We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful CHRISTIAN BURGOS. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with CHRISTIAN below.
CHRISTIAN, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I’ve learned over time to hold my head high no matter the circumstances. That whether you like it or not, there are people that simply will not like you. The same way there are people that you just don’t like it and that’s okay. What matters is that you know who you are and are confident as well as accepting of who you are. Realizing that you are the only person that looks like you in the room is what each of us every single day go through. Instead focus on the things that set you apart and make you love yourself more than your desire to be accepted by others.
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?
I’m a digital illustrator from the east coast and I absolutely love what I do for a living. Being able to create the work that I do took time and everyday I’m getting better but the journey here has been so worth it. Being able to draw just about anything I put my mind to has been so eye opening of an experience and it’s something I’m very proud of. Some of the art I’ve created even recently are ideas I’ve pondered upon for some time and just finally got the courage to try to execute them. What I feel as though my art says about me is that I love comic books and expressing ideas through inspiration derived from that genre. As far as new stuff coming, of course my 4th series is now underway which is amazing. Every few weeks I am dropping new pieces on my socials as well as a FEW new products I’ve been wanting to try making as well. I don’t want to give a way too much but I’ll just say…more wearable items.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
What was most impactful to me as an artist, is meeting other artists like me. I live in a town where really, there’s no other artists. There’s graphic designers and there’s a few hobby artists but no one who really I’m able to resonate with. It wasn’t until meeting friends online in the digital art space via Twitter or Instagram that I truly felt not alone. How I was able to make these connections world and nationwide with people who want to see me succeed just as much as I want them to. Even more so than people who Ive know in my everyday life for years! This whole experience led me to even put myself out there physically and meet artists in the Baltimore and DC art community who have become family to me. So many driven, amazingly talented individuals come from the DMV and I happen to know so many of them. Some have become close friends while others I see throughout the year and each time I’m elated to see them because we are all on this linear path to success. My advice to anyone who is wanting to become an artist full time, have tough skin, be confident in your work and be open to learning every single day. I repeat every. Single. Day. To learn is to get better and what better way to do that than experiencing life itself.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
Self esteem and the ability to not compare myself to others. It’s hard when I have friends who are making much more than I am off their work, What makes it hard is not because of jealousy or envy, but because it’s something I think I sort thought I deserved because I worked just as hard to draw the way I do now. What helped combat this is knowing that my journey has really only just begun and I have so much life to live as well as so much art to create…my story is far from over. I learned over time to celebrate those wins with them, put that good energy out there because it will only return ten fold when your time comes. To be there and support them the way you would want to be supported.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artbygos.com
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