Visionaries Presents | Monique Henry-Hudson!

“I don’t think anything…but imagine everything”

We are in transition. Summer’s over now, and the air’s getting cold and delicate. Well not really, because where I’m from it’s “Summer” 365, so I’m actually referring to where I am now, where I actually started writing this post. All over the world, everything becomes naturally beautiful with the appearance of the autumn season, and although they say “Melancholy is the autumn” because of the falling of the leaves , something beautiful is blooming over here in New York City.

Lots of people are shaking the world in some of the smallest of ways, and I can assure you,without even making mention of her craft, this young lady is one of them. She is beyond the shadow of a doubt, one of most kind and nice persons I know, and because I got to meet her mother as well, I know exactly where she got those qualities. She’s always giving back, volunteering here, lending a hand there, the epitome of a true servant leader. Her positivity is infectious, even in the light of situations that occurred in her past, and I’m incredibly inspired by her creation story.

I know lots of great things are on their way to her, and that’s why I want to present to you Monique Henry-Hudson!

1) Tell us about Monique Henry-Hudson,who is she?

Who am I? Every day I think I get closer to knowing and understanding who I am spiritually and professionally. Right now I can say that I am a storyteller, an Artist, and an Animator. 

2) As a creative, tell us about some of the things that inspire you and why.

I draw inspiration from everything.I believe that my mind is currently over saturated due to the vast amount of resources that are so readily available. Between the blogs, e-books, books and websites, so many images are constantly coming at me, that one way or another , they find their way into my work.

3) How do you translate your inspiration into production?

 In terms of taking that and making it a project, I try to have a rather clear intent on why I want to make something. I always plan before, even if it is a little sketch or a few sentences just to remind myself of  what my original purpose was.

4) Tell us about “SimplyRobotix”, and why it was created.

SimplyRobotix is my brand so to speak. It is the name in which I distribute all of my artistic work. It was originally created because in my sophomore year of college we needed a website and had to update it with our assignments for our professor to grade.

5) What is the purpose of it now?

Right now SimplyRobotix is serving the same purpose. It is still a website showcasing my work. We all just have to wait and see what is in store for SimplyRobotix in the future. You can view SimpleRobotix here

6)  Do you work alone, or do you share your creative space?

I work alone for the most part. I’m venturing into collaborative work but nothing is confirmed yet.

7)Support systems are important, how has support been for you? 

I’m very blessed to have such a strong support system. My parents were my original cheerleaders. They always encouraged me to follow my heart’s desire. In college I had to deal with the passing of my father and I was so fortunate to have my youth group, friends and classmates to lean on during that tough time period. It really does take a village to raise a child and I am definitely grateful for mine.

8) What does it mean to be creative, and what is your creative process like?

To me, being creative means having the courage to accept the challenge to do the things the little voice in your head says is too crazy to do. My creative process varies depending on what I’m working on. Like I said I’m a planner. Maybe it is my paranoia of things going completely wrong but when it comes to paintings, drawings and illustrations I always do a little sketch. When it comes to stories I try and reduce the story to 3 sentences that summarize what it is about. When it comes to animations I create brief storyboards to as a pre-visualization of what I’m aiming to achieve. 

9) Do you think that creativity is something we are born with,or do we develop into a creative person?

 I think we all are creative individuals. Some of us are shown how to tap into our creativity at earlier ages than others, and we all have unique ways in which we are creative. Lawyers for one, I perceive to be creative individuals and they have nothing to do with art in the traditional sense.

10) Lawyers? Let’s talk about them. Why do you perceive them to be creative individuals?

I think they have to be creative when presenting cases to a judge and jury. Especially if your client is guilty, you are still trying to paint them in a light so that they do not get the maximum punishment.

11) If you can have lunch with anyone who would it be?

If I can have lunch with anyone I would have lunch with my future self. Is that too narcissistic? I’m interested in the wisdom my future self would have for me now. Would she tell me that I’m on the right track? That I should’ve made a left where I made a right?

12) That’s very interesting, so how do you handle your fear of the unknown?

I try not to worry about the “unknown” I can admit that I’m always thinking about the future, but I’m not afraid of it.

13) What does it mean to be a visionary to you?

To be a visionary to me would mean being driven to make your dreams a reality. A visionary person is also of service to their community and is an uplifting, selfless individual. 

14) Do you think you have the ability to be an influencer in your city?

 I do believe I have the ability to be an influencer. I’ve never been the type to withhold information from people who could benefit from it.

15) New York city is very fast paced, how has the culture affected you?

How hasn’t NYC’s culture affected me is the real question! I say that I’m desensitized to a lot of things because there are so many cultures outside of my own from the time I step out my building door. I can eat food from places I’ve never visited. It is the melting pot that it is often referred as. 

16) Tell us about the “Save The Date” project you worked on.

The “Save The Date” flyer on my website was for my friend Jade Seaberry’s fashion Showcase to raise funds for the American Cancer Society, and to help specifically aid current patients and families that are taking care of someone with cancer. It was In memory of Margo Bassett and Joseph Pugh. You can find the fashion showcase here.

17) To persons that want to give back and be of service, where do you recommend they start?

I suggest starting with people who have helped you. Start with your school and your church. Then reach out to centers and nonprofit organizations. They are always looking for volunteers.

18) What would be your dream project?

My dream project would be directing and producing my own short and have it distributed across the world.

19) what’s next for Monique Henry-Hudson

What’s next?! Well I will be a mentor for a high school student this year for the first time. In November I will be attending the CTN Animation Expo in Burbank California. I’m also launching a new website later this year as well as beginning development for a new independent animated short. I know it is a lot, but an artist is always looking for outlets to have their work exposed to an audience.

 20)Lastly, what advice would you give to all women in the world, who are pursuing their dreams?

My advice to women, particularly young women such as myself is to first accept the fact that we do not NEED to have it all right now. We are young and obsessed with trying to accomplish so much by the time we’re 25 or 30 or 35 that we let good times pass us by because we are consumed with the good times we expect later. Pursue your dreams! Live your life! Work hard, and remain dedicated to your craft and your dreams and you will see how things will fall into place