Today we’d like to introduce you to Miriam Moran.
Hi Miriam, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Started from being a little girl with a wish growing up in the Stapleton projects of Staten Island, New York. Even with the gun violence, on going drug influence on the streets environment, I saw the beauty with the love of my family, my love of the graffiti art on the walls around our community and the hopes I would become an artist one day myself. After another young one murdered in my neighborhood at age 14 my parents move me and my family to the Eastern Shore of Maryland to be raised in our new home in a country setting environment. An environment I felt so out of place with at first. Going to a new school in St. Michaels Maryland was a non existence diverse culture for me and my older brothers of Puertorican decent but my wish as a little girl was still at heart and one day I was so excited to share with my new guidance counselor all about the future wish of mine. The day I shared that with her is the day my wish became diminished. She told me art is not a real career and it is just a hobby. I went home unhopeful and over time I did not want to invest in my education any more and dropped out of 9th grade to work full time. Settling down at the age of 19, pregnant and married. The love of art was dim until 2007 when I was in a car accident with my one-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son. On my way to get dropped off to work, another young man ran the red light and struck the driver’s car where I was the side passenger. Me and my two children were flown to John Hopkins. My daughter was paralyzed from hip down and unable to walk. I suffered from internal bleeding and doctors had to perform a nine-hour surgery to save my life. Blessedly my son had only a minor scratch. From there I had to recover bed written injury rapidly and get up to invest to help my daughter heal and the wish I had with art now became a prayer more than anything was to help my daughter to be able to regain feeling again. I would pick up paper and just draw my wishes of her healing and hopes of her walking away from her wheelchair. But that’s far as it would go. Life and more tribulations would go on until one day I decided to not to take any more heavy trauma from the past car accident to the physical and mental abuse from my ex-husband. Being divorced and a single mother of 5 can truly put you in a hurt place. 2015 is the year God helped me turn my pain into power in which it led me to my true purpose. A purpose to pick up a paintbrush and start to paint without any one’s validation or anyone to stop me from using my gift I had this whole time. To use art gift as a voice.
I started to paint to advocate untold stories and history which inspired a momentous movement in Dorchester County, Maryland. The first story I painted was based on civil rights activist leader Gloria Richardson.
From there my art and meeting with Cambridge civil rights leader Gloria sparked many eastern shore community organizations. Inspiring many Cambridge natives like well known long time eastern shore muralist Mr. Rosato to shine more light to our black history of our Cambridge Community through art murals. Passing the opportunity so that he was able to paint the viral mural of Harriet Tubman and have more influence for our community to recognize the rich history of eastern shore is more than agriculture, there is legacy.
From there I became more of an advocate artist and during a time of riots with the murder of George Floyd. In 2020, I was God led to do a Black Lives Matter design to unite our community to remember that we came to far to give up on justice and unity. On Juneteenth, the Black Lives Matter street mural was revealed on race street In Cambridge MD. A street known for racism and civil rights heavy battle now history was being made. A mark of resilience and unity. I collaborated with direct descendant of Harriet Tubman..Shelton Hawkins, alpha genesis organization and Dorchester center of the arts to lead 100 of volunteers to help me complete the BLM mural design in 3 days.
That BLM mural impacted Cambridge Community in a such a huge way. Inspiring many to use their voice, use their gifts and in unity you can make a difference if we rise together. Reminding our black and brown people that our ancestors didn’t just past down wounds but we have past down STRENGTHS.
From there I continued to push the boundaries here in Cambridge Maryland of eastern shore. I also advocate for our youth of our eastern shore communities and for the boys and girls club of metro Baltimore. I gain a close relationship with the kids that attend the new boys and girls club of Leonard’s lane in Cambridge. Ages that range from 6-12. The youth also have a voice they want to share but at times become deaf to one ears due to the ongoing violence in our neighborhoods and schools.
I was inspired by our BGC youth members to paint inspiration of mentorship and I chose one of my mentor inspiration Mr. Emory Jones.
Giving motivation to our youth that even with our dim past and tribulation present, does not mean our future will not be bright. Art changed my life so it can change another through inspiration as it did me when I was growing up. At this moment a wish being an artist, is now a want to create. create daily inspiration in this purpose I am certain to be rightfully in.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being a rising Puertorican decent artist in a small community that is not known for being open to diverse art culture is a struggle. Majority times I do not get the same support as white artist especially men artist. Being rejected from jobs and lack of opportunities, artnapping my work concepts and not giving credit where credit is due. I learn to continue to strive for equality pay and value in my gift. At times a mural project can be easily funded for a white artist and harder for a non white artist like myself and it’s a huge struggle I am still trying to overcome not for just myself only but a voice for other artists of color.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a muralist, I am an artivist, I am an art mentor, I am a God missionary led artist, I am a creator. I can create art pieces with just grains of table salt. My art gifts were not taught in school but led by pain that turn into purpose. My mission is to open a gallery and youth center so art can be used as a form of therapy and mentorship. I am proud I am able to inspire another that no matter the circumstances you face in life that doesn’t stop your chance to want better, to be better. Our mess can turn to a masterpiece. I don’t paint for the notoriety, I paint for a purpose.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
By reaching out to me personally via email or phone and supporting my genuine mission through connection. I love being commissioned and giving opportunities from face painting, special paint events, murals, fashion design, anything art culture. I love to collaborate with other artists on projects that will enhance our gifts. Follow me on Facebook or Instagram and share/support my work. Can also donate painting materials or tips towards my mission on my website at www.myartistmiriammoran.com.
Contact Info:
- Email: artistmiriammoran@gmail.com
- Website: www.myartistmiriammoran.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artistmiriammoran/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/artistMiriamMoran/
