I had the best time chopping it up with Illustrator/Designer Mia Saine. This Arlington, TN native's family purchased land and bartered with one another in the 90’s. Mia actually grew up in the midst of development in Arlington which welcomed new classes of people and many adjustments. She is the youngest of three siblings and was greatly influenced by her grandmother as a child that fostered her creativity. As a high school student, Mia was introduced to Graphic Media, Design and Screen Printing. She received a scholarship to attend Memphis College of Art where she excelled and began freelance work. In those early days Mia began working with clients such as New York Times, MLK50 and the singer Kirby working on branding. As she gained more clients, Mia's knowledge of negotiating and understanding contracts developed. She was able to help others in the art community in those areas during this Black Renaissance.
Mia describes the Memphis art community as young, animated, innovative and energetic. As of today, Mia has signed with the Anna Goodson Agency from Quebec, Canada. This partnership is complimentary in the aspect of legal needs, advocacy and collaborations. Mia is adamant about keeping social issues at the forefront of her work using her art as a learning opportunity. Mia shares that during her Skittles collab she actually came out as a non-binary, black queer artist. She wants others to know that overcoming self-doubt is a game changer in any industry. Utilizing the power of social media as a canvas for your talent is extremely important. You can find Mia's Target Holiday Collection in stores right now. This project was special to Mia as she was able to showcase gratitude by highlighting black families and some of her favorite memories.