Daily Inspiration: Meet Ichaya Mills

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ichaya Mills

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In the years I’ve lived, one thing has remained constant: my love for the library. From Shakespeare to manga, I’ve devoured stories that have shaped my world. Hi, my name is Ichaya Mills. I’m 25 years old, and I’m here to dance negativity away and fill the world with vibrant energy. Let me tell you, playing Smash Bros with librarians and a group of amazing people in the library? Pure fire. It’s the perfect metaphor for how art and community collide in the most unexpected places.

My journey as an artist began in high school through the CATC program. It was there that I fell in love with my first creative passion: photography. Photography became my “Flower”—a symbol of growth, beauty, and resilience. I still remember the day I first held a Canon camera with a spider zoom lens. Our teacher showed us the basics—how to turn it on, zoom, aim, and capture—and then we stepped outside. What happened next was nothing short of magical. We captured the landscapes of Cincinnati in a way I’d never seen before, and I realized that art is about courage and a peaceful mind.

This belief—“Flower Me, Flower Me, Earth with Me. Plant with Me. Vibe with Me.”—has been the core of my journey ever since. Life, to me, is a giant canvas waiting to be painted, and every moment adds another brushstroke to the masterpiece.

Throughout my life, I’ve drawn motivation from countless sources: the incredible teachers from the CATC program, my husband Arland Gamble, and artists like Tyler the Creator and Kendrick Lamar, who embody creative freedom. Every artist I’ve encountered has inspired me to push boundaries and keep growing.

My artistic journey has led me to some amazing opportunities, including several impactful art exhibitions:

Artworks V2 Art Gallery: Participated in the “Parts or Pieces” exhibition by Noel Maghathe, working with a team of professional artists to create a seamless gallery experience.

Sawdust by Artist Jim Tucker: Learned wood-cutting and spray paint techniques while crafting “One Confidence Morning” for the exhibition.

Kennedy Heights Community Mural: Contributed to a collaborative mural project, bringing vibrancy and connection to the neighborhood.

Wounded Healers: Transforming Pain to Wholeness and Health at the Contemporary Arts Center: Created a colorful multimedia painting titled Stellarae Geometrix.

These experiences have taught me that art isn’t just about creating—it’s about spreading positive energy and building connections. My mission is simple: to spread my paintbrush and my vibes throughout Cincinnati and beyond. Art is a conversation, a dance, a burst of color in a sometimes gray world.

To anyone reading this, I encourage you to look at life a little differently. Whether it’s through a camera lens or the strokes of a paintbrush, find your “Flower” and let it bloom. Life is trippy and complex, but it’s also beautiful and worth celebrating. And if you ever feel stuck, remember: courage and a peaceful mind can transform anything into magic.

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?
It didn’t start out as a smooth ride—far from it. I was out there, hitting the streets, sharing my art with anyone who’d listen, and figuring out how to get my name out there. Sometimes it felt like shouting into the void, but every conversation, every handshake, every moment spent connecting with someone brought me closer to a vision I refused to give up on. It was messy, it was wild, and honestly, it was kind of beautiful in its chaos. Those early days taught me something: the magic isn’t just in the art—it’s in the people you meet along the way, the vibes you create together, and the trippy journey of turning passion into something real.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a visual artist, and when I say I do it all, I mean all of it. From woodcutting to sticker-making, graphic design to resin sculptures, I thrive on turning raw materials into creative magic. My toolbox is as eclectic as my ideas: acrylic and oil paints, colored pencils, markers like Copic and Posca, resin, polymer clay, and even recyclables that most people would toss away. I mix it up with digital tools too, diving into Adobe Creative Suite, Procreate, and an iPad that’s basically an extension of my hand. Whether it’s capturing textures with a DSLR camera, sculpting glass, or using pastels and charcoal for rich, earthy details, every material tells a story. For me, art isn’t confined to one medium—it’s an explosion of possibilities, a trippy, happy playground where anything can become something extraordinary.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
One of the major risks I faced in this journey was letting negative energies take over and allow them to seep into my work. It’s easy to get caught up in the weight of bad vibes, but I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t let them settle in. One thing I’ve made clear to myself is this: don’t let people with bad energy get close to your creative space. Protecting your vibe is just as important as protecting your art. It’s about finding balance, staying grounded, and remembering that not everyone’s energy is worth absorbing. Once I let go of that toxic influence, everything started to flow so much smoother, and I could really feel the positive shift in my work and in my life.

Pricing:

• 300 Paintings
• 1.00 Stickers

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bgntdy-a0.myshopify.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigdaddytrex_9/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ichaya-mills-06b3b313a/?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app