Spotlight on our community artist Meela Hill!

We’ve been incredibly lucky to collaborate with artist Meela Hill, whose radiant creative passion brings so much heart to BICAS Art workshops and events! From her expressive brushstrokes, to her evocative color palettes — we’re thrilled to celebrate her work, which channels community connection and experience into stunning pieces of art!

We at BICAS thank her for her artistic skill, her passion, and her responsive, accessible, and inclusive teaching style, which — attuned to diverse ways of engaging and learning — meets each participant where they are at. We’re deeply grateful for the time and brilliance Meela shares with us, and we look forward to creative collaborations still to come!

Artist Meela Hill

Meela & BICAS

What is your history with BICAS?

I’ve taught a collage workshop at BICAS which was a lot of fun! I was a vendor at the spring Art Mart & got to meet lots of cool people.

How does the mission of BICAS Art align with your creative voice?

BICAS Art’s mission resonates deeply with my creative voice, which is rooted in accessibility, community care, and sustainability. Like BICAS, I believe art should be hands-on, healing, and available to everyone. My work blends movement, expressive arts, and storytelling to transform everyday materials—our bodies, our stories, our communities—into sources of resilience and beauty. The DIY and ecological ethos of BICAS aligns with how I curate inclusive, multi-generational spaces that recycle not just materials, but wisdom and lived experience into art that heals and connects.

About the Artist

Where are you from?

Detroit MI

What got you started making art?

My daughter is actually the real artist in the family. I only started making art because I couldn’t afford to put her in programs, so I figured if I worked there, she could attend and learn by proxy—and it mostly worked! At the start of the pandemic, I became a full-time yoga teacher and artist. That’s when I realized not only am I good at painting, but I’m an artist through and through. I love creating and can’t choose just one medium.

It’s an honor to lead spaces and watch people have “aha” moments as they process or move past things that have blocked them for years. I stayed to teach and create art after the pandemic because I recognized how vital it is for humanity—and how easily it’s the first thing cut or overlooked in underserved communities. When I was younger, I wanted to become a psychologist—this is so much better!

What’s your artistic background? (experience, education, or any way you wish to answer)

I am self taught and I’ve been a practicing artist and creative facilitator since 2020, working across painting, movement, and expressive arts. My background includes multi-generational teaching in schools, community centers, and senior living facilities, as well as leading workshops, yoga classes, and retreats that integrate mindfulness, storytelling, and creative exploration. I am also a performing artist with Esperanza Dance Project and a mentee in West African dance under Ms. Barbea Williams. My artistic work is deeply rooted in trauma-informed, inclusive practices that center resilience, self-expression, and community connection.

Who or what are your biggest artist influences?

My biggest artistic influence is my daughter—her creativity and perspective constantly inspire me and shape the work I do. Beyond her, I draw inspiration from artists, writers, and cultural leaders who challenge, uplift, and expand thinking, including James Baldwin, Angela Davis, bell hooks, Basquiat, Gordon Parks, Alma Thomas, Kehinde Wiley, Bisa Butler, Van Gogh, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Jackson Pollock, Faith Ringgold, and Detroit artist Devin Laster. I also look to local Tucson artists such as Randiesia Fletcher, Edwina Alarcon, Tay Jordan, Alaina Bertram, Gerri Young, and Torneeree Wolf, whose work embodies community, resilience, and creative innovation. These influences inform how I fuse movement, visual art, and storytelling in my teaching and creative practice.

Where do you get your inspiration for your art?

I draw inspiration from lived experience, human connection, and the rhythms of daily life. Watching people move through challenge, joy, grief, and growth informs how I create spaces for expression and healing. My daughter, my students, and the communities I serve are constant sources of insight and energy, and I also find inspiration in music, literature, and visual art that challenge perspectives and honor cultural heritage. For me, art is both a mirror and a bridge—it reflects what we carry and connects us to possibilities for resilience, joy, and transformation.

Anything else?

I just want to reiterate that my work is rooted in creating inclusive, multi-generational spaces that blend art, movement, and mindfulness to support resilience, healing, and community connection. I’m deeply committed to making creative practice accessible and meaningful for everyone who participates, and I’m constantly inspired by the people, stories, and communities I work with.

Where to find Meela:

Thank you so much to Meela Hill!

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