Motivation for the Maker: Tijay Mohammed

The first work I remember seeing from Tijay Mohammed came from a community class he was teaching: he was showing people how they can incorporate photographs of loved ones into their own beautifully pieced and embellished textile portrait. Since then, he has undertaken several new projects. Most recently, he’s begun creating a massive series of portraits in a series he’s calling Pride of Our Village. It consists of 100 portraits of BIPOC women painted on U.S Dollar bills honoring 100 years of women’s voting in the the United States.

Another recent project, Welcome Home, is a call for the African diaspora to come back home. He’s taken fabric scraps that he’s collected from seamstresses around the world and painted gold leaf imagery on top, emphasizing the many virtues of women of African heritage. Both Welcome Home and Pride of Our Village are picture below, among others.

Learn more about Tijay Mohammed on Instagram at or on his website.

Tijay and I will have a live Maker-to-Maker chat in April 2021, but to give you a sense of what moves and motivates him, here’s a sneak preview:

What motivates you to keep making?

Knowing that I have the power to change the world through my creations. I’m moved by a quote from Nelson Mandela “It is in your hands to make a better world for all who live in it.”

What do you do when you feel uninspired?

Watch baby photos from my family album. I’m also inspired by the movements of colorful clouds, and way it changes with time.

What’s one thing you wish you could tell your younger artist self?

Follow your passion and give love to all even if you don’t receive it back