Flower Crown Magazine: Issue 2

Meet Aprill Hogue:
Artist, Designer, writer.
Fashion is all about representation.
What you wear represents who you
are but women of color have for far
too long been unable to recognize
themselves in this form expression.
Aprill Hogue is here to change that.
Interview by Shanice Brim
When did you start illustrations?
I’ve always loved drawing, painting, and creating art
with my hands, ever since I was a young child. I began
to take my career as an artist more seriously in high
school as I developed a comprehensive portfolio and
applied for college to further my studies. My career as
an illustrator soon began after graduating college in
2012 with a BFA and concentration in illustration.
The art world is still very segregated and it’s still
hard for artists of color to break into that scene.
What do you think can be done to get young girls
of color interested in art? And how do we break
the barrier in the art world.
I think in order to get young girls of color interested
in the arts, we have to make a conscious effort to not
only include them visually, giving them positive representation
in the art world. In addition, we have to
include intersectional subject matters that they care
about and can relate to. I think a great way to start
that process and conversation is by providing the general
public with a better knowledge of existing press/
and or media, safe spaces, and artists, that make an
effort to include more representation of people of color.
For example, more public spaces like the MoCADA
Museum in Brooklyn NY, featuring more artists of color
such as Mickalene Thomas, and media/ press such as
on www.upworthy.com
You have a children’s book called Margret’s Mane.
It’s about a young girl’s natural hair journey. What
inspired this and can you talk about your own
journey with your hair?
Margret’s Mane is a children’s book not only about a
young girl’s natural hair journey, it’s also a tale about
a young girl’s journey to love and fully accept herself
as she is. Hair can be a controversial topic in the black
community, so I wrote and illustrated this book in
hopes that it would inspire other girls from all walks of
life to love whatever hair type they’ve got.