At just 17 years old, Patience Epps, creator of Pizelz Creationz, has learned to transform her emotions into art. Her journey of self-expression, which was on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA), May 10 – July 20, 2025, reflects a deep emotional landscape and a creative voice she proudly calls her own.
“I was always the kid that drew on walls and furniture,” she said. “My parents finally gave me a canvas and a notebook.”
What began as a way to fight boredom has grown into both a passion and a business. Each piece she creates is filled with emotion, conveyed through color, texture and intention.
Epps says her love for art developed naturally. In elementary school, when words failed her, she turned to sketching to process how she felt. “I wasn’t really the kid to explain how I felt because I didn’t necessarily know how to. So painting was my way out of that,” she shared.
In 2016, she made a personal commitment to take her art seriously. “That’s when I said, yeah, I want to do art.”
Her nickname, Pizel, came from her dad. The signature she adds to every piece, Phatz, honors a nickname given to her by her late aunt, creating a personal touch that ties her art to family legacy.
Though she describes herself as self-taught, Epps has also taken art classes to refine her technique. “At first, I was just tracing. Then I started trying to do things myself, just looking at something and drawing it.”
YouTube tutorials and online art communities became major influences in her development. “When I started, I only knew pencil and paper. I didn’t know about all the other styles. Now I’ve learned about sculpting, ceramics, watercolor, a whole bunch of stuff.”
In 2025, she began experimenting with mixed-media art, incorporating materials like braided hair, fabric, and textured paint to tell deeper, more layered stories. “I like to use different mediums. People use the word ‘multidisciplinary’ artist for that. I think that fits me, because I really use different materials.”
For Epps, art is not just about aesthetics; it’s also a form of communication. “I really paint from emotions. Even though I know how to express myself better now, I still use painting to communicate how I feel.”
Her talent has not gone unnoticed. In June, one of her mixed-media pieces was featured at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, a milestone she calls “surreal.” “It meant a lot,” she said. “That experience gave me confidence and reminded me to keep pushing myself.”
She often finds inspiration in unexpected places, sometimes staying up late browsing Pinterest or letting her mind wander.
“Sometimes I’d see something online and think, ‘What if I added this? What if I did it differently to make it my own?’ That’s how I come up with new ideas.”
One of her favorite pieces includes real braided hair, symbolizing identity and connection. The braids and beads celebrate Black culture, signifying tradition, resilience, and a shared history. She describes it as a “living crown of strength and identity.”
“I try to remember why I started. To express myself. Not just for likes or money.”
Patience Epps
Her work strikes a balance between emotion and structure, each piece a reflection of the strength that comes from learning to understand herself.
But being a young artist comes with challenges. “Being an artist is somewhat expensive,” she admitted. “When I didn’t have a job, my parents helped, but sometimes I didn’t even know what materials to buy or how to use them.”
Despite the obstacles, her community showed up for her. “People supported me because I was young. They wanted to invest in what I was doing. That really helped me keep going.”
As her audience grows, so does the pressure, but she remains grounded in her purpose. “It can be hard to keep up sometimes, but I try to remember why I started. To express myself. Not just for likes or money.”
Her dream is to expand Pizelz Creationz into a platform that inspires creativity in others, especially young people who may not realize how many career paths exist in the arts.
“Kids usually grow up thinking about being firefighters, police officers, teachers, but they don’t always know there are so many more careers out there. I want to change that.”
Through her journey as an artist, Epps has gained more than skills. She’s gained perspective.
“I’ve learned that life isn’t just about money or materialistic things. It’s about peace. It’s about doing what you love, not just what you have to do.”
Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student and contributing writer for MSR with interest in investigative, community and multimedia journalism.