Onyi Love & Collaborators’ “Embrace” Featured in Nigerian Magazine

Libretto Magazine, Issue 11: “Consciousness”

A collaborative piece between Onyi, Vanessa Marquez (6 de Oro), and Acid Smile Studios (Salima Allen & Lan Shing DeSoto) was chosen to be part of the 11th issue of LIBRETTO Magazine (A Nigerian publication) . The theme is CONSCIOUSNESS.

Background

In 2021 Onyi commissioned the dynamic Acid Smile Studios (a duo who do photography, styling, makeup, set design) to produce a photoshoot for Onyi. She wanted new and very different images from what she had prior to then. They came up with 3 completely different looks, which Onyi posted over the last few years!

Later that year, Vanessa Marquez, an amazing Creative Director, Graphic Designer, Intuitive Artist and more saw one of the images from shoot and created the intuitive portrait that you see here using it as the foundation, and adding elements she intuited around me .

They didn’t even plan this as a 3-way collaboration; but are grateful to Spirit and the willingness of all to allow for the flow of things that then opened the doors for Dr. Amy Shimshon-Santo to encourage Onyi to submit her pieces for consideration in 2024!

Onyi is grateful to Amy for her leadership, advocacy, mentorship and teaching. Her reflection and that of others has inspired Onyi to spread her wings and transform the behavior of playing small .

Guest Editor for Issue 11: Dr. Amy Shimshon-Santo

Front and back cover artist: Reva Santo featuring Ashley Blanchard.