One huge emphasis of BUTTER is community: bringing artists together, showcasing their incredible talent to the community, and making sure they are paid. PATTERN had a chance to sit down with one of the artists who was asked to show their work at this year’s BUTTER Art Fair, SLIM Avre. She shares this same love of community and is often inspired by those around her. She spoke about how thankful she was for an event like BUTTER for bringing the community together.
SLIM Avre has been creative her entire life but started seriously painting four years ago. She focuses on environmental art and paintings with vibrant colors and designs. Earlier this year, she was able to share work at solo shows entitled, The Hue Man Experience Exhibitions, at 1000 Words Gallery. Read the conversation below to learn more about SLIM Avre’s creative inspirations and how she sees BUTTER growing in the future.
You can keep up with SLIM Avre on Instagram.
Alexa Carr: Who and what inspires you to create art?
SLIM Avre: Life inspires me to create art. Honestly, that and the people that I’m surrounded by, because I love to create my own space. I feel like every individual has the power to create their own space. So, surrounding myself with people who are doing the same things, people doing different things, people doing things I love to do, that really inspires me.
AC: How would you describe your art?
SLIM: I would say my art is very much abstract realism. It’s all about life and with a dreamy perspective. I also focus quite a bit on environmental art. Because I love abstract, I always like to play with elements like time and things that you can’t really directly show, but have to figure out how to portray on canvas.
AC: When did you first realize that you’re interested in creating?
SLIM: I would say at a very young age. My first form of art was fashion at about five years old. I was just telling my mom, “You don’t have to dress me. I can do this myself.” Then I picked up on drawing because of my sister. She used to draw a lot, so I began drawing. Then I went to college. When I was in college, I was exposed to painting. Around the 2018/2019 timeframe is when I really started painting and really taking a serious for real. So, I’ve been an artist my whole entire life, honestly.
AC: How did you first hear about BUTTER?
SLIM: I first heard about BUTTER last year, in its first year. I was—and still am—friends with Kyng Rhodes, who was a part of BUTTER last year and is again this year. I came to BUTTER as a visitor last year, and I just was able to experience the event in its entirety. Now, this year, it’s been a great experience being celebrated as an artist, versus last year attending as a visitor.
AC: How do you see BUTTER impacting the Indianapolis creative economy?
SLIM: Honestly, I feel like BUTTER will be the next biggest art fair in the country. I feel like no one else is really doing what they’re doing and making sure work gets done like the organizers of BUTTER. Especially important is what they’re doing by making sure artists get 100% of the proceeds from the sale of their art. Also, I think this because of it being a strictly Black art fair because we don’t really have anything there strictly for us. Those specific reasons are why BUTTER is going to continue blowing up.
AC: I think that and the incredible, uplifting energy at BUTTER. You can feel it.
SLIM: Yes. That’s why I like to surround myself in this environment, because we’re creating our own community—like I said before—about creating your own space. You never know what might happen, being around people you don’t know. The unknown can be kind of scary sometimes, but when you’re in these types of environments and this type of community, I may not know you, but you know a bunch of people that I know. It’s the connections that make it easier. I really appreciate how BUTTER brings people together like this.
