Angela Pilgrim’s art has been featured in prestigious publications such as The Creative Independent and The Getty Archives. Her contributions to the art world extend beyond print, as she has also been actively engaged in guest residencies and lectures across the nation. Her work is held in both public and private collections both nationally and internationally, including the Newark Public Library, Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Pilgrim’s participation in group exhibitions is noteworthy, particularly her inclusion in Black Histories, Black Futures at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Printmakers North American Print Biennial and Gadsden Museum of Art. Additionally, she serves as a board member of Frontline Arts in Branchburg, New Jersey and is a member of the Florida Printmakers Society. The following is our interview with her about her life and work in Newark.

The Newarker: Where are you from originally? What brought you to Newark? Are there any other places you call home?

I grew up in several towns in northern New Jersey, including Paterson, Hackensack, Englewood, and
Ridgefield Park. While Paterson will always have a special place in my heart as my hometown, I spent the
most time living in Hackensack during my childhood. I still enjoy visiting Bergen County from time to time, grabbing coffee in Bogota and soaking in the nostalgia. And, though I’m an East Coast girl at heart, I’ve grown to love my adopted home of California, specifically Santa Clarita Valley. The sunshine, beautiful sunsets, and desert landscape are a far cry from the neighborhoods of my youth.

The Newarker: How would you describe your work/artistic vision?

My artistic vision tends to be introspective, exploring aspects of my inner self and how I relate to the
outside world through a personal lens. There is an innocence and thoughtfulness that permeates my work as I reflect on my experiences. While my art can become quite cerebral at times due to my tendency to overanalyze, I aim to convey themes that are universally relatable by starting from a place of
self-understanding and vulnerability. My goal is to create pieces that connect with viewers in a heartfelt
way by sincerely conveying my own thoughts and emotions. And if it doesn’t resonate, that’s okay too; I
feel most free when expressing complex ideas through my art.

The Newarker: How has living in Newark inspired you creatively?

Newark has been integral in shaping the direction of my work and serves as a continual source of
inspiration. Creatively, I don’t believe I would be utilizing my current medium if not for my time spent here. What initially drew me to the community was its strong sense of togetherness and collective awareness. As Newark continues to evolve into an even better, stronger city over time, I find creative motivation in contributing to its success and growth through my art. My hope is to capture the character of this transformative place that has left an indelible mark on my artistic journey.

The Newarker: Any idea of what your next projects might be?

I have an exciting public art project in the works—a new mural unveiling coming up soon here in Newark.
It’s been in development for a while now, so it will be incredibly fulfilling to finally see it materialize and
become part of the fabric of the community. Outside of that large-scale endeavor, I’m also focused on
creating new pieces for a solo exhibition I have lined up in Sarasota next year.

The Newarker: Tell us about a show or event that you attended recently that you’d like others to know about.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Ryan Lee Gallery’s exhibition “Emma Amos: Classical Legacies.”
As an admirer of Amos’s work, I was eager to see her pieces included in this show in person. I enjoyed seeing her imaginative interpretations of classical work, which incorporated her contemporary aesthetic and personal perspective.

The Newarker: If you could revisit a past project or redo a finished work, what would it be? Why?

If I could go back in time, I would revisit some of my early fabric printing experiments and push those
techniques further. When I first learned screen printing, I set a goal to figure out how to effectively print on fabric—which I succeeded in initially. But because that achievement was such an exciting new creative challenge at the time, once I reached it, I moved on to other things and haven’t revisited fabric printing in the past few years. In hindsight, I wish I had taken more time early on to master printing on fabrics and create a fuller body of work utilizing that medium. Now that I’ve grown as an artist, I’m feeling drawn back to fabric and screenprinting again. I’m looking forward to rediscovering the joys and challenges.

The Newarker: Where are some of your favorite places in Newark to hang out and why?

When I’m not working in my studio, I enjoy spending time at Method Climbing + Cafe in downtown
Newark. More than just a climbing gym, Method has a fantastic cafe with eclectic drinks. It’s a great spot
to unwind or get some work done. It’s a nice change of pace from the intensity of my studio sessions. And it’s located right in the heart of the city, so I never have to go far. Grabbing a coffee there has become part of my regular routine.

The Newarker: Tell us something about you (or your work) that few people know.

Since the act of creating is such a meaningful and spiritual practice for me, I like to center myself with
prayer before starting a new piece. Taking that moment to connect on a deeper level allows the work to
flow through me in a more sincere way. The ritual of prayer helps calm my mind, open my heart, and
summon the focus and energy I need to fully immerse myself in making. By rooting my creative process in something sacred, I am able to push the boundaries of my art further and access states of imagination
and invention I couldn’t otherwise. My faith provides the foundation that enables me to show up fully
present and find new depths in my practice. Beginning each artwork with an intention set through prayer
allows me to approach my craft with reverence and purpose.

You can see more of Angela’s work on her official website:
https://www.angelapilgrim.com/

_{All photos courtesy of Angela Pilgrim}