Meet the Maker: India Hines
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Photos: Courtesy of India Hines/Indiana Arts Commission
Meet India Hines, a booked and busy Indianapolis artist who doesn't always know what a piece is about when the process begins.
The inspo: Hines is self-taught artist who works primarily in pencil, pen and watercolor, while exploring oil paint and digital art.
- The abstract faces and organic forms they create are rooted in intuition, spirituality and the subconscious.
- Hines says nature, everyday experiences, travel and music all feed the work.
- Their work also draws from their African American and Melanesian heritage, exploring identity, ancestry, resilience and transformation.
Zoom in: Hines often starts with an idea and feels compelled to make it immediately. Only afterward do they try to understand what the piece means.
- "After it's created, it's more of me trying to figure out what that piece means to me," they said in an interview for 1000 Words.
- That approach can put Hines in what they call a "flow state," a deeply focused place where they become more aware of their surroundings, breathing and body while creating.
Between the lines: Hines is a long-term artist-in-residence with the Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis (CAMi), and part of the The Indiana Arts Commission's 2026 On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator cohort.
- Their work has been exhibited at Newfields and the Indiana State Museum.
What they're making now: Two stops to share their process with the community.
- From 3-5pm Friday, Hines will lead Indy Sketch Club at Big Car Collaborative. It's free and open to artists of all levels.
- From 6-9pm Friday, Hines will oversee the creation of a community mural at the Indianapolis Liberation Center as part of the closing of their Naturalistic Forms exhibition at the Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery.
- Participants will contribute to one large canvas. Supplies are provided and no experience is necessary.