Daily Inspiration: Meet Colby Snow

Today we’d like to introduce you to Colby Snow.

Hi Colby, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always been a creative person, but my relationship with art hasn’t been linear. I grew up between Chicago and Mississippi, so both environments shaped my eyes, perspective, imagination, and sense of identity in different ways. Art was never just about making something pretty; it became a reflection of who I am. When I could not be heard, art became my voice.

For a long time, creativity existed alongside practicality for me. I followed a more traditional path professionally by working full-time while creating art in the margins of my life. There were periods where I stepped away from painting altogether, either out of necessity or burnout. Looking back, those pauses were just as important as the periods of productivity. They helped sharpen my perspective and clarified why I create in the first place.

In recent years, I returned to my work with intention. I began developing a visual language rooted in portraiture, texture, and mixed media, often incorporating elements such as gold leaf, layered materials, and expressive color. Ever brush stroke, color choice, shape, and line is created with intention. I’ve stopped treating my art as a side project and moved it into a full on passion and commitment. Since then, I began my work to create Colbyism as a way to house the work, the process, and the story behind it.

Where I am now feels intentional. I am focused on creating work that feels honest and emotionally resonant. I want people to feel invited to linger. observe, and feel when they look at my art. I am still evolving, but that is always the fun part! I am creating from a place of clarity now rather than urgency.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has definitely had a few road bumps and potholes, haha! Like many creatives, I’ve had to navigate the tensions between survival and self-expression. Balancing working a full-time job with creative work often meant long stretches where art had to come second, even when it did not feel right.

One of the biggest challenges was learning how to take advantage of my free time and get lost in my creative work. The creative pauses can shake your confidence, and there were moments where I questioned whether I’d lost my voice or momentum altogether. Rebuilding that relationship with my art required patience, discipline, and a willingness to create without perfection.

Another challenge has been learning to treat my art as both expression and enterprise. Shifting from creating for myself to creating with intention, pricing work, presenting it publicly, and claiming space as an artist was a mindset change. I

Looking back, the unevenness of the journey shaped the work. The challenges clarified what mattered, and they taught me how to build something sustainable rather than rushed.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work centers on portraiture and mixed media, with a particular focus on black women and the quiet power, beauty, and grace they carry. I’m drawn to faces and figures because it allows me to explore identity, femininity, memory, and presence in a way that feels intimate and intentional.

Many of my pieces feature black women rendered with softness and strength, while at the same time, soft or strong gazes, composed posture, and moments of stillness that lead one to linger. I have been told that the eyes in my works tell a story on their own. I often incorporate different elements such as gold leaf and heavy textures to create depth and contrast.

I want my work to feel familiar, as if one may know this woman. I want them to feel a sense of relatability.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I draw inspiration from art, fashion, and design, particularly figures and houses that embrace surrealism mixed with luxury and strong visual identity. Schiaparelli in particular, has influenced the way I think about line, symbolism, and the female form by using abstraction and ornamentation to highlight presence rather than realism. That influence shows up in my work through graphic contours, stylized features, gold leaf adornments, and the balance between elegance and distortion.

Other than that, my process is very simple when it comes to my work. I rely on platforms such as Pinterest as a visual research tool. I treat it like a digital mood board in which I collect references for color, composition, style, or anything that catches my eye. Also, I take a lot of photos when i am outside. If I see something that piques my interest, I save it to my “Inspiration” folder.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://colbyism.com

Image Credits
All mine