We were lucky to catch up with Ash Soriano recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ash, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Honestly, I’m still working on my confidence and self-esteem– I don’t ever think I’ll ever stop learning and growing in that aspect! It’s taken a lot of self reflection and grace towards myself, especially looking back on how my self talk used to be. A lot of my insecurities came from comparing myself to others and feeling like I wasn’t good enough or that I wasn’t doing enough. Whether it was in academics or with my slow-growing art career or even with my own identity, I struggled very heavily with my self image because I felt that it wasn’t what the world expected of me, and that impacted the way I talked to myself. I truly believe that if it wasn’t for the kindness and gracious support of my friends, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I really developed my sense of self because I was surrounded by incredibly supportive people who believed in me and embraced who I was; they always rooted for me with my art journey, validated my identity as a queer person, and welcomed my personality. I don’t think I would have begun to treat myself with kindness if it weren’t for the people who kindly treated me in the first place; they taught me that I can be unapologetically myself and still find my people. I’m endlessly grateful to have these special folks in my life!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m a digital illustrator/cartoonist currently working on my personal brand. If you’re looking for silly comics or fan pieces, I’ve got just the thing for you! I specialize in slice of life comics about myself and personal zines, and I strive to eventually write and produce my own graphic novel. I’m currently working on a graphic novel with a writer friend of mine and launching an online shop soon, but you can find a lot of my work on Instagram or on my portfolio website! Updates about my whereabouts for events and festivals will be posted on my social media, so if my work sounds interesting to you, please feel free to follow!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
This is a great question because I still consider myself as being early in my journey! I think three things that were important to me taking my first step into the foray were (and still are!) perseverance, interpersonal skills, and grace. Perseverance is kind of an obvious one, right? For me, it means choosing to continue despite unsatisfying outcomes– sometimes people you care about don’t support you or you may not have gotten a good turnout for a product launch. It happens! What’s important is that it’s something you learn from and that you don’t get discouraged because something unfavorable happened. I know it sounds superficial, but I’ve found that the best way to develop that is to keep trying & focus on why it makes you happy and excited! Second is interpersonal skills, which, as an introvert, is difficult at times. In being an independent artist, I’ve been having to advocate for myself more often than not especially while networking, so connecting with others is something that happens on a very normal basis. Whether it’s small talk while finishing up a transaction or chatting with someone about an art piece, I find that these little moments are what stick with people when they interact with me or my work. The best way to work on this skill would honestly be to throw yourself into it– greet folks, complement a person’s shirt, anything! It really helps to get comfortable with talking to new people especially if you’re new to networking this way. And finally, grace. It’s so important to me to save time for myself and to recuperate after a particularly long event or lengthy drawing session. It’s a little difficult as someone who gets lost in work, but giving myself grace to rest, to make bad art, to make mistakes & learn was SUCH an integral part to figuring out my balance specifically for my mental wellness. Honestly, I think the best way to work on this is to make space for yourself– “me time” doesn’t happen unless you make time, even if it’s for a couple minutes.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
My biggest area of growth this past year has been, well, everything! Again, I’m still relatively new to the world of independent artistry and small businesses, so I’m still learning everything I can. But these past 12 months have been such a ride! I had just figured out I wanted to invest more time into a creative career when I went from casually posting my art online, hoping to one day make a website to being featured at three tabling events, brought onto my first collaboration project, and connected to a bunch of local artists! I’ve truly been launched into something that I’m so incredibly passionate about and I know it’s only beginning; I hope to launch my art store soon and start making real progress in physical art pieces like stickers, prints, and more. I also hope to make more new connections– everyone I’ve been getting in touch with has been so kind and I can’t wait to continue branching out! I’m excited to see what comes next, and I’m forever grateful for being granted the opportunity to chase my dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ashdoescomics.squarespace.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashdoescomics/
Image Credits
Jose Romero, Ash Soriano
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