Today we’d like to introduce you to Blanca E. Cardenas Barragan.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’ve been told that I’ve been drawing ever since anyone can remember, albeit off and on. I was always divided between my love of visual arts, classical music, and dance for a career path, and I did a little of everything for a time while I tried to make a choice. It wasn’t really until I finally had to decide what I wanted my main field of study to be for a bachelor’s degree that I turned all my focus towards traditional art, primarily drawing and painting. Though I do miss the serenity of playing music and the exhilaration of dance, I am happy to say that I don’t regret choosing to continue to draw and paint, and I am excited to continue my practice and create better work.
Please tell us about your art.
My work is primarily centered around the female form while illustrating its confidence and beauty using visually enticing pin-up styled illustrations, both in traditional and digital medias. My art is deeply rooted and stems from two things: graphic novels and classic pin-ups. As a child, I completely fell in love with the dramatic line work of graphic novels, and as I grew older the alluring quality of classic pin-ups and what they represented drew me in immediately. My artwork on its own is a bit of both mixed in with my own style, and with it I strive to show that, as a woman, it is perfectly fine to feel sexy and confident in our own skin and our own interests for our own sake if that is what makes us feel good. It’s not about the public gaze; it’s about feeling empowered.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I believe that the biggest challenge facing any artist today is recognition. There are so many wonderful artists out there that do amazing work that hardly get recognized, but it is because of this abundance of artistic talent that it is difficult to stand out. The art world is more about who you know and what your connections are instead of how skilled you are. You practically have to be a pro at marketing to get your name out there.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Anyone can see my work through my website and other social media platforms. I also have tangible artwork in the Brooklyn Art Library’s collection. As always, there can never be too much support, and for those who love showing theirs I also have a Patreon page (@becb_arts) and a Ko-Fi page (@becbArts).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.becb-arts.com/
- Email: becb_arts@hotmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/becb.arts/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/becb.arts/
- Other: http://ko-fi.com/becbarts
Image Credit:
Blanca Cardenas
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