When I stumbled upon Nayò’s Instagram profile, I was immediately captivated by her profoundly unique art. Her vibrant colors, palpable sensitivity, and extraordinary universe sparked my curiosity and inspired me to reach out to the artist. I contacted Nayò right away. A few months later, this in-demand artist and I connected through a video call, where I discovered her and her fascinating perspective.

I must admit, I nudged Nayò a bit to join the call, as she was initially apprehensive about expressing herself in English, being a Portuguese speaker from Brazil. To my delight, we communicated effortlessly, making the interview one of the most enjoyable and enriching experiences for me (and for her I hope).

Nayò has been drawn to art since she was just four years old, influenced by her mother, who pursued art in her spare time. This passion followed her throughout her childhood and adolescence, leading her to refine her drawing skills and explore painting at Shonan Gakuen High School in Fujisawa, Japan, for a year.

Upon returning to Brazil, Nayò faced the pragmatic concerns of her parents, who, while appreciative of art, did not view it as a financially viable career. Consequently, Nayò chose to study architecture and urban planning, partly due to her lack of confidence in her artistic abilities she confides, but also because the program allowed for creativity and drawing.

As her university studies progressed, Nayò diligently pursued her artistic passion. She secured a part-time position as an art assistant to Brendon Reis, a well-established Brazilian visual artist. Impressed by her talent, Reis encouraged her to submit her work to Galeria Radiante, an art gallery in Rio de Janeiro.

Things then moved swiftly. Nayò had just 15 days to prepare three pieces for an exhibition at Galeria Radiante, which she accomplished with remarkable success. This opened the doors to the art world for her. Collaborating with Galeria Radiante, she gained access to significant exhibitions and art fairs, including ArtRio, one of the most important annual art events in Latin America. From then on, the trajectory of her career has been one of continuous success.

Today, Nayò is a full-time artist with the Sertão Negro collective, a cultural quilombo* (technically a settlement for artists) created by renowned Brazilian artist Dalton Paula in Goiânia, Goiás. Sertão Negro offers art and ecology classes as well as an art studio infrastructure for artists from Black, Indigenous and LGBTQ+ communities. In this quilombo, the residents live within a community system that honors traditional ways of life.

When asked where she finds her inspiration, her answer resonated deeply: “I am my own inspiration. I’ve spent so much time finding out who I am that I want to celebrate myself and my artistic universe. My art speaks of me.” I couldn’t help but smile at her heartfelt definition of her artistic dream: “My dream is simply to be an artist. I used to be so afraid of being one, but now I’m living my dream and allowing life to guide me. Come to think of it… I want to travel and have a studio abroad—why not New York?” I was also struck by how her creativity extends to her clothing, which she confirmed by expressing her strong interest in fashion and admiration for Erykah Badu.

In summary, Nayò is an extraordinary artist who has courageously embraced her passion and, without a doubt, is destined for remarkable heights in the art world.

Thank you so much, Nayò, for such a pleasant and rewarding meeting. I sincerely enjoyed making your acquaintance and will continue to follow your development.

You can follow her here: https://www.instagram.com/nayo.arte/?hl=en

Location: Goiâna (Goiás state), Brazil

*A quilombo, from the word Kilombo (literally meaning ‘war camp’ in Kinbundu, the second-most-widely-spoken Bantu language in Angola) is a Brazilian hinterland settlement founded by people of African origin (historically enslaved Africans who escaped from plantations).