Meet E. Vincent Martinez

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful E. Vincent Martinez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi E. Vincent, 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’m always being accused of being an optimist – as if it were a bad thing. Being an optimist doesn’t mean that you’re out of touch with reality or that you’re oblivious to everything. I find that optimism fosters a healthier approach and outlook to life, love and career. It allows you to problem solve more effectively and successfully. Optimism is power. I get mine from my mother who is a strong, positive light full of love and optimism.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Artist, filmmaker, gallery owner, magazine publisher and educator are the titles you can add to my credits. I know, it’s a lot. I started teaching in 2002 – fashion design – and about five years layer I launched Fashionado (fashionado.net) – a digital publication covering fashion, art and culture. I later created FashionadoTV, a Youtube channel, hosting interviews with fashion designers, artists and celebrities. In 2021 I began painting again, coming full circle with my artistic background. I created abstract works on canvas and wood using collage, acrylics and spray paint. Speaking of coming full circle, I took my skills as a photographer, something I haven’t done since earning an MFA in photo in the ’90s, and transitioned into filmmaking. I was already working in front the camera with FashionadoTV and with numerous daytime tv spots in Atlanta and stepped behind the lens to direct and produce a documentary in 2022. The film, about identical twin artists in their late 80s, screened at the Tryon International Film Festival (TRIFF) as the closing film during the festival. My husband and I were so moved by the town of Tryon, located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina, that in 2024 we moved to Tryon and opened a fine art and contemporary craft gallery called Mirrorball Gallery. The gallery is what we are most excited and proud of. In addition to running the gallery, I am in production of my second documentary: “Iron Pearls” is the story of a trailblazing, pear necklace wearing, female blacksmith artist, her life and career.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Patience, perseverance and a willingness to grow have played important roles for me. Patience allows you to stay the course despite setbacks, perseverance helps you push through obstacles, and a willingness to grow keeps you adaptable and open to learning. When combined, these qualities create a powerful foundation for long-term success.

Practice, practice, practice and don’t be so ready to give up when something doesn’t go as planned. “Failure” is just another opportunity to do something differently.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

The most impactful (and selfless act) my parents did for me was to leave our birthplace of Cuba. My father stayed behind but sent my mother, who was only 25 years old, to a foreign country with two small children. This was the epitome of love and bravery. It would be 43 years before my father and I reunited but this painful and unconditional act afforded me the quality of life and education needed to set me up for success. I owe them everything.

I was born in Havana, grew up in Miami, proud to be Cuban, proud to be American.

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