Today we’d like to introduce you to Margarita Gomez.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve loved art for as long as I can remember. When I was little, my dad would always draw me little drawings or make little sculptures out of anything he could find. He had such a creative mind and I always fed off of that artistic side of him. Growing up, I took just about every art class and competition available to me and pretty much filled the refrigerator with paintings and drawings I made. When I started college, I sort of “gave up” on art as a dream because I was busy trying to balance a full-time school load along with a full-time work schedule. It was really tough and I sort of felt like if I was ever going to make it in the world, I would have to get a degree and then a “real” job. I decided that my happiness would come from success…success, to me at the time, was defined as money and a status in a career that everyone would respect. Soon after graduating, I took a huge leap of faith (and love had some influence) by moving to Los Angeles.
Well, it wasn’t everything I thought it would be. Although I was able to secure a pretty neat job and felt like I was making some progress towards a new career, the move was, and still is, very hard on me. Leaving everyone and everything I know behind was a huge sacrifice and it really started sinking in that maybe my perspective on my dream life (and success) was skewed. Luckily, I was able to put my work projects on hold and soul search a little bit. I would ask myself “what makes you happy?” and slowly I picked up a paintbrush again and started to just create! It felt nice to get back in touch with something that I suppressed for so long. In late 2019, I decided that I would shift my primary focus to art, even if for just a little while. I have everything I need in order to make it happen right now so why not? And here we are now. Along with creating pieces that sometimes just seem to flow out of me, I’ve been commissioned for a mural in Houston as well as a few personal-sized pieces here in Los Angeles. I am looking to expand my portfolio and hopefully showcase in a gallery either in LA or Houston soon but I’m going to take it day by day! You really can’t rush creativity!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has definitely NOT been smooth. There are a bunch of struggles that come along with making a leap like this. To start, I had to start the journey of being kind to myself. I’m such a perfectionist and I would bet that most artists will tell you that trying to make everything perfect results in literally nothing! I had to learn to have grace with myself and take each mistake as a lesson, which is kind of tough to do because mistakes usually tend to frustrate me and then I don’t want to do anything at all! It’s still a learning process, but I really enjoy the new perspectives that this journey is revealing. I never knew how hard on myself I actually was until I started spending more time with ME and MY interests.
Another struggle is support. One would think that the closest people to you would be the most supportive but I quickly learned that it’s not always the case. Some of the closest people to me made me feel small at times by questioning my decisions and kind of judging me for it. It really hurt but at the same time, it showed me who I could really count on in general. The decision to shift my energy inward and to those who have always clapped for me even when I was at the bottom really made me feel more empowered and inspired.
The last struggle I would say is probably just LEARNING! Since I didn’t have any formal training past high school studio art, I struggle sometimes with knowing what techniques would be best to get the end result I envisioned. There is so much that goes into just one piece of art. The brainstorming process, the sketching, the priming, deciding what mediums to use. Mixing, painting, varnishes…so much!! Oftentimes I get overwhelmed with teaching myself or researching extensively, however in the end it’s all worth it. I’ve realized, with all the pressure I put on myself, I am actually able to make what I had in my mind tangible through something I just learned!
Please tell us more about your art.
My art is always signed MUKA. It’s from a family nickname, muñeca; the Spanish word for doll. The way my big brother pronounced it as a toddler was Muka. It felt like a fitting signature because my dad, mom and brother have always been my biggest cheerleaders!
MUKA art is a collection of pieces on different mediums. So far being denim, canvas, heavy weight paper, and a mural. I have used mixed mediums such as acrylic, oil pastels, charcoal, and spray paint. I would say that the thing that sets me apart from others is my style. It’s sort of urban, contemporary and nods at the inner child that we all have. My art is scribbly, but clean at the same time. I always try to capture my audience by giving them a sense of comfort in the simplicity of the techniques that I use and then twisting their perspective on modern day society by what the whole piece comes out to be.
With ArtByMUKA, I would say that I am most proud of the fact that I am DOING IT. I don’t know if this will become an actual full-time job or if it will be a side hustle or if it’s just a really passionate side of my life. Whatever the answer is, I am proud that I had the courage to step away from everything I built in order to explore something that really mattered to me. No matter what anyone says or thinks, I had courage.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My parents gave my brother and I such an amazing childhood that it’s really hard to choose a favorite memory. In terms of art I would say that my favorite memory is when my dad was helping me draw little pilgrims and Indians for a history project I had in 3rd grade. I was having such a hard time and remember becoming so frustrated because I couldn’t draw people, (I still can’t haha), and he told me to calm down. He then came over and started teaching me how to slowly sketch each body. I remember asking him “When will I be an artist like you?” and he said “You are, just keep practicing”. I tell myself that every time I start to get frustrated with a piece. Honestly, I tell myself that with any new task I take on….just keep practicing. This memory is really special to me because we lost my dad when I was a teenager. I know he would be proud of who I am today, especially if he could see what I’m creating!
Contact Info:
- Email: artbymuka@gmail.com
- Instagram: artbymuka
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