Today we’d like to introduce you to Nwamaka Korie.
Hi Nwamaka, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been making art and telling stories as long as I can remember. Growing up beside three artistic sisters, I was always inspired to create. I was known for coming up with crazy storylines and acting them out with dolls. In high school, I was a true theatre kid studying design and production at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology. During school, I built sets and designed posters, and after school I would walk over to the other side of the building where I worked on TV sets at my BCPSTV internship. I had a lot of fun producing and hosting shows.
Around the same time, I started making upcycled mirror art from thrifted pieces, adorning the frames, then gifting them to family and friends. The first one I ever made was for my mom with the affirmation “beautiful Igbo Woman“ on it. Those were the first seeds of what grew into my affirmation art practice.
I went on to Howard University to study Film & Television. There I explored all avenues of the entertainment industry from development to marketing. My first script, The Mixup, a coming-of-age story about sisterhood, received the 2019 Paul Robson Award for Scriptwriting. I joined the Howard Entertainment program in my junior year, taking classes in LA, including a film criticism class at Emerson College. Then the pandemic hit, and my schooling went online.
With more time at home, I returned to making mirror art. I was making so many pieces and decided it was time to share my art online. I launched Mira Mma Studios in 2024. Then a friend of mine shared an opportunity to host a workshop at the Baltimore Museum of Art’s Lexington Market space. I taught my first workshop in December 2025. Now, through Mira Mma Studios, I produce affirmation art workshops throughout Baltimore.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I struggled to build up my momentum as an artist at first.
Like many first-gens, having a creative career wasn’t in my parents’ cards for me. It was really hard to advocate for and pursue my visions without their initial support. I truly believe in the healing power of art, so I could never undervalue the importance of my creative pursuits. Consistently showing up to my affirmation art practice grounds me and enables me to persist through any waves of self-doubt.
I’m really grateful to have my roots here in Baltimore; our arts space is thriving and energizing. I’m surrounded by so much great talent and an empowering community. We encourage each other to keep dreaming and building, cheering each other on through the wins and lessons.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an artist, filmmaker, photographer, writer, and educator creating from my Igbo-American experience.
In all my mediums, my work centers Black joy and archival history with a focus on self-affirmation and community care. I’m the founder of Mira Mma Studios— combining the Igbo word ‘mara mma’; “beautiful” with ‘mirror’—where I create affirmation artwork and facilitate community workshops.
As a filmmaker and writer, I explore coming-of-age narratives, cultural memory, and magical realism. As an educator, I teach African American history and media arts to K–12 Baltimore city students.
This year has really been full of exciting engagements with my community. I’m proud to have been a part of Black Is Magazine’s The Everyday: Scenes in Baltimore photography exhibition at the Charm City Cultural Cultivation. I’m also proud of creating “Orion’s Mira,” a tactile art piece for the Peale Museum’s Active Power of Touch show curated by Museum Senses, an organization that creates accessible art experiences for all, including the blind community.
I am most proud of the art affirmation workshops I host through Mira Mma Studios. I love creating space for my community to come together and affirm their reflections through art. There’s always a healthy mix of tears, laughter, and epiphanies at my events.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I start most days listening to my Caribbean gospel music playlist, which always lifts my mood and fuels my spirit. I’m tuned into the She’s So Lucky podcast by Les Alfred and IMO by Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson for my weekly dose of insight and inspo. I just finished reading The Soul Instinct by Beatrice Dixon with a book club. Her story encouraged me to fearlessly follow my own life path and listen to my intuition.
Improv is one of my favorite forms of creative catharsis. I’ve been taking classes for two years, and it’s a really fun way to practice being present. I think everyone should try an improv class; the world would probably be a better place.
I also love attending local open mics, theatre shows, and museum exhibitions. I recently saw Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture exhibition at the Walter’s Art Museum and was blown away.
Pricing:
- Inquire for workshop pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amakakorie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amakakorie/
