Today we’d like to introduce you to Anastasia Rodriguez.
Anastasia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have always been interested in the arts. I was pursuing a career in geology when I took my first college-level sculpture class, just as part of the required extracurricular course requirement. I fell in love with mixed-media sculpture almost immediately. My sculpture professor, Tony Shipp, told me several times that I should seriously consider changing my major to sculpture. At the time, I was struggling with my calculus courses, so I thought, why not? That one push opened my world to the possibilities and struggles of what it means to be an artist.
I would like to say that I never looked back, but I think about how much more fitting this line of work suits me. I eventually took my first ceramics class, only to find that clay would also steal my heart. It took me back to being a kid and playing in the mud. I just thought, “This feels right.” It was difficult to tell my family that I wanted to be an artist, but they accepted it without hesitation and have supported me through it all. I wouldn’t be anywhere without them. My mom is my number one cheerleader.
Alright, 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?
Absolutely not, haha. But that does come with the territory. I think everyone considering a professional art career should know that you will need side hustles, a string of day jobs perhaps. You don’t magically start off making a living from your work in the beginning, and it can be challenging finding your market or even the right shows or spaces to exhibit your work. You will need to be comfortable with rejection, develop a thick skin, and keep going. You will have periods of time where inspiration just isn’t coming to you, and burnout is a very real thing.
I personally mourn the end of a project and find it hard to move on to the next one when I’ve spent so much time with a single piece.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am currently focused on ceramics, but I do consider myself a mixed-media artist. My work can be purely conceptual, and then there is the work that I make specifically for vendor markets. My sculptural work is almost always narrative; it is a representation of my life, my memories, things I’m working through, and things that inspire me.
My vendor work—mugs, plates, etc.—gives me a chance to recreate the scenes and characters from shows I grew up watching. I would say I am most proud of getting to travel on scholarship to further develop my work, but I am also proud of pushing myself to do these markets to have the funds to continue creating.
Every time a purchase is made, I am so happy to see someone recognize their favorite character from their childhood. It brings me so much joy to know that someone will be using one of my handmade mugs every day or eating a slice of toast off one of my plates. I would like to believe that what sets me apart is my intention to create something that inspires nostalgia in both myself and others.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Just do it. Make work that you are proud of, and make work that you are not so proud of. Find your community because that is your foundation. Build healthy habits around attending museum exhibitions and openings. Meet other creators and collaborate as much as you can. Try your best to learn new techniques that are not your specialty, and be comfortable with rejection. When you are accepted into your first show or sell your first work, that feeling will be a reminder that what you are doing is worth the struggle and the climb.
You may not have a sophisticated studio space in the beginning or the funds for specific supplies, and that’s okay! If all you have is a pencil and paper, there are parks, libraries, and other spaces for you to work that cost nothing. Go and make the best of what you have, because one day you will have more than what you need so long as you never give up.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m00nk1tty94/
