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Devin: What is your superpower?

Milton: Believing in oneself.

Black history isn’t just something to study; it’s something to feel, experience, and celebrate. This is the powerful message I took away from my conversation with Milton Bowens, the fine artist behind Milton 510 Studio. Milton’s work doesn’t just depict history—it reimagines it as a living, breathing force that connects the past, present, and future.

Milton shared how his art draws inspiration from Black history and pop culture to create a unique, layered narrative. “I chose history,” Milton explained, “because I always wanted to be able to just have something that I could reference that would re-energize or re-spark my creative curiosity.” His work focuses on centering the African-American experience, blending historical elements with vibrant colors and textures in his mixed-media art.

One of the most compelling aspects of Milton’s creative process is his use of storytelling techniques inspired by filmmakers like Ken Burns and Spike Lee. He described how this influence shapes his work: “If you look at my collage works, you’ll see that I deal primarily with the figures in black and white, and everything else around it is in this bold, vivid color. I’m making a visual reference that this is the information, this is the focal point.”

This approach is both artistic and deeply educational, as Milton sees his work as a tool for sparking important conversations. For example, he and his wife recently created a 26-piece fine art alphabet series celebrating pivotal moments in Black history. This collection has traveled to multiple venues, including Alabama State University, and has been adapted into a set of collectible flashcards to make Black history accessible to more people.

This year’s Black History Month holds special significance as it marks the 100th anniversary of the event’s recognition by the U.S. government. Milton spoke passionately about its importance: “Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Black History Week, set out to make this celebration about making sure that African American young men and women understood the contributions that African Americans had made and were making to America and society.”

Milton’s art is more than something to admire—it’s a call to action. It reminds us that Black history is American history and that we all have a role to play in preserving and celebrating it.

To see Milton’s work or purchase his Black history flashcards, visit Milton510studio.com.

tl;dr:

Milton Bowens uses art to connect Black history with storytelling, inspired by filmmakers Ken Burns and Spike Lee.

He explained the origins and significance of Black History Month, marking its 100th anniversary this year.

Milton shared his journey from a young graffiti artist in Oakland to a celebrated fine artist.

His superpower, believing in oneself, helped him turn personal challenges into opportunities for growth.

Milton creates engaging educational tools, like his Black history alphabet series, to spark meaningful conversations.

How to Develop Believing in oneself As a Superpower

Milton believes his superpower is the ability to believe in oneself. He explained that this belief stems from recognizing and fostering one’s inherent talent. “For me, art rescued me,” Milton shared, reflecting on how his creative gifts became his life’s purpose. He emphasized the importance of celebrating young people’s creativity, saying, “When your child comes home with this crayon drawing and they show it to you, don’t tell them, ‘Oh, that’s fine, sweetie.’ You take that piece of art, put it on the refrigerator, celebrate it, and you have just ignited a spark of creativity that will stay with that young person forever.”

Milton recounted a pivotal moment from his childhood when art literally changed his life. After being arrested for tagging a police car at age 10, a mentor intervened during his juvenile mediation hearing and enrolled him in an art school. This opportunity set him on a path toward becoming a professional artist, allowing his talent to flourish. Later, even during his military service, art followed him—he became an Army illustrator after his commanding officer noticed his skill.

Tips for Developing the Superpower:

Recognize and nurture your natural talents—they can guide your path in life.

Celebrate creativity in others, especially young people, to foster confidence and passion.

Seek out mentors or become one for someone else to help unlock untapped potential.

Embrace opportunities, even unexpected ones, that align with your talents.

By following Milton’s example and advice, you can make believing in oneself a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.

Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!

Guest Profile

Milton 510 Bowens (he/him):

Fine Artist, Milton 510 Studio

About Milton 510 Studio: Fine Artist - Arts Educator.

Website: milton510studio.com

Other URL: m510dbart.com

Biographical Information: Born and raised in Oakland, CA, the 5th son and 10th child in his family makes for Bowens’unique artistic signature, Milton 510. His work has been exhibited and widely collected nationally and internationally from educational institutions, professional sports venues, to Fortune 500 companies. From 2009 to 2012, his “”Afro Classical”“ collection, an anthology of paintings depicting the Harlem Renaissance was used by Dr . Riché Richardson as part of the course study on the Harlem Renaissance in the Africana Studies and Research Center of Cornell University.

LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/milton-bowens-6a77505

Instagram Handle: @milton510

Personal Twitter Handle: @miltonfiveten

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