194: Mojo (Healing with Hues)

Mojo on Innovation City

“The reason why I make art today is specifically to use it as a reflection of me learning about myself, wanting to be the change first, instead of me asking for things to change.”-Mojo

Welcome to Season 6 of Innovation City (The Miami Edition), a podcast featuring innovators, creators, and disruptors to discover how business is changing in the modern world.

Created and produced by SLAM! Agency and Aīre Ventures, Innovation City gives you an inside look at how rapidly business and culture are changing thanks to increasing diversity and heightened creativity, and a stronger and better-connected business community.

Welcome to Season 6 of Innovation City (The Miami Edition), a podcast featuring innovators, creators, and disruptors to discover how business is changing in the modern world.

Created and produced by SLAM! Agency and Aīre Ventures, Innovation City gives you an inside look at how rapidly business and culture are changing thanks to increasing diversity and inclusion, heightened creativity, and a stronger and better-connected business community.

Today’s guest is Anthony Reed II, better known in the art community as ‘Mojo,’ a Contemporary Artist and the founder of a new nonprofit, Healing with Hues. Mojo sees it as his duty to use his art to create change. In this episode, Mojo sits down with the team to discuss his transformative trip to Ghana, the pivotal moments in his artistic journey, and how he’s working on manifesting his vision for a positive future through his art.

They discuss:

• Mojo’s Superpower
  • In Ghana, Mojo discovered that his superpower is spiritual alchemy, and focusing on human connectedness.
• Mojo’s Artistic Journey
  • Mojo discovered art as young kid who drew Super Mario and Sonic on the back of his homework. A teacher took an interest in his talent and worked with him.
  • There were two pivotal moments in Mojo’s artistic journey; the death of Michael Brown five minutes from his home in St. Louis and following that, the death of George Floyd.
  • Mojo was so tired of recycling the narrative and never progressing. He posted a black background on Instagram and said he was done talking, he was only going to make art.
  • He painted a piece called “OVERtown,” depicting six black kids enjoying their life. Sick of seeing the negativity, Mojo posted this piece when George Floyd was murdered. He boosted the post with $180 and that is when his art started garnering more attention.
• What impact do you want your art to have on the world?
  • Mojo creates art to learn about himself and create change.
  • Using manifestation and the Law of Attraction, Mojo hopes to attract what he wants for the world by what he creates in his art.
• From St. Louis to Miami
  • Mojo came to Miami for his girl, Alejandra, an artist, his best friend, and his right hand.
  • He made the journey from St. Louis to Miami with a one-way ticket, faith, and no back-up plan.
  • When Mojo arrived, Alejandra was working on a mural at the Juvenile Detention Center with a nonprofit called Hope Murals. He got off the plane, put on his painting clothes, and went straight to work creating art.
• Differences Between St. Louis & Miami
  • So much changed for Mojo in Miami. His mindset changed a lot. He was afraid of everything- afraid to drive, afraid to get in the open ocean. He had a lot of hesitation when he first arrived.
  • A major difference Mojo noticed was the attitude. In Miami, Mojo has found so many imaginative people and they work to make the imagination real.
  • St. Louis was more limiting than Miami for Mojo. The art scene is also flourishing in Miami.
• The Nyah Project and Mojo’s Transformation
  • Mojo got the chance to become an artist-in-residence with the Nyah Project, and the experience completely changed his life.
  • With the Nyah Project, he got the opportunity to travel to Ghana at a moment in time where he didn’t want to paint.
  • He was in a stage of life where he didn’t want to paint; he was bored of painting.
  • Going to Ghana helped Mojo think about who he was and gave him a sense of responsibility for his artwork.
• Traveling to Ghana and its Influence on Mojo’s Art
  • Before going to Ghana, Mojo was in a comfort zone; he had reached a glass ceiling.
  • When he arrived in Ghana, he was uncomfortable without the regular creature comforts he was used to, and then he adjusted his attitude towards the situation. He decided to be more receptive and understanding of another culture.
  • The part of Ghana that really changed Mojo was a visit to Cape Coast Castle, one of the first slave castles in Africa. He started feeling like he has a responsibility to do something with his art because he has a choice and his ancestors didn’t.
  • Mojo started using his artwork to help people and make himself a better person.

Lightning Round:

• What question would you ask a fortune teller?
  • What is my future?
• How do you show love to others?
  • By being it first
• What is something new you recently tried and loved?
  • Oil painting and cooking
• What moves you to tears or gives you goosebumps?
  • People’s real authentic stories
• What was the most defining moment of your childhood?
  • His father’s death taught him what he needs to do as a father now.
• What would you do if you were not afraid?
  • Everything. Continue being himself, learning new things, embracing anything he’s afraid of.

Get in Touch:

IG: @gotthemojo
Mojo’s Website