What made you decide on this creative and artistic career path?

I believe it was both a feeling of complete exhaustion from a life that was not aligned with who I was and a massive awakening on what was actually possible to create in this life.

Let me explain. I’ve been told all my life by my parents and society that in order to be successful and safe I needed to have a degree, put my career first and work for a company in a 9 to 5 job. I listened to them and, like a good little soldier, I got my Master degree in Communication & Marketing, moved to London and got a Job as a Marketing Executive. I thought I was doing everything right, only I was completely miserable and I had to drag myself to work everyday.
I felt so limited, like a prisoner with chains only I created them. But then came a point of no return, when I could not take it anymore and had to break free from my upbringing.

I quit my job and left for Asia, on my own, for 3 months. I had no idea where I was going, what I would do there, who I would meet or what I would see, and that felt so liberating. I felt free for the first time in a while. I travelled around Vietnam and Thailand, met very different people, awakened to new cultures, new ways of thinking, new perspectives and realities.

I’ve always been creative and as a child I would paint, play the piano, draw and create all kinds of stuff. When I came back to London I decided to become a self-taught photographer. Bought a second-hand camera and started shooting my friends while walking dogs and working in a nightclub cloakroom to pay the bills. I watched endless Youtube videos and read I don’t know how many books, but mostly I took my camera and shot everything I saw. The more I practiced, the more I learned, and the more I grew into the artist I am today.

Tell us more about the divine feminine project…

I’ve been a photographer for almost 4 years now and after trying different industries and styles of shooting I am finally figuring out where I want my art to take me, what I want it to stand for and what message I want to share through it.

This series is a direct reflection of my personal journey as a woman to explore, embrace and own everything I am. I do not wish to create art that just looks good anymore. We need art that connects us, that shows us different perspectives and help us understand each other. We need art that is fearless and brave. We need artists that speak their truth unapologetically and are not afraid to be seen.

My series is for every girl whose parents moulded them into what they thought was best for them while disregarding their unique talents and desires.

My series is for every woman that feels the everyday weight of living in a patriarchal and misogynistic society and wants to break free from it.

My series is for your mother, your sister, your daughter so they can fully embrace who they are without fearing the consequences of being seen.

My series is for every man willing to become better allies for women and help them blossom.

But mostly, my series is for me. For this little girl drawing on her bed while listening to music and believing in magic, for the 18 years old version of me that was told to dim her light and that using her talents as a career was not an option. It’s for the artist and woman I’m becoming through this work that can’t wait to see where it takes her and how much more it will change her while bringing value to the world.

What advice would you give someone who wishes to follow in your shoes?

Travel. On your own. Lose yourself. Meet people. Get heartbroken. Fall down. Get up again. Take risks. Try new things. Be happy. Be sad. Be angry. Fail. Try again. Live.

All these experiences will show you who you are and lead you to wherever you need to go. Use them and they will make you better as an artist.

You’ll figure it out, just don’t get overwhelmed by where you want to go, use it as inspiration and motivation but don’t let it hold you back. Enjoy the process of where you are and just take the first step!

If you are serious about starting a creative career, you can DM me for any specific questions and I will be happy to answer you. For every woman reading this interview, I have a free guide on how to become a creative queen in 3 days. DM me on @bymagaliledoux.

Describe the most bizarre/unusual/stressful job you’ve ever done

Anytime I’ve felt stressed on a job was anytime I didn’t believe in myself enough to know that my work has nothing to do with my worth. Attaching your worth to your work hinders your progress and might be dangerous to your mental health and overall wellbeing.

People will tell you a successful artist is either someone booking prestigious work or booking a lot of work. A better measure would be an artist prioritising his/her mental health, an artist opening doors for other artists, discovering his/her own unique voice, pursuing and accepting work aligned with their values and finding a work/life balance.

What makes feminine energy divine and how do you capture this? 

Regardless of our gender, we all possess feminine and masculine energy inside ourselves. The feminine energy represents the goddess energy and in that way, it is divine: intuition, creativity, inspiration, nurturing, the moon, wisdom, emotions, beauty, sensuality…

We all express this feminine energy in a unique way and for me it shows in the model’s choice of poses, the way they move and how they will interpret the directions I give them, how they will make it theirs.

What are your plans for the future? 

Right now I’m focusing on creating 7 unique prints for my series while working for my clients on the side. It takes time but I am willing to give it all I got and the times it needs. The plan is to hold my first exhibition for this series in London in spring 2022. 

After that I’m planning on moving to LA. I’ve been in London for 6 years now and It is important for me to experience something different, to change environment, feel inspired and jump on another unique project. 

If you could go back and give some advice to your younger self what would you say?

You got this. Love you, 

Mag