Gloria Day: A Life of Artistic Growth, Faith, and Poetry

Picture captured during her performance at the LMNT POETRY SERIES: A Poetry Night for the Voiceless

Gloria Day is a poet, storyteller, and illustrator whose creative journey began early in her life. Her childhood experiences in Los Angeles, California, shaped her artistic vision, giving her a unique perspective on the world. In this interview, Gloria shares insights into her upbringing, her creative process, and how her art has evolved over the years.

Q&A with Gloria Day:

Q: Can you describe your childhood? What area did you grow up in, which schools did you attend, and how was your family involved in your upbringing?

A: I grew up in Los Angeles, CA. Being around so many different natural environments, people, cultures, architecture, music, languages, food, etc. was no doubt filling my “artist’s toolbox” without me realizing it was happening. There was so much to observe and study. From a creative standpoint, it probably convinced me that nothing was impossible.

Q: As a child with so much creative talent, did you face any backlash from your peers or feel misunderstood while growing up?

A: As a child, I felt free to express my creativity. There were times that I felt, not necessarily misunderstood, but more so alone in my creativity. I believe it makes a difference when creative children have parents who are just as excited about the arts. There’s a difference between support and participation. My parents were always supportive and willing to engage with anything I wanted to create or express, but we didn’t do many “artsy” things as a family.

Q: In a 2019 Q&A with VoyageATL, you talked about discovering a passion for storytelling and creativity early on, blending writing and visual art to create children's books. How did this early love for stories shape your writing career today?

A: I remember being introduced to the book, “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs” by Jon Scieszka in elementary school. It tells the classic story of the three little pigs from the big, bad wolf’s perspective. The story reveals that the wolf didn’t mean to blow anyone’s house down; he simply had a bad cold that day. The book immediately sparked a deep love for unique stories, different perspectives, and the sometimes overlooked details of our day-to-day experiences. When I write poetry, what I enjoy most is shining a light on the tiniest pieces; the almost easy-to-miss, but incredibly significant parts of a moment.

Q: You first met Davion “Dismoc Le Ma” Coleman at a RAW Natural Born Artist showcase in Los Angeles in2016. If you could go back to 2016 what advice would you give yourself?

A: Thinking back to that time, I was very committed to my identity as an artist. My priority was to seek and act on inspiration as much as possible. The advice I would give myself is to create with purpose, set goals, and get a vision for myself as an artist. Although an artist’s career is rarely a straightforward, predictable path, I would have benefitted from being more intentional with what I wanted to achieve as an artist and writer.

Q: Dismoc Le Ma mentioned that many of the characters in your children's books have blank expressions, similar to some of his own paintings. He explained that he uses blank expressions to allow viewers to see themselves in the artwork, avoiding defining features that might create separation. What’s your reasoning behind the blank expressions in some of the characters you’ve illustrated?

A: I’ve always loved minimal cartoon and comic book character art. As a kid, I paid attention to the drawings of Shel Silverstein, the Peanuts cartoons, and Sanrio characters. When I began my journey as an illustrator, I pulled from what I loved most and knew best. The characters I create will most likely have very simple features (or none at all) because it’s not where I get to be the most creative. Eyes and noses can add more life to a character, but hair texture, body posture, clothing style, or even an untied shoelace - that’s where I get to use details that make illustration so much fun for me.

Q: In some of your poems, you explore the theme of love. Have you ever experienced heartbreak, and how did you channel that pain into your creative process?

A: Absolutely. And heartbreak didn’t always come in the form of a failed relationship. Whether it was family issues, losing a loved one, moving away and leaving friends, or even the ups and downs of learning how to love myself - poetry got me through it all. I didn’t channel pain into my writing process, my writing actually helped me process and release any pain that I experienced.

Q: In one of your poems, you wrote about caring for your ailing mother. If you're comfortable sharing, what’s a cherished memory you have with her from your childhood?

A: A cherished memory I have that involves my mom is traveling to her hometown to visit her side of the family. I would love to see how the hard-working, slightly stressed version of my mother would immediately melt away anytime she was around her siblings. It was my favorite thing to see; Mom being more like herself and getting to tap into the most carefree version of herself.

Q: As a poet, what is your biggest struggle, and what steps have you taken to overcome it?

A: Poetry has always been such a natural and free-flowing way for me to express myself. I don't face many struggles, and that's why I could never deny that it's God-given. One struggle I did face was experiencing what felt like writer’s block for longer than I was comfortable with. For nearly two years, I wanted to write, but everything I wrote seemed to fall flat after the first few lines or so. It began to feel forced. It was when I began to write about my caregiving experiences that my writing started to flow again. Before then, I was always writing for myself and using poetry to process my own emotions. When I began focusing on God and talking to Him more, it was like my prayers were communicated in poetry. It opened everything up again and I was extremely grateful.

Q: What advice would you offer to a young poet who feels unheard?

A: Don’t write poetry to be heard. Don’t create artwork to be seen. Don’t express any part of you to receive an audience’s applause. Just write honestly. If you write from the deepest, most vulnerable part of yourself, you’ll see that your writing will resonate with more people than you ever thought it could. If you’re writing to be heard, you’ll end up writing what you think people want to hear. Tell your own story, use your own words, and don’t be afraid to include the details that matter to you.

Q: Where do you envision yourself as a poet in the next five years?

A: In five years I see myself being more fearless as a writer and speaker. For the longest time, I let my struggle with memorizing my work disqualify me as a spoken word artist or a performance poet. Now, I am much more confident in writing and reciting. I read my poetry from the page proudly.

I can also say this - I’ve been writing since I was ten years old and honestly, though I’ve always recognized writing poetry as a gift, I never knew what it was for. In the years to come, I intend to make so much more room for God; it’s already started to happen. My relationship with Jesus has changed me and it's showing up in my creative expression. There’s less of what I want to say and more of what He wants to say through me. I think that is what God's plan was all along. I’m excited to see how my writing will evolve. I'm excited to see what God has in store.

Looking ahead, Gloria envisions becoming even more fearless in her craft, embracing her role as a speaker and poet with confidence. Her advice to young poets is to remain true to themselves and their stories, writing not for the applause but for the genuine connection that comes from authenticity. As she continues to make space for God in her creative process, Gloria’s work is bound to evolve, reflecting her faith and her ongoing journey as an artist. Excitement for what lies ahead defines her vision, as she looks forward to seeing what God has in store for her poetic path.

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Lukumi Arlota – Contributing Writer

Lukumi Arlota is a mental health advocate, black empowerment activist, public speaker, and business owner.

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