We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Crystal Garcia a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Crystal, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
I think the best way to keep creativity alive is by doing the things you love. Doing the things that inspire you. A big source of inspiration for me is traveling and learning. Just this summer I traveled to New York and spent a month taking classes at the Art Students League of New York. I learned so much and I created so many paintings. I was writing and making art every day. In between classes I would explore the city and draw the beautiful things I saw.
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 am a visual artist and public school art teacher born and raised in Hialeah, FL. I love to experiment with various media in my work but I primarily use watercolor and acrylic paint. My work is often very colorful and I am heavily influenced by the tropical surroundings of South Florida and my Cuban roots. I am a member of the Miami Watercolor Society. I have been involved in numerous group exhibitions at local venues including the Biscayne Nature Center Gallery, Coral Springs Museum of Art, Wirtz Gallery, Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment, and Futurama Galleries in Little Havana.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I think the most important thing you can do if you want to develop your skills as an artist is to practice. Stay dedicated and draw everyday. Another thing you can do is learn from others. Meet other artists and learn new techniques. Also, be resourceful. There are a lot of grants and opportunities out there available to artists. I wish I knew about them sooner!
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
My biggest challenge right now is getting my art out there. I have artwork and prints that I would like to sell, and I have sold a bit but not as much as I would like. I have tried promoting on Instagram but I don’t have a large audience. At this point I’ve given up on trying to figure out the Instagram algorithm. To overcome this, I am trying to network more in person by attending art events. Networking has already led me to some exhibit opportunities. I’m hoping I’ll have more opportunities in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Artistcrystalg
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artist.crystalg
Image Credits
Anthony Neyra
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