Hello, my Name is Malik D. B. I currently go to Tri-C but I would love to attend the Cleveland Institute of Art. I won community awards from Cleveland Foundation & MyCom. I go by TheInternetGhost (or TIG) on internet platforms.

My artist name comes from the idea of being hidden behind art that I create. I want people to focus on my art & not so much who the creator is. My work is showcasing the wonders of Cleveland in a new updated way. The City of Cleveland skyline is changing so much so fast. I am very glad to be able to show that to people in real time. I also wanted to provide something beautiful for the Phone, Home & Gallery. That is why all of my work is available as Phone Wallpapers, Posters, Canvas, & Fine Art prints.


Q. How were you introduced to your craft, Malik?
A. Ohhh boy.. 2016. I had a fascination with photography but I never really acted on it until I went to NewBridge & met Robert C. Banks. I never thought of photography as a profession. When I looked into the world of photography from Astrophotography to Product photography, I knew I wanted to get into the field. I’m very much obsessed with Landscape photography, Photo manipulation & Astrophotography.


Q. Who/what are your long-standing influences?
A. Local artists that had effects on my art & ideas include @AlexFamerPhoto, @Cinehypofilms, @Whatupimjustin, @Vivid_Cle, @_Raymedia, @Kidwithacam_216 & @Yoyosamaa. My international inspiration comes from @Artxman, @Temi.coker, @Atrostrial, @Mr_cutandstick, @Lulustargalactica &
@10.years.time.

The two people that helped me with my art most is Robert C. Banks who taught me photography and Justin G. who has helped on the social media side of photography. Social Media has been confusing for me to understand, so I ask Justin G. questions all the time. Robert C. Banks and Justin G. are titans in Cleveland, I am very grateful to them for their advice.


Q. What does artistic or creative success look like for you?
A. For me creative success is understanding what I want to make & what I want people to take away from the work as well as making sure everything looks clean & simplistic. I make sure that my work shows thought out themes & partnerships. My creative success is driven by my creative team who represent different art backgrounds to offer feedback. My creative team is Kia Grayson, Shyaira
Thomas, and Philip Hewitt. I often go to Kia for help with connecting to other art organizations and artists. We talk about different Galleries that I can work within the Cleveland area. Shyaira Thomas and I talk about different ideas that we have on our mind. This includes sharing feedback on our different drafts that we might be working on. We also talk about how we can work to expand art outreach in our community in Cleveland. Philip Hewitt is my professional coach. He ensures that my artistic statements are clear and concise, and he helps me think through partnerships and project development.


Q. Can you talk a little bit about your creative process?
A. When I’m taking images it is a long process. I need to know the following: How is the sun casting? Where is the location of the sun? I really like to plan out my shoots. When I’m out taking images it takes up to 4-7 hours for me to get 15 great images. For my Photoshop images -what I call my Signature Collection- it can take up to 2-5 weeks. The reason that it takes so long is because I’m looking for images on Unsplash, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Open Access), Cleveland Museum of Art (Open Access), National Portrait Gallery (Open Access) & Smithsonian (Open Access). There are other sources I use as well. Once I find the images I start my drafting. Drafting takes a long amount of time because I’m trying to imply what I see when I am shooting. It is a long tedious process but the outcome is worth it.


Q. From your perspective, how do you feel your work affects your audience/viewers? What do you want them to take away?
A. When I’m out selling at events, people’s response to my work is quite interesting. The reason I say that is because people will stop to look closer at the images for detail which is my intention. I want them to look at it closer & understand the image. I’m very proud that my work is being looked at in detail, because I try to show the beauty in the world, and in Cleveland that many people miss.

I want viewers to understand that images can carry more than what you might think at first glance. Images can have a spell-bound storytelling effect when you stop to look and understand. I want to convey a deeper meaning behind each image.


Q. Where can people find you?
A. You can find me as the TheInternetGhost on: Etsy, MadeCleveland, Instagram, Patreon. Coming Soon to Heights Arts