Meet Angela Faustina

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angela Faustina a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Angela, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Overcoming imposter syndrome is a daily battle in the art world! It’s easy to doubt yourself when standards are subjective and there are constant comparisons. It’s essential to confront these feelings with intention and resilience so it becomes part of a process that can ultimately lead to greater self-awareness and growth. Setting realistic goals so I can focus on progress rather than perfection, tracking and celebrating my accomplishments, challenging negative self-talk, and my support system are critical tools that help me to succeed as an artist and keep imposter syndrome at bay.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My sticky-sweet oil paintings transform glistening fruit into its own unique world. Capturing perfectly ripe, juicy fruit flesh in each brushstroke, my artwork focuses on the beauty and vibrancy of life. These paintings are bright, lively, intimate, and bold as hell. Walking the line between realism and idealism, these are not your traditional still life paintings.

Close-cropped but not confined, my fruit is a complex landscape that serves as a bridge from the universal to the personal. Magnifying often overlooked and minute details, textures, and patterns beneath the peel parallels the heightened awareness and attention that my body demands due to my Lupus. The dichotomy between vibrant color and delicate intricacies of my fruit paintings echoes the strength and fragility inherent to chronic illness.

Although the fruit is presented in an original way, the common subject matter represents a universally shared experience that spans borders, religion, and culture. Due to my fresh take on the genre and the universal appeal of my subject matter, my artwork has been collected and exhibited for 16 years in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. My mouth-watering murals are on view in America’s vibrant southeastern cities, including Atlanta, GA, and St. Petersburg, FL. Educators around the world include my artwork in their still life and photorealism curricula. I am represented by Signet Contemporary Art in London, England.

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?

I believe that discipline, professionalism, and tenacity are three of the most transformative qualities on my artistic journey. These assets are the backbone of my progress and success, often far outweighing raw talent or inspiration alone.

I love the quote attributed to Pablo Picasso that ‘inspiration needs to find you working’ because it’s so true for me and speaks to the power of discipline and consistency. Discipline means making time to create, setting boundaries, and prioritizing the process even when motivation wanes. It’s not about waiting for the “perfect moment” but about making the work a non-negotiable part of my routine. The more I commit to my craft and keep pushing forward, the more likely I am to unlock new ideas and breakthroughs. Setting boundaries, creating goals and a schedule, and prioritizing the process are all ways to improve discipline.

Professionalism is equally crucial, not just in terms of how I present myself to the world, but in how I handle the business and interpersonal aspects of being an artist. Professionalism means maintaining a strong work ethic, meeting deadlines, and communicating clearly with clients, galleries, and collaborators. It’s about being reliable and responsible, which fosters trust and respect in the art community. Professionalism also extends to self-management: keeping records, managing finances, and making sure my online presence reflects my artistic values. All of these factors contribute to a sense of credibility and reliability that can lead to more opportunities and a sustainable career as an artist. Networking and learning to communicate effectively are my favorite ways to improve these skills.

Tenacity is the mental and emotional resilience that pushes me to keep going, even when things aren’t going as planned. The journey of an artist is filled with rejection, failure, and moments of doubt, but tenacity means not allowing those setbacks to define me. It means continuing to create, even when I face creative blocks, critical feedback, or financial uncertainty. Tenacity also involves cultivating the patience to see a project through to completion, even when it feels like progress is slow or the outcome is uncertain. It’s the determination to persevere through difficulties and keep learning and growing. Adopting a growth mindset was the best way for me to improve my tenacity, like reframing setbacks as opportunities for learning rather than failures.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

I think it’s important to know your strengths and weaknesses well and either become more well-rounded or invest in support in the areas where you need it. By understanding your strengths and weaknesses, you can make more strategic decisions about where to invest your time, effort, and resources.

Knowing what you’re good at allows you to maximize your potential and align your efforts with your most natural abilities. When you identify your strengths, you’re essentially uncovering the areas where you can make the most significant impact. This could be specific skills such as creativity, communication, or problem-solving or even personal traits like discipline, tenacity, or leadership.

Just as it’s essential to know where you shine, it’s equally important to be honest with yourself about your weaknesses. We all have areas where we may not be as naturally skilled, or where we lack experience or knowledge. The key to managing weaknesses is to view them not as permanent limitations, but as areas for potential improvement. Identifying where you might struggle—whether in a specific skill set, task, or personal trait—allows you to take proactive steps toward addressing them. It’s about knowing where to focus your energy and when to seek support to help you overcome these challenges, whether it be through research, classes, or outsourcing help.

Striking the right balance between self-improvement and seeking support can help you build a sustainable path to reaching your full potential.

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