Spill It: Prosecco, Creativity, + What It's Like To Be A Black Woman Artist in Atlanta with Diamond Tullis-Koonce
Spill It is an interview series with outstanding creatives, activists, glamour queens, movers and shakers, outside-the-box thinkers, subject matter experts, and agents of change.
Charlsie: Right now — tell me where you are creatively and emotionally and how they tie together.
Diamond: Emotionally, I’m experiencing my sixth mental breakdown. Usually, depression takes its hold on me, but this time I feel anger sinking in. We see other countries moving forward, meanwhile we are stagnant. This quarantine has sent me spiraling several times. I work hard for stability, and as I recently transitioned into my 30th year, this COVID Civil War has thrown me off my tracks.
Honestly though, this pandemic gave me time to pause, reflect, and develop my creativity, my emotions, and my business. I have time to work on myself without interruption. I experienced several breakthroughs both creatively and emotionally. It’s cliche but it takes very low lows in order to reach new heights. I’m turning into the person I wanted to be at thirty— but not necessarily via the avenue I wanted to take. I find myself centering around gratitude, and that brings me back to reality.
“Art has been my saving grace with my own personal experience with mental illness. Art helped me break out of my shy shell. I’ve pushed myself to follow through with commitments because of my love for art. I’ve pushed myself out of my comfort zone and I want the same for other people.”
Charlsie: The pandemic has been a nightmare for me too. I may be on my eighth mental breakdown at this point. It’s been so isolating and frustrating, but at the same time — it’s been fruitful for me in terms of having space and time for new creative projects, my work, and putting emphasis on the work I needed to do on myself. I feel like I’m constantly being surprised about where covid-19 has taken the country and me - myself - as a person. Recently, what is the most surprising discovery you've made through your art about yourself?
Diamond: I’ve learned a lot about my strength and determination through my art. I’m a sexual abuse survivor and I was never confident in myself, never one to speak up for myself. I never thought about myself as a fighter, a competitor — I never thought of myself as a go-getter. I floated through life. I thought I was careless and lazy, unable to commit. Now, I realize I was depressed. I never cared enough about myself to pursue anything, but the more I realize my purpose — the more I want to fight to make my dreams come true. I realized, most of the time, when you put forth effort, good things come your way.
Charlsie: Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I always see celebrities like Lady Gaga, for some reason she came to my mind first here, talking about sexual abuse as being a motivator for her to get to where she is today. If you can take that energy and use it to fight for what you want, I feel like the world is your oyster. I know I’ve had to use my own personal adversities as stepping stones to kick me in the ass to get to where I need to be. We could talk about this all day, I think, but what I also want to chat about is your photography. So, when you are taking photos, what do you enjoy the most and what scares shitless?
Diamond is not only a photographer, but she is a phenomenal writer. She is thoughtful and features perspectives that are unique to each subject matter. Whether she’s captioning a newborn baby from a photo she took or taking a professional headshot, she always finds the right words to tell an important story.
Diamond: There’s so much beauty in the world. I love that I can press a button and my vision materializes — a visual diary, if you will. I have no patience for rendering via pen or paint. My expectations scare me though. Am I living up to my potential? I have a fear of failure. I have a vision and I don’t always capture that vision. Will my memory card self-destruct? It’s my constant creative anxiety. Everyone has had experiences where these things happen, so I’m not entirely insane, right?
Charlsie: You’re not insane at all. Whenever I write an essay, even if I have it saved to the cloud and on the Note app on my iPhone — I am terrified I will lose it at some point. Even when I write things down in a physical notebook, I worry one of my dogs will knock over an iced coffee (you know how Biscuit is, let’s be real) and completely destroy all those one-liners and thoughts. I think if you are a creative of any kind and you don’t fear what could happen with your work, you are living in an alternate reality. In fact, I recently heard a story about Harry Styles getting mugged and when they asked him to turn over his phone and to give them the password to get into it — he made the split decision to run from the muggers despite them pointing weapons in his direction all because his creative life was on that phone and he rather have been injured or hurt than give them the power to access that creative work. We have to protect what we curate.
So, I’ve known you a long time and an anchor in your creative work has always been mental health. Talk to me about the bridge of art and mental illness — I know you have felt passionately about this in the past and I want to hear how this connection has evolved and where you stand now.
Diamond: I have several friends/family with mental illness so people with mental illness have a special place in my heart. Originally, I believed art could be a saving grace for people with mental illness. I still believe that. Right now, I want to focus on providing resources like workshops, books, and guides for marginalized artists with mental illness. I see many artists with mental health issues, and I think if they had resources, they could pivot into a successful art career without years of struggling. Art has been my saving grace with my own personal experience with mental illness. Art helped me break out of my shy shell. I’ve pushed myself to follow through with commitments because of my love for art. I’ve pushed myself out of my comfort zone and I want the same for other people.
Charlsie: Art is magical because it can open so many doors and there are so many mediums that artists can explore to help them come out of their shell and their own mind. We get so deeply twisted in our own heads and sometimes putting words on paper, picking up a camera and taking photos, or sketching can completely transport us to a new world...which we so desperately need. Especially now. I’m not even going to sugar coat it, the world is fucked right now. Is art an escape or is it just something else that feels fucked to you? How are you finding balance?
Diamond: BOTH! Everything is fucked, but art is helping me take my mind off of the chaos. I feel guilty sometimes, but it’s healthy to spend time creating. It’s fucked because I think a lot of artists are capitalizing from recent events, but hey — we live in a capitalist society. I find balance by donating to authentic artists who support the causes I care about.
Charlsie: Oh yes, people have jumped on the bandwagon for certain movements just to make a quick buck or two. I tend to flock to people who are true to who they are through and through, not just because the wind shifts another direction. I know you’re the same way and I think it’s comforting for me to know that you, as a true artist within the Atlanta community and beyond, can clearly see the distinction of who is doing something to capitalize on a moment and who is being authentic. Alright, I feel like we’re at that point in the conversation and in our friendship over the years where we have to discuss this and not even dance around it. You’re a Black woman — talk to me about your experience as a Black woman artist and what you wish people would know that may not be easy to see with a naked eye.
“Being an artist is not for the faint of heart. Being a Black woman is not for the faint of heart. Success at being both? There’s a lot of strength and perseverance required.”
Diamond: Oh, wow, Charlsie, how much time do you have?
Charlsie: I have the rest of my life because it’s pandemic times. But seriously — take all the time you need. I’m holding space to learn and process better.
Diamond: There is a lack of Black woman artists and curators in the art world, and as a result of that, we’re forced to create our own avenues. I’ll never forget, my art history professor told my class that art history was originally and is dominated by rich white women/men because they have the luxury of time. I think, and this is probably true for a lot of industries, I think many people say they covet the Black woman, they want to see her represented, they want to know her opinion, but oftentimes there’s no action behind those words. Recent events have spurred change and I’ve seen many more Black women in prominent roles within the art world. I’m thankful I live in the Internet era. Black women have the opportunity to showcase our work without relying strictly on museums and galleries.
I grew up in a single parent, middle class household, in a not-so stable home. As a middle class Black woman, I’ve faced so many setbacks. You really have to be at the right place, at the right time, have the right mindset [self-esteem, self-love], and be willing to fight to get your foot in the door. It takes a lot of gumption to pursue art, and unless you’re incredibly lucky, it takes money, time, accessibility, and support. Oftentimes, Black women do not have these resources, and they have to learn and unlearn a lot to gain the momentum necessary to create a bustling art career.
A Black woman artist’s success depends extremely on her home environment. She needs to be encouraged to pursue her medium. She needs to have a mentor who knows the ways of the art world in her town. She needs to have transportation if she doesn’t live in the city. If she doesn’t live near a city, she needs to move. She can’t be forced to be the family babysitter. All of these obstacles may sound typical, or normal, but you add systemic racism into the mix — it’s exhausting. We can’t be too loud, if we are loud we are viewed as obnoxious.
Being an artist is not for the faint of heart. Being a Black woman is not for the faint of heart. Success at being both? There's a lot of strength and perseverance required.
Charlsie: I have goosebumps from what you just said because when I hear answers to this question from others, the foundation of how you become an artist — especially as a Black woman — is usually left out of the picture. There aren't the talking points you just rattled off about home environment, mentorship, opportunities within a region such as a city or town, and above all — the systemic racism at play. The system is rigged starting with systemic racism and then when you break it down into gender, race, and class issues...it’s as if everything is stacked against you. Everything. And this is why I’m so impressed with you because for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve always risen above socioeconomics, race, and gender defining you. You have what the French call that je ne sais quoi about you and I feel like it’s your secret sauce. Your brains, beauty, and your wild talent are driving factors but overall — you are a substantial fighter with everything in your life and that drive is something you can’t buy at a store or get from a therapist after a few sessions. It’s who you are. It’s the way you’re wired. And it’s fucking inspirational.
With that said, I have to know this though — creatively, what is something you haven't done yet that scares the ever living shit out of you but you know you'll do it one day?
Diamond’s ability to interject mental illness into the conversation about art is one of the most progressive artist statements I’ve seen in the very small Atlanta art space. She is a thought leader in the space.
Diamond: I am extremely terrified of public speaking, and leadership, in general, but I know that’s part of my purpose. When I think about it, it makes sense that certain creative ventures might not come together for me instantly because I know I need to grow a bit in order for me to achieve certain goals. I used to be frightened to introduce myself to people. I’ve conquered so many fears already. I know I will squash my fear of public speaking.
Charlsie: When you book your first public speaking gig, which I feel like is going to be right around the corner — I’m coming and you can just pretend you’re talking to me over a cup of coffee or 45 glasses of wine. Either/or works. So, I ask everyone this question and now it’s your turn to answer it: If you had to sit your fifteen year old self down today, what would you tell her to look forward to and what would you tell her to look out for?
Diamond: I would tell her not to worry about what other people think about her because she won’t even remember their names in 15 years. I would tell her to speak up about what makes her uncomfortable. Speak up about getting therapy. Don’t take things personally. Continue to show effort even if you think the opportunity has passed/you’re late. The energy she puts into the universe is what she receives, and sometimes all she has to do is ask. I would tell her everything she wants will be hers in the future — so don’t stress about it!
Charlsie: That made me cry. Thank you. 15 is such a bizarre year for people. I think the message about speaking up about things that make you uncomfortable is huge. Looking back, I wish I used my voice more. If we all did that at 15, imagine how much more rounded we’d be as full grown adults. Let’s talk about love real quick. Are you a believer that love changes the lens of how art is created? If so, tell me about it. If not, does love as an emotion play any role in the work you create?
Diamond: YES! I think the love you have for yourself and for others can change the quality and the scope of an artwork. It changes how you create art and how you view art. Love changes how you think, your perspective, how you interpret your environment. I know many people who experience a creative flow when in love, or even when feeling loved by friends. Moreover, love is going to influence how and if you share your art with the world. A lack of love can really be detrimental to art. Art, after all, is a perception of life, and what’s life without love?
Charlsie: Interesting. Truly. When I’m in love with someone — I have the worst writer’s block. When I’m single or going through turmoil like a break up, words pour out of me like a waterfall. However, when I reconnect with the love I have for myself or my friends or my environment — the work I create has a different flow to it. It’s more disjointed but it’s easier to execute and articulate. I think you hit the nail on the head by saying “what’s life without love?” Ok, I think you need to go get a tattoo of that saying on your body right now. I love it so much. My treat. Pick a tattoo parlor. We’re going. Speaking of tattoo parlors, which are everywhere in Atlanta, I have to ask you about this city. As you and I both know, the city of Atlanta is changing rapidly. What impression does it have on you right now and how do you react to that?
Diamond: I’m really grateful that I moved to Atlanta as a teenager. My experience as a Black woman artist would be significantly different if I stayed in my hometown. I grew up in Upstate New York, and although I would visit my sister almost every year after I was six, I never noticed how many Black people lived in Atlanta. It’s odd, though, because I was definitely in town for one of the Freakniks. 1996, I believe. So many Black people — affluent, artistic, well-rounded Black people in my life. I knew they existed — but I had never seen so many of my people doing well before! So that’s my main reason why I fell in love with Atlanta. I refer to Atlanta as the Melting Pot of the South, and I love it for that.
Hey Keisha Lance Bottoms (Mayor of Atlanta), can we please work on getting a proper public transportation system? It’s 2020. It seems doable.
However, Atlanta is still a part of Georgia. Atlanta would be EPIC if I could take Marta to the city (I live 10 miles outside the perimeter)]. Atlanta is stuck in the past. Is it more progressive than other southern cities? Yes, but there’s a lot of room for improvement in policy and race matters. Atlanta is definitely more liberal than the other parts of Georgia, but (especially these days) it’s easy to see that some things haven’t changed that much. The South moves at a slow pace. I’ve experienced a lot of unprofessionalism in different areas, like health care. For instance, my twin nephews prescriptions were mixed up, and that’s something that could be a fatal mistake. There’s no sense of urgency.
Charlsie: I cannot believe you just brought up Freaknik. A mention of Freaknik was not on my 2020 Bingo card. I am so fascinated by that era of the Black community and culture in Atlanta, I’ve actually done a ton of reading about it and it’s something that I wish was more predominant today and I’m saying that as a privileged white woman because I think this city should be thanking that time for shaping so much of the culture here. I think everything you just said about Atlanta is spot on — we are progressive but we are so, so miserably behind.
So, we are living in very difficult times with Covid-19, an upcoming election, new attention to the Black Lives Matter movement, horrifying immigration issues near our borders, and a plethora of other things — how do you sleep at night?
Diamond: Honestly, the past couple of nights I haven’t gotten much sleep at all. The bags under my eyes are horrendous. I was getting some sleep a couple of weeks ago, then I decided to venture down the rabbit hole of Jeff Epstein, Pizza Gate, human trafficking, and I must say I am overwhelmed about the state of the world.
However, the things that have helped me cope are:
Exercising: I try to go for a morning and evening walk everyday. Being outside makes me concentrate on something other than a screen/news, and I can focus on breathing techniques. I also adopted a dog. She is obsessed with going for walks.
Limiting my intake of news/true crime: I LOVE me some true crime, but these days there’s an overload of chaos in the world, so I don’t need to go looking for it. I often find myself thinking about domestic violence and marginalized people who don’t have the options I have. The news is very overwhelming, and after a while you really have to question the sensationalism.
FaceTiming: It’s so nice to see your friends so that you know they’re alive, and if you’ve chosen (your friends) wisely, they will relate to all of the stress you have and they can help keep your mind off things and they can validate your feelings. I get carried away and end up FaceTiming for hours.
Joining Facebook/Reddit/Whatever groups: If you’re going to be at home you still need to find a way to socialize! I joined some groups that focus on topics related to my art/business/interests and it's a great way to find information and be a part of a community. Join a book club! I love virtual meet-ups for book discussions. I don’t recommend joining conspiracy/true crime groups unless you’re ready to have your anxiety heightened.
Take a social media vacation: I don’t even need to explain that one.
Charlsie: Diamond, all I want to do is take a social media vacation but all of my clients are social media based. If I could turn off Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook — I feel like my brain would reinvent itself. I think 2020 has been really rough for social media managers. If you ever go down the social media manager threads on Twitter about this year, it gets dark...very fast. You seem to have a lot of really good coping skills for this time. It’s encouraging to hear what others are doing because I feel like we often only hear the negative and not the silver lining like finding new Facebook communities that can teach you a lot or just enjoying nature on a simple morning walk.
I’m grateful for Diamond’s time to answer these questions — not because her answers are phenomenal, but her answers make me think and ponder and come back to thoughts I’ve never focused on before. Diamond is a — no pun intended — a diamond in the rough when it comes to creative and profound discussions. I feel lucky to know her and I feel proud of the journey she has been on and continues to follow the path towards.
Alright, I’ve taken up way too much of your time. Your dog is probably angry with me, so let me wrap this up so you can go give her all the love and attention she deserves. So here's the last question: It's 2025 — tell me what your life is like. What song is playing. What food is on your plate. Where are you. Who are you with. How do you feel. Tell me.
Diamond: I’m in Europe, FINALLY comfortable traveling after Covid-19 and I’m photographing an elopement for a beautiful couple. I make a special stop in Venice for some fresh Prosecco and cheese at a local watering spot. I book a session from a couple in Santorini, so I jet off to the Aegean Sea. With the wind in my hair and salt against my skin, I pick up my camera and shoot. I’ve got my 90s/00s pop playlist playing on the way back to Atlanta. Why am I headed home? Well, I’m attending a conference — my conference. My very own conference. I’m hosting it, I’m producing it. It’s mine. All mine.
Stop what you’re doing right now, reader and follow Diamond on her personal Instagram, her professional Instagram, and check out her website www.apuregem.com and www.artchangedmylife.com. Diamond specializes in family and lifestyle photo shoots and I promise you, her laugh is the most contagious and uplifting thing you will ever hear. Book a session with her if you want candids that will make you blush and say “That’s really me?” And if you feel so compelled after reading this beautiful discussion with her, please e-mail her at at apuregem@gmail.com.