Today we’d like to introduce you to Ceci Castellanos.
Ceci, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I was born and raised in Caldwell, Idaho. In 2005, my family and I moved to Eagle Pass, Texas, a border town to Mexico. Having a drastic move like that was definitely a culture shock, but it made me expand my appreciation for Mexican culture. A culture that is rich, multi-layered, and contradictory (in the best way) which I try to practice with myself and my work.
After high school, I knew I wanted to live in a big city where I can grow and be challenged. I moved to Houston in 2013 independently, not knowing anyone and terrified. But I knew I had to push myself out of my comfort zone if I wanted to be someone. I attended the University of Houston to study Graphic Communications, which I knew very little about but fell deep into it. Fast forward to now, I am a full-time designer at NUU Group, a brand and design experience group. I have a balance of “having my shit together” and “not knowing what I’m doing” but who really knows? If you stay in the right state of mind, if you keep working on yourself, the likely you are to succeed–words I tell myself often.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Most of my time is spent designing and birthing brands to life. I aim to approach design differently, even if it breaks the norm. To create work that speaks for itself and makes people question, “Can you do that?” but also makes them say, “Oh shit, that’s fire!” Design, to me, is meant to be challenged and experimented with. I find my work being in the middle of everything. Between minimalistic and extreme. Between street and formal. Between the old and new generations. There is a layer of feeling, style, and attitude in my work that I hope others can feel and relate to. If I can’t express myself with good design, then I venture into other areas. Taking photographs and painting is another form of expression that I like to practice, SIDE SHIT as I refer to it on my website. I’ll end this section with words from bad gal Riri, “I’m going to do whatever the fuck I want, I’m going to take control of my vision, and I’m going to embrace change that’ll shape me into a better woman and a better human being.” If that doesn’t inspire us creatives, I don’t know what will.
How can artists connect with other artists?
I’ve experienced my fair share of isolation. Experiencing that made me realize that my competition is my procrastination, my ego, and the knowledge I neglect. We are constantly competing with ourselves. At times, we doubt our talent and capabilities of creating something great. Collaboration helped me out of that isolation and helped me learn more about myself as a designer. My advice for those who are experiencing this now is to reach out and work with others. Surround yourself with people who are more experienced than you, who inspire you to be great, and who believe in your vision. Connect via social media, Instagram, and Twitter, that shit is great for networking. Venture out and explore, you’ll never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll create out of it.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
People can see my work at cecicastellanos.com and experience the sauce. Sauce, for those who are not familiar with the term, is used to describe someone who has a specific style and confidence. I use it all the time. Slide in my dm’s or write me an email. Let’s be friends and support one another.
Contact Info:
- Website: cecicastellanos.com
- Email: cecicastellanos.work@gmail.com
- Instagram: ceci8cha
Image Credit:
Gabriel Gurrola
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