Dharma Gilley - Takeover Artist

This month, March, a group of teen artists have taken over the Greenhouse.  Their work is hanging in the shop all month, and unless see tell you you would never know the makers of this art are so young.  As well as having their work all over the shop, they are taking over the Smarty Pants Lectures this month.  Come get to know these beautiful young women and their art! 

How old are you, and where do you go to school?

I'm 16 and I go to Ocean Springs High School.

How did you get interested in making art/poetry?

My whole family is a family of artists and art curators, so I've been interested in art for as long as I can remember. I got really interested in poetry through a spoken word poet named Shane Koyczan. His works got me through a lot of rough times, and I made it my mission to help people through their tough moments whether it be with my art or my writing.

What do you doodle when you are in class?

When I doodle in class, I usually draw little drawings of people. People fascinate me, the way that they sit depending on who they're with.

If you could draw any biscuit, what would it be?

If I could draw any biscuit, I would draw a heart shaped biscuit in the spirit of spreading self-love!

What are you listening to now?

I'm listening to one of my new favorite bands, SNCKPCK.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

When I grow up I want to be some type of artist. Preferably a film maker, as I love love love to make short films. I'm currently working on a longer film piece entitled Confessions Of Teen Artists. Above all, I want to be happy when I grow up.

What do you think every time you hear that question?  What question should we(you know, the older folks) ask instead?

When people ask me what I want to be when I grow up, the first thing that comes to mind is happy. I want to be happy and not live a lifestyle that is limiting to my creative abilities. I think instead of asking what we want to be, people should ask what is our wildest dream.

What do you love about yourself?

I love my artistic eye. I love my curves and my smile. I love a lot about myself, and hopefully you love a lot about yourself too!

How do you want to change the world?

I don't want to change the world. I don't think I have the ability to change the world all on my own. Instead, I want to gather each community together and I want to improve the planet by recycling and saving bees! I want to bring people together and encourage time in the outdoors and encourage self-love and encourage interaction, as people are missing out in the real relationships these days because they are so involved in their electronics.