Meet Alex Velazquez-Brightbill

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alex Velazquez-Brightbill. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alex below.

Alex, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I keep my creativity alive by connecting with other artists, learning from different mediums and backgrounds, and always staying a student, working to improve my skills. Social media has been a big help- I love learning about artists’ processes and what inspires them. A lot of my creativity also comes from my own life, especially my journey as a mother and an immigrant. Recently, I’ve been inspired by writing and creating artist books that tell stories. That interest grew out of the time I spend reading children’s books with my son, which has become a huge source of inspiration in my art.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a full-time mother and a self-employed artist, both exhausting but beautiful roles, and truly a dream come true. It’s exciting to create art while also learning how to raise a little human. I feel grateful to be active in the art scene, both in the suburbs and in Chicago.

Right now, my work focuses on printmaking as a way to tell stories, both my own and those of my community. Through printmaking, I hope to spread positivity, hope, and healing. Self-portraits are central in my current exploration, as I use my own likeness to dive into themes of identity, memory, transformation, and personal healing.

As a Mexican immigrant artist, I draw inspiration from my own journey—my experiences with immigration, the duality of living between two cultures, being a mother, and my love for animals and nature. My pieces reflect my truth, and through them, I share not just my story but also my way of seeing the world.

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?

For me, the key has been consistency and the drive to keep growing as an artist-but also remembering to have fun with it. I took as many classes and workshops as I could, always looking for ways to improve my technique. I also paid close attention to the artists I admired and asked myself, how can I reach that level of artistry while still telling my own story? That combination of discipline, curiosity, and joy has been really important in my journey.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

I’d say my biggest area of growth has been time management, and really learning what kinds of projects I can realistically commit to. As a stay-at-home mother, I’ve had to accept that some opportunities, as amazing as they are, just aren’t possible for me right now. But I also remind myself that a year or two ago, those opportunities wouldn’t have even been coming my way. That realization motivates me-it shows me I’m growing as an artist, and that I’ll be able to take on more in the future. For now, I’m learning to balance what I can handle while staying inspired for what’s ahead.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alexvelazquezbrightbillart.com
• Instagram: alex.velazquez.brightbill.art
• Facebook: Alex Brightbill Art