We recently connected with Ana Milena Rojas and have shared our conversation below.
Ana Milena, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
I like to think of creativity like a strict diet, only this diet requires me constantly feeding myself art and design. For instance, on my way to work I make a conscious decision to get there by walking down different streets every day. I try to be present and aware of my surroundings. NYC itself is a moving piece of art – from the sounds to the buildings to the people…there will always be new ideas that are inspiring just by walking around the concrete jungle. In fact, I get a lot of sound design inspiration for my videos just through my daily walk alone.
I also go to a lot of events, art galleries, museums etc. – the obvious places for inspiration related to what I do. I think it’s important to watch what other artists are doing and, most importantly, meet as many people as possible in the industry. Their stories and perspectives are different from mine and I find that’s always a great boost of energy to keep me going and working hard.
I think my deepest secret to staying creative is to surround myself with great people that consistently inspire and push me to do my best. I consider my closest friends and family my team and we’re always there to support each other, work hard and hustle. If I’m doing it right, that team is always growing and that’s very important to me to keep my creativity growing.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a New York City based artist and I don’t think I have an easily defined style of art because I’m always trying something new. Right now I’m working on conceptual digital art by creating fantastical worlds through the use of video and still photography. I try to make these pieces so that they are never what they seem. I like them to be intuitive. One thing’s for sure, they’re never premeditated as it’s a bit of a creative journey. Currently I’m using myself as a subject, telling stories that are implied rather than explicitly stated. And that story can change depending on where attention is drawn. The subject, the background, the sounds…they all are from different points of view to elicit different responses. I’ve also recently started working with other models and talent to be included in these works as a subject and it’s a whole new, inspiring journey.
When I’m not working on this art, I’m also art directing short, independent films and am a full-time designer creating high-profile promotional campaigns for Warner Bros. Discovery.
For most of my work across my portfolio, I would say that my style is reflected by a range of inspirations including Warhol, Basquiat, Van Gogh and Davinci.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Number one is consistency. I spend countless hours practicing and honing my skills. I’m always exposing myself to new mediums in art and design. I try to never take breaks and have sacrificed a lot of my social life because of my goals and how quickly I want to reach them. That requires a lot of dedication. Number two is to be passionate about what I do. It hasn’t been an easy road, but I’m obsessed about my career and that has helped me get through the hardest days. I have never cared if I was getting paid or not. I’m always searching for opportunities to learn, and be exposed to, new skills. And third, once you find success (whatever success means to you) it’s going to require even more passion, consistency, dedication and sacrifice. It’s a constant dance of learning and building (art, relationships, inspirations, etc.) to get where you want to be.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking to collaborate with other creatives whether in film, design, or art. For me, social media has been a tremendous resource for this. It makes it so easy to connect with different artists from all over the world to collaborate. In fact, I met the Director of the most recent film I Art Directed through Instagram and we have continued to collaborate ever since. And currently, I’m working with an actress that I met on social media on two very exciting projects that will debut next year. Social media has been a huge opportunity getter for me and showcasing my work there helps legitimize who I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amilena.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anamilena__rojas/
Image Credits
Photo Direct/Produced: @ashlee.e_creative Photographer: @stephaniedianiphoto Hair/Makeup: @pro.marylee Stylist: @aisyawashington_ Fashion Designers: @milanabartolotta @sin.regeneration
