Meet Randy Robledo

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Randy Robledo . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Randy , thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

I believe my optimism comes from life experience. Through all of the hardships I may have gone through, everything will work out one way or another. It may not always be what you want it to be but life will take you in directions and open doors that you are meant to walk through that you didn’t even know you wanted or needed.

Everyone has a story. Everyone experiences pain, love, and loss. I believe life is short and after experiencing loss, whether it is family, friends, or relationships, it has taught me to be present, grateful, and be patient with myself and my journey.

That perspective helps me understand my position on earth and my relationship with people and situations that are beyond my control. The dust will always settle if you just let it be.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a first-generation Mexican-American artist from Santa Barbara, California that currently resides in Los Angeles. I grew up in an artistic household. My father had a passion for music and Make-Up FX. My siblings were also very artistic. I was fortunate to have supportive parents that really nurtured and believed in our interests and passions.

I began drawing as soon as I could pick up a crayon but really began to take it seriously around the age of 12. I would spend hours aimlessly daydreaming and drawing. It was at that age I was introduced to Disney’s Production Designer Peter Ellenshaw, who was famous for painting large realistic backgrounds for films such as ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘Old Yeller’. He gave me a private tour of his home and studio in Hope Ranch, California which inspired me at an early age to hone in on my craft and see all the possibilities as an artist. I would take art classes outside of school and create from home. Then at age 16, I met and drew a portrait for Oprah Winfrey which then catapulted me as an artist further. I showcased my work at a gallery for the first time that year and sold original work.

After High School, I decided to pursue my other passion in music. I had played saxophone for 13 years and would sing and write songs. I went on to Musician Institute where I studied Vocal Performance and Recording. In those years, I did vocal studio work and backgrounds. It leads me to share the stage with artists I admired such as Stevie Wonder, John Legend, John Mayer, and Justin Bieber. Ultimately, I decided to dive back into my love for art and I have been pursuing it ever since. Los Angeles is a great city to explore your artistic creativity. I’ve showcased at Monsterpalooza, Selena Fan-Gathering, clubs, bars. I also created Art Shows that tethered my love for art and music called Sounds & Sketches.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three most important things I’ve learned over my journey becoming an artist was first, to practice. I have always had a genuine passion for creating and drawing. I have several sketchbooks from my early years filled with drawings of a variety of random things. I have always enjoyed drawing people and faces the most. There was always something about eyes that I enjoyed drawing. I took figure drawing classes when I was in my teen years but ultimately realized I could do that anywhere simply just by people watching. I remember not paying attention to teachers in school and I’d draw my peers from afar. I didn’t realize at the time it was all practice cause I enjoyed it so much. It was my escape and therapy. I would apply layers and erase and add a little more shading here and there. It was like a puzzle piece. I’d try to figure out how to capture the essence of a person.

Second most importantly is to find your style. Find your own rhythm and originality. I copied a lot of great artist in my adolescent years to learn certain skills but found that I needed to carve a path of my own work. Copying other work is fine for practice but it is more impactful to create pieces of your own. It’s is far more exciting to create pieces that don’t exist and I find great pride in that. My art may not be for everyone but I believe staying creative and original has helped me find a community of people that I can relate to and its great to find that a tribe that we can share the same creative outlooks.

Thirdly, take charge of your direction. For years I would create pieces privately with the hopes that I’d be asked to showcase somewhere. I think if you wait for someone to ask you to be part of something, you’re wasting your time. You have to put it out there, invest in yourself, learn to network, and create the spaces to put your work out there. It is only then where opportunities arise from my experience. The best thing I’ve done for myself is to curate my own events to showcase my work. I enjoy bringing artists and creatives together. I enjoy creating experiences. I’ve been so inspired by other artists and events in times where I felt I was down or in a rut. I could only hope I can make people feel a spark of inspiration or joy in the same way other artists have inspired me.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

The obstacles I typically face as an artist is finding inspiration or work / life balance. I think my artistry comes in waves at times. Depending what I’m going through or how exhausted I may be has been the challenge in diving into my work. I think I forget that for me, art is my outlet and it is the thing I need to lean into to decompress or sort out any feelings. It truly is therapy and sometimes I forget that at times. Sometimes you have to leave things alone and come back to them when you’re ready. Art and music has been the main constant thread in my life. No matter the space I may take from it to have life experiences, at the end of it all, I always come back to it. It is the main thing that grounds me and makes me come back to myself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @randyrobledo
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/randyrobledoart