by Eva Brander Blackhawk

Eva: I see you’re involved in lots of different art forms, could you tell me more about what different things you do?

Mab: I’m a multimedia extravaganza. I do it all! I paint, crochet, tuft, creative direct, and design.

Eva: Could you tell me more about your name @mablacasa and ‘cynner’? 

Mab: My instagram name in highschool used to be tamiamizzbooboobrown. Then I realized this name was no longer cutting it. From there I had to design on an instagram tag that captures my love for art. I picked the most known artist that I can think of, Pablo Picasso, even though he is not one of my faves. Since my nickname is Mimi, I just took the M and replaced the P. This resulted in the name Mablo Micasso, but I still wasn’t completely in love with it. So I merged it all together and got Mablacasa. I loved it! 

Now Cynner centralizes around my childhood and my progression into being the woman I am today. As most know Cynner is influenced by the cynthia doll from Rugrats. This was one of my favorite shows and in this show the doll went through so much with these babies. From her hair being cut off to be lost in sewage, she also didn’t really get much T.V. time. So, I wanted to turn her into this outworldly cunt neon pink cyborg/alien/doll with exaggerated features that makes her the center of attention in her own show. I wanted to take those not-so-ideally-beautiful qualities ( like her botched hair) and turn them into the qualities that make her so ethereal and uniquely beautiful. This relates to me because growing up I wasn’t always confident about my height, or my full plumptuous lips, but now the women that I am today can say that I’m completely in love with all of these qualities that make me a star.

Eva: What are some of your artistic goals/what you hope people take away from your work?

Mab: My artistic goal is to be able to teach younger girls/boys to be confident about the features that they may be self-conscious about or that isn’t necessarily a trend. YET. We shouldn’t have to wait until we see the instagram baddies doing it, to feel like it’s beautiful. When boys/girls see my art I don’t want them just seeing the sexy part of it, but mainly understanding the origin of Cynner. In the future, I will be making comics/animations that embody what it means to truly love whoever you choose to be in this lifetime.

Eva: What was your journey into fashion like?

Mab: I’ve always been a DIY girl. I love being able to have a fully custom piece. Always being the type to rebel against fashion trends. Custom made clothing has always been my go to. YouTube was my best friend chile! When the girls were turning leggings into shirts, yea I was one of them girls. My mom went to FIT and always used to sew growing up, so she put me in sewing classes at Jo-Anns. When my mom was in highschool, she made her prom and after prom dress. My grandmother also used to sew and knit, so it’s really always been in my blood when it comes to fashion design. I now make my own crochet dresses, masks, and bathing suits. I also airbrush on clothing

Eva: Could you tell me more about your ‘terms of service’ on your website and why that’s important to you?

Mab: Yes, so speaking that I do not have the funding to have lawyers right now, I make sure to include everything in writing. So if any, ‘God forbid’, I have an instance where someone steals my art without my permission, these terms of service will protect me as an independent artist.

Eva: Who are some of your idols/ where do you get inspiration from?

Mab: Riri is definitely an idol of mine. I love the way she moves. I love how she’s such a bad successful gyal. She embodies sexiness and she shows us that it’s okay to flaunt our sensuality. Her assertiveness is inspiring because she goes after what she wants, regardless of the heights of it.

Eva: What are you working on right now?

Mab: Right now I am working on some new products and planning a solo show. I have a notebook of ideas I wanted to do for this Cynner Series and I feel like now the universe is presenting me the opportunity to execute them. I also have a film coming out. So there’s a lot in the works that you will see very soon!

Eva: Where do you see your brand and art going?

Mab: I see myself being behind the scenes of everything. I do not see myself being boxed in at all! I will continue to have full creative freedom in all that I choose to work on. My brand will continue to be authentic with the help of a strong team that gets my art and that will only take it to higher heights. She will be a multi-million brand.

Follow their work @mablacasa and @shopcynner on instagram and shopcynner.com !