meaningful to you, and what did you learn from this experience?

Sage: One of my favorite projects I have worked and am still working on is called Elevation. I am yet to showcase all of it, but this project is close to my heart because it has to do with the bond of a family. Coming from a single parent household, I see how important it is to have all members of the family present in the home. The project focuses on “broken home” from my perspective and how that can impact the children and adults involved. Family unity and the strength of an African woman are important to me. I have seen and experienced that strength growing up with a single mother with four kids. I saw the resilience of her providing and protecting her family through all the struggles that came her way and how she navigated them. 

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for aspiring Black creatives? 

Sage: Focus on what you want to do and stay determined, work hard, and most importantly, love what you do and you will see results. People will believe in you, but you must believe in yourself if you want to see change. 

Irene: What is one of your favorite songs that fits/exemplifies that Black is Beautiful?

Sage: From the album Distance Relative by Damian Marley and Nas – Africa Must Wake Up.

Irene: How can we support a fellow amazing Black creative like yourself? Do you have any projects, businesses, creations, etc. that you are working on currently that you would like to speak briefly about, drop below, and/or that we can support?

Sage: You can find me on Instagram at sageartgh.

Below are some of Sage’s breathtaking artwork. Check out these pieces!

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Sage, thank you for sharing your story and for displaying some of your fabulous art pieces on this platform today. These pieces are stunning, and I am just so in awe by the way that you can explore your creativity through the various forms of media that you’ve mastered. Chale Wote was SUCH a fun event when I went, and I am glad that they have you as an artist to contribute to its vibrancy. I am so excited to see the final reveal of Elevation. The inspiration behind this project is beautiful, as African women are SO resilient and strong. I am sure that your mother is going to feel so honored upon the reveal. Thank you for reminding us about the importance of believing in ourselves as well. It is easy to want other people to believe in us, but if we cannot believe in ourselves, what is the point? What a wonderful gem you’ve shared today.

I hope everyone enjoyed Sage’s interview and the associated digital art gallery today on the blog as much as I did. Please continue to stop by the blog and stay caught up on the Black is Beautiful mini blog series – CREATIVES Edition Part 3 dropping next Saturday! Don’t forget to subscribe to Renrenspeaks.com and follow the Renrenspeaks Instagram page for notifications and updates! As always, stay young, gifted, and Black!

Peace and love,

Irene