3 Childhood Memories That Influenced My Art Journey
Sometimes, folks want to know a bit more about:
- how an artist becomes an artist, and
- how their backstory or history shaped their creative perspective and artistic direction.
It’s in this spirit by which I’m sharing 3 early experiences I wholeheartedly credit for influencing my avid propensity towards living a creative life.
Here we go … 🙂
1) The palettes of island life
When you’re born on an island (I’m from Puerto Rico; born and raised), your environment is one of instant and pervasive color.
So seeing inescapable bursts of color everywhere you looked was an early-on and natural experience.
But beyond the vibrancy of my childhood settings, there was also my stepmom Leany. My earliest memories of drawing and coloring with markers, crayons, and such exist because Leany would always have some kind of coloring book or creative project waiting for me during weekend visits with my dad.
2) Oh and then there was the fabric
My grandmother Juanita (or ‘abuela,’ as we say in Spanish) was another family member who tremendously influenced my affinity toward creative endeavors.
Abuela was a stellar seamstress; she was always in the middle of sewing *something,* and her dresser and closets were filled with fabrics, sewing patterns, and notions.
Moreover, our many outings together (as we rode a packed, public bus downtown) to the local fabric store were, as I recall, intoxicating; walking through bolt after bolt of fabric (many with bright colors and beautiful patterns) as abuela waited for her yards to be cut was a favorite pastime and today, a beloved memory.
3) The dancing lizard that stole my heart
After our family moved to mainland US, my stepmom Leany wrote me a letter after letter that first year away. Her handwritten letters were adorned with pen and marker doodles of all types and I remember it was such a euphoric experience to glance at all her cute little drawings, time and time again.
But perhaps Leany’s most memorable doodles were the ones featuring “the dancing lizard,” an endearing, reptilian character she’d dress up in ballet slippers and a pink tutu; she’d also include zany tales, silly rhymes, and fun poems about the dancing lizard’s many ballet adventures and these, too, were an absolute delight to receive and to read.
🌼
It’s impossible to not credit these visceral memories for having planted the starter seeds towards my own doodling, rhyming, and creative writing passions across my life .
I hope my sharing these awakening and inspirational moments offer you a better sense of who I am as a burgeoning visual artist and mixed media illustrator 🙏
Yours in art and creative expression,
2025 🍾 let`s do this
new designs for 2025 💫👇🏾
exciting and fresh mixed media-inspired designs (with playing cards theme) will soon be available 🙏🏽 designs feature hand-stamped original illustrations and collaged elements.
check back soon 💎
#creatorpreneur #creativeentrepreneur #mixedmediart #mixedmediacollage #mixedmediaartwork #playingcards #playingcardsart #surfacedesign #downloadableart
new designs for 2025 💫👇🏾
exciting and fresh mixed media-inspired designs (with playing cards theme) will soon be available 🙏🏽 designs feature hand-stamped original illustrations and collaged elements.
check back soon 💎
#creatorpreneur #creativeentrepreneur #mixedmediart #mixedmediacollage #mixedmediaartwork #playingcards #playingcardsart #surfacedesign #downloadableart
each new year centers around pending change and new beginnings; so i`ve been thinking about how internal and external change(s) impact our sense of art and creativity (interests, styles, intentions & direction) 🤍 how about you? how is pending change or the dawn of a new year influencing your artistic ideas and creative experiences?
#artislife #artislifestyle #creativeminds2024 #changeisgood #changeiscoming #artjournal #artjournaling #creativejournaling #inspiration #journalinginspiration
each new year centers around pending change and new beginnings; so i`ve been thinking about how internal and external change(s) impact our sense of art and creativity (interests, styles, intentions & direction) 🤍 how about you? how is pending change or the dawn of a new year influencing your artistic ideas and creative experiences?
#artislife #artislifestyle #creativeminds2024 #changeisgood #changeiscoming #artjournal #artjournaling #creativejournaling #inspiration #journalinginspiration
imagination at work ✨
the ability to see a single object beyond what it actually is to what it potentially could be is a core teaching of my new visuality ethos 🙏🏽 this new year, practice expanding and nourishing your own visuality with me! deets after the holidays 💎
#mixedmediaartwork #mixedmediaartist #mixedmediajournal #mixedmediaonpapper #imaginationiseverything #artisticlifestyle #coachinglife #coachinginspiration
imagination at work ✨
the ability to see a single object beyond what it actually is to what it potentially could be is a core teaching of my new visuality ethos 🙏🏽 this new year, practice expanding and nourishing your own visuality with me! deets after the holidays 💎
#mixedmediaartwork #mixedmediaartist #mixedmediajournal #mixedmediaonpapper #imaginationiseverything #artisticlifestyle #coachinglife #coachinginspiration
#mixingthingsup a bit for 2025 💎🤍
#happyholidays #somethingnew #mixedmediaart #mixedmediaartist #mixedmediajournal #newyear2025
#mixingthingsup a bit for 2025 💎🤍
#happyholidays #somethingnew #mixedmediaart #mixedmediaartist #mixedmediajournal #newyear2025
5 creative space tips 💫👇🏾
The 5 tips (shared in my #igreel 🎥) work even if your #creativeworkspace isn’t related to art at all.
The ultimate goal is this👇🏾
💎 to design a creative space that reflects your:
📌 commitment and
📌 unrelenting passion (for your craft)
… while conveying a sense of
📌 sass,
📌 style,
and soul 🔥
… that motivates and inspires YOU to no friggin’ end 💎
Best of all, these tips help you fire 🔥up your whole flair *without* having to spend a single dime 🙏🏽
… because believe me: you’re already plenty rich 💡💰💡with ideas and imagination … you just have to cultivate your creative assets to yield max returns ✊🏾🙌🏽🙏🏽
LOVED this?
👉🏾 HIT ❤️ like
💫 FOLLOW @mayrayadirstudio for more
👀 SEE my Stories
💌 SIGN UP for email inspo (🔗 in bio)
🎁 SHARE w others
🗣️ DM or comment to continue the convo!
#creatorpreneur #creativeentrepreneur #creativespace #creativespaces #creativespacestudio #workingspace #tipsforsuccess #workspacedesign #workspaceinspo #artstudiolife #artstudiodesign #artstudiospace #artstudiodecor #artstudiopro
5 creative space tips 💫👇🏾
The 5 tips (shared in my #igreel 🎥) work even if your #creativeworkspace isn’t related to art at all.
The ultimate goal is this👇🏾
💎 to design a creative space that reflects your:
📌 commitment and
📌 unrelenting passion (for your craft)
… while conveying a sense of
📌 sass,
📌 style,
and soul 🔥
… that motivates and inspires YOU to no friggin’ end 💎
Best of all, these tips help you fire 🔥up your whole flair *without* having to spend a single dime 🙏🏽
… because believe me: you’re already plenty rich 💡💰💡with ideas and imagination … you just have to cultivate your creative assets to yield max returns ✊🏾🙌🏽🙏🏽
LOVED this?
👉🏾 HIT ❤️ like
💫 FOLLOW @mayrayadirstudio for more
👀 SEE my Stories
💌 SIGN UP for email inspo (🔗 in bio)
🎁 SHARE w others
🗣️ DM or comment to continue the convo!
#creatorpreneur #creativeentrepreneur #creativespace #creativespaces #creativespacestudio #workingspace #tipsforsuccess #workspacedesign #workspaceinspo #artstudiolife #artstudiodesign #artstudiospace #artstudiodecor #artstudiopro
