Los Angeles-based Trinidadian artist Miles Regis is a self-taught fine artist. His work taps into the emotions of the exotic cultures of the world and adopts them in a proud and authoritative manner. He has kept that inner, explorative imagination of his mind saturated with notions, ideas and images reflective of a world filled with conflicting interests. Recently featured on CNN’s African Voices, Regis’ powerful work is provides thought provoking dialogue to which many notable collectors including Isaiah Washington, Nicollette Sheridan, and Ron Perlman are now paying attention.

Freedom starts with the mind. Freedom is a choice. You can choose, even subconsciously, to be bound to a way of life, a way of thinking, a feeling, a job, a relationship, a circumstance, etc. Those choices can be good or bad. Every action we take is a result of our freedom to think and to choose. Some of our ancestors have died for freedom and some of us will continue to die for freedom. We continue to fight over our freedom and we rebel against the lack of it. From abortion to gay marriage and historic battles over civil rights. We all believe strongly enough in one measure of freedom or another.  

There is a certain rebellion associated with freedom that I can relate to. In Trinidad I felt like I grew up with this rebellion around me and expressed my personal need to be free through various creative outlets: expressions in the form of art, music, and through the escape of our annual carnival.  In today's society I sometimes feel that freedom is often a word used, but not a concept we fully embrace. I want my art in general ("Mind Free" in particular) to be something that forces us to embrace the true meaning of freedom.

We can be globally free, but freedom starts with a mindset.  Whether as individuals or as a collective, we all need to adopt that concept of ‘freedom first’ within our minds.

www.milesregis.com