The year was 2014, and Halloween was quickly approaching. Surprisingly, for a girl who had always loved dressing up, I had yet to figure out what I wanted to be. At 12 years old, this felt like a crisis. 

Luckily, my father, Eric Pryor, a fine artist with an imagination far greater than my own at the time, had an idea. He would transform me into a living pop art painting, inspired by the work of Roy Lichtenstein, complete with hand-painted dots covering my face. 

But knowing that my classmates might not quite understand the artistic reference, he came up with another idea: I would throw on a pair of Minnie Mouse ears and introduce myself as Pop Art Minnie Mouse. And just like that, my Halloween costume was born.

I remember sitting patiently as my father carefully painted each dot onto my face, completely unaware that this seemingly small moment would become a memory I’d carry with me well into adulthood. At the time, it was simply another example of my dad finding a creative solution to one of my childhood dilemmas. Looking back, I realize it was so much more.

Growing up, my father’s artwork was quite literally the backdrop of my life. No house ever truly felt like home unless his paintings were hanging on the walls. Art wasn’t something reserved for museums or galleries; it was woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. And his influence was only one part of a much larger creative family. My mother, Monique Moore Pryor, once had her own talk show, my grandmother, Dell Pryor, worked as a gallerist, and my great-grandfather, Tee Collins, was a pioneering Black animator who worked on Sesame Street. Creativity, in many ways, was simply part of our family history.

Being surrounded by so many different forms of artistic expression gave me the freedom to explore my own. Whether it was my mother enrolling me in summer programs at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where I discovered my love for fashion, or spending countless hours dancing, which became my sport of choice, I was always encouraged to experiment, imagine, and find my own voice. There was never just one way to be creative, and I think that freedom shaped the way I approach just about everything today. Creativity wasn’t something I stumbled upon later in life. It was something I inherited.

In many ways, my father was my very first creative collaborator. Although our chosen mediums would eventually look quite different, the foundation was always the same. Where he found his expression through paint and canvas, I found mine through clothing, personal style, and eventually storytelling. His love for fine art became my love for fashion, and while I may not have inherited his ability to paint, I certainly inherited his desire to create. Looking back, I can see how much of my approach to fashion is rooted in the artistic freedom he introduced me to as a little girl.

Reimagining Roy Lichtenstein, 12 Years Later 

Fast-forward 14 years, and what was once a childhood Halloween costume unexpectedly found its way back into my life. Earlier this October, I attended the opening reception of Roy Lichtenstein’s Like New exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art, and almost immediately, I was transported back to Halloween 2014. Seeing his iconic works up close, with their bold colors, graphic compositions, and signature Ben-Day dots, brought back memories of that early morning my father spent carefully painting my face. It was a moment I hadn’t thought about in quite some time, but standing there surrounded by Lichtenstein’s work, I suddenly felt inspired to revisit it.

With Halloween just around the corner, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. What started as a passing thought quickly turned into a full-fledged creative production. Almost as if the universe was in on the idea, everything began falling into place. Every artist I reached out to immediately said yes, and somehow, I managed to pull together all of my wardrobe selections just in the nick of time because, of course, I had to style myself. With latex pieces from Poster Girl and Khy serving as the foundation of the look, I completed the ensemble with fishnet tights from Amazon, a bitchy Saint Laurent heel, and the perfect pair of statement square earrings.This time around, however, I wanted to take the concept a step further. Rather than simply recreating the costume, I envisioned a complete editorial moment, brought to life by an all-Black female creative team.

The Glam Team

My friend and co-creative director, Breanna Harmon, led the makeup artistry, meticulously placing each red dot across my face and body with the help of her assistant, Leanna McAlphin. Hairstylist Yeye Egunjobi carefully constructed the sculptural blonde hairstyle, its vibrant yellow hue creating a striking contrast against the red dots covering my body and the bold blue backdrop. Nail artist Dynique Moore brought another layer of artistry to the look, creating custom nail designs that complemented the graphic elements of the makeup.

Behind the lens, photographer Cass Meyers brought the entire vision to life, capturing the movement, expression, and playful energy that made the imagery feel like a living work of art. Meanwhile, Lexi Clark led the video direction, alongside Eden Selassie and Sydney Alleyne, documenting the hours of preparation, collaboration, and behind-the-scenes work that went into bringing the concept together. Every detail, from the placement of each dot to the movement in front of the camera, was intentional. And watching each woman bring her own creative perspective to the project made the experience that much more special.

Finding My Way Back to My Why

What began as a nostalgic nod to my childhood quickly became something far more meaningful. It was an opportunity to celebrate the creativity my father instilled in me while collaborating with a group of incredibly talented Black women whose artistry I deeply admire. There was something particularly powerful about seeing a vision that originated with my father all those years ago reimagined through the hands and imaginations of women who, like me, have found their own ways of expressing themselves through art.

In many ways, it felt like a full-circle moment. The little girl who once sat patiently as her father painted dots across her face was now a grown woman sitting in a glam chair, bringing that same vision to life through her own creative direction. The process looked a little different, the production was certainly more elaborate, and the Minnie Mouse ears were long gone. But the imagination, curiosity, and freedom to create that made the original moment so special were still very much there.

Creative Direction: Mecca Pryor and @breanna.harmon
Photography: @cass.meyers
Video: @lexi.clark
Video Assistant: @eden_selassie @sydneyyalleyne
Makeup: @breanna.harmon
Makeup Assistant: @_beautifulleebeat
Hair: @yeyebynature
Nails: @mooreofdynique
Wardrobe: Mecca Pryor

Read the original article on Essence.