Today we’d like to introduce you to Waladi Ali.
Hi Waladi, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I am a visual artist and graphic designer from Denver, Colorado. I’ve been drawing since I was about 3 years old, with the art supplies and encouragement from my parents and extended family members. I attended Morehouse College and took classes at Spelman College where I relearned the fundamentals of art and composition, thus adding to my skillset as a creative.
I met a number of incredible individuals who continuously assisted me in honing my craft, business knowledge, and more so that I could be the absolute best at what I do. I graduated in 2022 with my BA in art, and now continue to run and expand my business, “WBA Art LLC” to the community and world around me.
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?
I feel throughout the years of doing these interviews, I’ve always felt my biggest roadblock has been myself. Whether it be habits I continuously have to break, my toxic learned behavior, or personal stagnation, the journey has been less than smooth.
My current comic book project titled “Justice Rain”, has been completed since 2021, and I’ve just begun selling pre-orders for physical copies this past month. I felt that since there wasn’t a developed readership initially, (unlike my previous hit webcomic “Heart & Brain” on Webtoon and Tapas) it was destined to fail or just ‘not good enough’. I allowed external validation to dictate my inner validation, which was never the right move.
Now to combat overthinking and self-doubt, I affirm and approve of myself wholly and disallow results to tell me whether or not I’m ‘successful’ or not. And, inevitably, my total self-confidence in my completed projects never fails to win over the outside world in agreeance.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about WBA Art LLC?
My business is titled “WBA Art LLC”. It’d be important to know that my business name comprises my initials (Waladi Bashaar Ali), my passion (Art), and that we are a Limited Liability Company (LLC). I don’t recall if I was recommended this name in passing, but I always enjoyed simplicity in my works (when applicable). But taking a closer look, I want this title to express that anyone can do what I do in the realm of self-expression and having something to say. Which is exactly what we do in this business.
We give our audience of creatives the opportunity to tell their story through art. Whether it be working with our artists directly to curate their stories into custom art pieces, taking home original artwork and media by our artists that resonate with their stories, or learning from our experts how to draw their stories firsthand, empowerment through resonance is important to us. Because everyone has something to say, how they choose to tell it is up to them.
An excellent current example of our mission statement is our latest comic book titled “Justice Rain”. It’s a magnificent story about the changes we undergo in life and the fact that none of us will remain the same (morally, intellectually, physically, spiritually) forever. What sets it apart from other comic book media is there are guided journaling sections for readers to actively participate in the story alongside the characters.
Something my father worded as ‘Social emotional learning’, with questions such as “What do you fear? Who do you go to when you are afraid? How could (character x) have improved communication with the people around her? And how could you learn from her flaws?”. The book asks the reader often “What do you think?” and that’s the main motif of our business, and we’re always happy to provide that sense of consideration to the creatives we serve.
What’s next?
As far as the near future, we will be participating in a multitude of Denver art markets this summer, with the goal of selling physical copies of our comic books and artworks. But also, meeting and curating our community of creatives further.
There are plenty of amazing people who support us online, but there isn’t anything quite like getting to look them in the eye, shake their hands in person, and tell them thank you (new people that we will meet that enjoy our works included). Thus, bringing them back to the online community and creating a longtime relationship cycle of service and communication.
Down the road, at least 5 years into the future, I foresee a consistent WBA Art community that is able to exist without my oversight, with new relationships between members with new stories to tell. If Justice Rain hasn’t become an anime by that time, give us another year. We’ll have expanded relationships with other community members and business owners in the state of Colorado and across the nation.
Doing continuous art showings in different states, and countries, and being able to get all of our creative areas to peak for ourselves and the creatives we service. Perhaps, even a new team of artists that can exist under the WBA Art LLC umbrella, where they can pursue their dreams safely without financial woe, and tell their story, and the story of others for generations to come.
Pricing:
- “Justice Rain, Vol. 1” comic book $39.99
- Glossy photo paper 8.5in x 10.5in art print, $30.00
- Digital Art Commissions $250.00-$750.00
- Digital Bundle Art Commissions $400.00-$1,200.00
- Unlimited Character Design Service $2,500.00/monthly
Contact Info:
- Website: wbaart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ida_law/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waladi-ali-15289419a/
Image Credits
Jacob Duey (@the.duke.99)
