Art is not mere entertainment or decoration, it has meaning, and we both want and need to fathom that meaning

Toni Morrison

On Saturday, July 20th, Miranda Humphrey gifted local store attendant Milo with a graphic painting featuring popular snacks sold in the store. Miranda is a freelance artist who graduated from Prairie View A&M University in 2021. For those who don’t know, Milo is favored and well-known among the PVAMU student body for his welcoming attitude to all customers. Anything you need can be found at the iconic A&M Mart, whether you are looking for an after-class drink, snack, or standard dorm room supplies. PVAMU students supported Divine Creations with hundreds of comments and thousands of impressions uplifting Milo and Miranda’s paintings. 

I asked Miranda why she thinks Milo is an essential part of PV culture and why it is meaningful for her artwork to be showcased in the A&M Mart. She explained, “Milo has been a huge part of my life since 2016! Every time I enter the A&M Mart, he gives me words of encouragement & is so happy to see me, so in 2021, I decided to make him a painting to show my appreciation. I can’t quite speak for everyone, but I’m sure many people have had a heartwarming experience with Milo!” Miranda wasn’t alone in her sentiments; the post garnered thousands of Instagram impressions from individuals all over the Prairie View Community. We can showcase Black art in all corners of life thanks to artists like Divine Creations and praise our competent Black artists. 

The third edition of the collection of Black art located in Milo’s has shown the extent the community is willing to support its artist. I asked Miranda as an alumna, how we further help them? Miranda expressed, “Personally, I love how the artists of PV have a group whose social is @eclectic.co_lIc where they all support each other and have pop-ups to showcase their talents. I wish I had been more involved while I was there, but as of now, I admire their efforts, PV itself should show more love to its artists because we bring color to black and white. ” Another way to support artists is to understand why they create. I asked Miranda her most significant inspirations for capturing Black life in her artwork. “My biggest inspiration for capturing Black lives in my art is not seeing much when I was growing up, or if I saw it, it would be Black faces with white features. Now as artists, we can make art the way we see the world in our eyes and capture our true beauty.” This is a recurring baseline for Black creators across various mediums, growing up without fundamental visuals of black life. Black artists can illustrate the Black experience through their own stories to control the narrative and unfold the complexity that is Black art. 

Art is never without a struggle; it can be challenging for smaller audiences to compete with more prominent creators or corporations. Prairie View is the perfect place to practice supporting Black-owned businesses like Divine Creations. To minimize the struggle for future artists, I asked Miranda for some rules and tips for artists and A&M Customers. She advocated, “Never give up. Sometimes you may have 5 customers, sometimes, you may have 2 customers, and sometimes you may have none at all. Keep pushing!” 

Milo and the A&M Mart have earned their5-star rating and a place in the heart of all Prairie View Students, past and present, thanks to Milo. Don’t forget to stop and take a picture with Divine Creations artwork and use the hashtag “#pvamu” to connect with the community. Direct message her on Instagram or her Etsy shop for custom orders. Stop by the A&M Mart from 7 am to 12 am Monday through Sunday to say hello to Milo.

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