Meet Ariel Esquivel

 

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

Ariel, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Being born into a life full of adversities.

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

1. I’m Ariel Esquivel, and I’m passionate about painting, print making and curating, empowering others through art and creativity. My journey began as a child needing hope in my unstable home and ever since, I’ve been committed to creating work that not only reflects who I am but also connects deeply with others.

What excites me most about what I do is to pour out all my current emotions into an art formation, telling underrepresented stories, pushing boundaries, creating with purpose. Whether it’s through painting, printmaking curating or even teaching. I aim to spark thought, inspire growth, or simply bring joy into someone’s day.

My brand is built on a few core values—authenticity, creativity, community, family and I’m proud to say that everything I put out reflects that spirit. I want people to feel seen, empowered, or even just a little more hopeful after engaging with my work.

Right now, I’m especially excited about curating Shelter at Art On Main Gallery in East Dallas with my close friend Junanne Peck. Our exhibition runs June 12 – July 5, 2025. With a public workshop Constructing Shelters Workshop: June 14 (2-5 PM) – Please contact Junanne Peck at junannepeck@mac.com if you would like to sign up for this free workshop (all supplies included). Opening Reception: June 21 (6-9pm) – Meet the Artists. From 7-8pm we will have a Spoken Word / Open Mic opportunity centered around the theme of the exhibit.
If you would like to sign up for the Spoken Word / Open Mic portion of the reception please email Junanne Peck at junannepeck@mac.com

The exhibition will be a place where visitors can take time to reflect on what home means to them. Exploring place: the physical, psychological and spiritual.

It’s an evolving path, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support I’ve received so far.

To stay connected or see what’s coming next, you can follow along at https://ariel-esquivel.pixels.com
To find out more Information on Shelter a Sense of place check it out on https://artonmaindallas.com/shelter-a-sense-of-place-exhibition-call-for-art

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three Most Impactful Qualities in My Journey

Looking back, the three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are resilience, curiosity, and relationship-building.

1. Resilience:
There have been many moments of uncertainty, rejection, and unexpected challenges. Resilience helped me keep going, adapt, and grow stronger after each setback. For those just starting out, I’d say: expect roadblocks, but don’t let them define you. Build the habit of learning from tough moments rather than avoiding them.

2. Curiosity:
Staying curious has kept my work fresh and evolving. I’m always asking questions, exploring new ideas, and pushing myself to learn more—whether it’s through books, people, or just trying things out. My advice: never assume you know it all. The most creative breakthroughs often come from staying open to new perspectives.

3. Relationship-Building:
So much of my progress has come from genuine connections—mentors, collaborators, supporters. Investing time in building authentic relationships, rather than transactional ones, has opened countless doors. For newcomers, I suggest showing up with kindness, sharing value, and staying in touch even when there’s no immediate “gain.”

Each of these takes time to build, but they’re worth it—and they grow stronger the more you practice them.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

Leaning Into Strength While Honoring the Struggle

As someone who came from a background of abuse, deep poverty, and instability, I’ve had to learn the hard way how to build a life from the ground up. For a long time, survival was the only focus. In those early years, being “well-rounded” wasn’t even a concept I had the privilege to think about—I had to lean hard into whatever strength I had just to keep moving forward.

Because of that, I firmly believe in going all in on your strengths—especially when you come from a place where the odds were stacked against you. When you grow up in chaos, your strengths are often the only stable ground you have. For me, that strength was art—the ability to express, document, process, and reclaim my story through painting, printmaking and curation.

I didn’t have formal training for much of my journey. I didn’t come from a family of artists or have access to elite institutions. What I had was a raw drive to create and connect. That strength—paired with my deep empathy and insight, born from struggle—became the foundation of my voice as an artist and curator.

That said, I also believe in strategic growth. Once you’ve stabilized yourself by rooting into your core strengths, then you can begin to stretch into areas where you feel less confident. For example, I used to avoid the business side of my practice, thinking it wasn’t “me.” But once I had my creative voice solid, I learned to advocate for my work, write proposals, and navigate the art world as both a creative and a professional.

So my advice is this: start where you are strongest. Let that be your anchor. Then, slowly and intentionally, expand outward. Don’t spread yourself thin trying to be “well-rounded” before you even know who you are. Build that identity first—especially if you come from a background where your identity was denied or diminished.

My work now—whether I’m pouring, printing, curating, or collaborating—is rooted in reclaiming space, telling stories that matter, and offering platforms for others who’ve been overlooked. That power didn’t come from trying to be everything to everyone. It came from owning my past, embracing my strengths, and building a life I was once told I’d never have.

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