Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Creamer and Noel Spiva.
Hi Alexis and Noel, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
We met during the reintroduction of public spaces post-COVID, both navigating what it meant to re-emerge into the world. Much of our early adulthood had been spent in quarantine, and stepping back outside felt like learning how to exist again personally and creatively.
Alexis dove deep into creative social practice and arts access, while Noel focused on production, creative direction, and design. As we explored new and rediscovered creative talents, we also found ourselves wrestling with how we were perceived, especially as multidisciplinary artists. That feeling of vulnerability, of not being easily defined, is something we both shared and often talked about.
We realized that many artists in St. Louis likely felt the same, unseen in their fullness, and unsure of how to share every part of their practice. We wanted to create something that made space for that wholeness.
Noel’s background in design and community-driven platforms, paired with Alexis’s focus on access and connection, led us to collaborate on a project that honors underrepresented artists in our city. We applied for a grant, brought our ideas together, and Unseen On Screen STL was born.
This first phase highlights artists through a rotating digital billboard in St. Louis, treating their work with the same visibility as any ad. It’s a bold, public celebration of creative identity, and the start of an evolving archive that documents and uplifts the many layers of artistry in our city.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road! Through Unseen On Screen, one of our biggest intentions is to show artists how much we can uplift each other through collective efforts and how releasing harmful mindsets around scarcity or comparison gives us permission to share, be seen, and heal. That visibility opens doors! Not just for us, but for others too.
After receiving the grant, we were excited! We also knew that bringing art into public space might come with internal, external, and institutional barriers. Alexis was balancing a full-time role at an art museum while also being a committed community and family advocate. Noel was managing her own creative business. So the reality hit, trying to build something beautiful while also surviving life is hard. We had to figure out how to give space to each other’s capacities and still keep the vision alive, even when energy was low. That’s something we know many other creatives relate to.
On an institutional level, we initially had our hearts set on partnering with a local public space to host a digital immersive experience. But the quote we received was far out of our budget, it was disappointing. We couldn’t picture Unseen On Screen happening anywhere else.
But instead of stopping, we started asking around, and pushing the question: “How can you support us?” That led us to OUTFRONT Media, where we landed a rotating digital billboard placement showcasing St. Louis artists. It reminded us that the right opportunity will meet you where you are and not to give up on the vision.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Unseen On Screen is a digital public art initiative and archived platform built to amplify the presence of underrepresented St. Louis artists in bold, unconventional ways. Created by Noel Spiva and Alexis Creamer and powered by The Luminary’s Futures Fund, the project combines digital billboards, community events, and an online archive to reimagine where and how art lives. Our first digital billboard rotation launches May 26, featuring seven artists from across St. Louis City and County.
What sets Unseen On Screen apart is how we center visibility, vulnerability, and access in every layer of the work. We’re not just putting art on a screen, we’re creating space for artists to be seen in their fullness, and we’re proud of that! Our approach merges public art with digital storytelling and archival practice, offering artists a platform that’s both immediate and lasting. It’s not about fitting into gallery norms. It’s about celebrating creative expression in places people might not expect to find it.
Alexis Creamer is a multidisciplinary artist and cultural organizer known for curating expressive, heart-centered experiences rooted in empathy and belonging. Her work spans poetry, visual arts, and socially engaged programming. She’s a gallery-exhibited artist, published writer, and international learner whose practice makes space for others to show up authentically and feel seen.
Noel Spiva is a creative director and multidimensional visual artist blending media, music, and design into powerful visual narratives. With 7+ years in creative agency work with features in Vogue, Nylon, and The New York Times, she uses her platforms to elevate others by building opportunities that spotlight the brilliance of marginalized voices.
Together, we built Unseen On Screen because we believe all artists deserve to be visible—in public, online, and in the memories of their communities.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Alexis: One of my favorite childhood memories is being in Ms. Diveley’s first grade class at Twillman Elementary in Spanish Lake. As a child with a Deaf and disabled parent, I was all too familiar with maturing and taking on various roles very quickly. Ms. Diveley made space for me to just be—she showed up for me inside and outside of the classroom. Her care felt warm and steady, like home. I think that’s the first time I realized how powerful it is to build community outside your own house and have been building community for others ever since.
Noel: Honestly, if there’s a memory I can think of that’s related to art, it would be all of the fun Ferguson-Florissant School District art competitions I entered in and the Celebrate Children dance productions that heavily involved students with stage art design and choreography. I’d also say children’s choir, dance, and music recitals merged with art played a big part in why I do the work I do today. I hope to make it just as accessible for children one day to experience too.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @unseenonscreenstl
- Other: https://linktr.ee/unseenonscreenstl
