Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dre Lopez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dre, so great to have you on the platform and excited to have you share your wisdom with our community today. Communication skills often play a powerful role in our ability to be effective and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your communication skills.
By paying attention to my surroundings, to people, their reactions, the quiet ones and the loud ones. By listening, truly listening. It’s extremely important in all social settings and every kind of relationship to communicate well. Patience within communicating is also extremely important. Sometimes you have to adapt how you communicate from one situation/individual to the next. That requires patience for them and for yourself. Communicating effectively is also something that continues to evolve and change through life, so you have to be committed to still learn as you go, remove things that don’t work anymore and stay humble to know that you will still be wrong at times and it’s ok to learn new approaches to communicating.
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 am a creative overall. I’m a professional Illustrator and Graphic Designer, but I also paint in different mediums from time to time, organize and curate fine art shows and collaborate with other creatives in different fields. Musicians, DJs, filmmakers, dancers, fashion designers, skateboarding, non-profits, military and many more. I’ve been working in my fields professionally for 20+ years.
I have been primarily a freelancer through my career, but have also worked in-house throughout as I am now with a technology school out of NY called Flatiron School. I do graphic design and illustration for them.
My freelance and independent endeavors have always been done either through my independent studio with my brother, Piensa Art Co. or my solo freelance company Dre Lopez Creative.
Through Piensa Art Co. we have been doing primarily illustration and fine art out of Columbia, SC for about 17 years. We pride ourselves in doing quality work and setting up shows of different varieties, also focusing on the quality of work as well as the person. We’ve been lucky to have met and been supported by many fine individuals in this city and region, which is one of the main reasons we still are able to continue to create art and experiences for as long as we have. Currently many of our works can be seen at soulHAUS Art Gallery in Columbia, SC.
Dre Lopez Creative is my more corporate branch to the work I do. I create illustrations and designs for more conservative or conventional clients. Publications, universities, government services, non-profits, etc.
We have done so many types of works through the years, and for me personally that works hand-in-hand with how my brain works. I get bored mentally fast with whatever work I am currently on, or the medium, the style, so I like to jump from one style of work to the next. Variety keeps me motivated and challenged and entertained. I love what I do so it’s rare that I am actually bored, but you get my point.
I love the fact that up to this day and age I still feel the challenge of continuing to learn and get better. I can see so much room to improve in practice, in approach, in techniques and imagination. I feel so much excitement to know that I am still continuing to progress both as an artist and professional, as well as a human being. Which is huge to the fact that our work can have direct and indirect effects on people. Both good and bad, which is a great thing. No reaction is the only negative in that equation. This is all truly a blessing, a humbling one, and one I will never take for granted.
Currently I am winding down my freelance projects so I can focus on several creator owned projects that I have been sitting on for quite a while. I have a couple of web-comics I want to put out, a fashion line that I’ve been sitting on called Gutter Baby Apparel and two independent fine art shows that I have also put on hold for a few years now (I’ve been dying to paint again!). Oh and possibly lining up some murals in the next year or two. Ooh, I will also be teaching myself animation in the very near future. I can do some simple motion graphics, but I will be expanding on my knowledge of the medium so I can implement this skill into my arsenal and put out some cool shit with it.
You have no idea how excited about all of this!! I am literally frothing at the mouth.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would say thick skin, patience, perseverance.
Thick skin because you will get criticized and scrutinized no matter what. As a creative, that’s been important to my job (and mental state), my work is meant to be put to people’s judgment one way or another. I think it also applies to so many other areas of life. Keep the noise out and stay focused on the things and people that matter. This has always been something that affects people in general, but with social media nowadays I feel like it is even more imperative to learn how to dismiss words and actions that ultimately are irrelevant to your journey.
Patience because rarely anything happens overnight. You may get lucky and be that one out of a million that’s in the right place right time, or go viral or whatever. For the overwhelming rest of us, it is literally a game of patience and perseverance. Patience for yourself, patience for others, patience for your process and progress. Patience allows you to remain steady and consistent. Which are huge to this whole thing and eventually getting closer and closer to your version of success.
Perseverance because you have to keep pushing through. This quality goes hand in hand with patience and consistency. Perseverance will keep you on your track, on your time. On your journey, be it as a professional or a human, we all will fail many, many times. This is a fact, if someone tells you otherwise they are lying to you. Learning how to take those hits and keep going is what is all about. Learn how to take the blows, allow yourself time to process, and figure out how to adapt to what you need to do.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I always keep an ear to the ground and see what kind of collaborations may arise. You never know what kind of magic you may be able to create and be inspired by with the right collaborators. I normally gravitate towards people or entities that are open minded, forward and modern thinking. People with vision, heart, integrity, and the same drive and focus I have to strive for excellence in our respective crafts.
As they say, not all money is good money so I think it’s important to be meticulous with how you approach who you let in your circles, be it professional or personal. You protect your mental state, your environment, and you also allow for the best outcome for the quality and integrity of the product or project.
If people are interested in collaborations, please reach out to me through my email [email protected] or my IG page which is @infidel_castro_x
Thank you for your time!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://drelopezcreative.com
- Instagram: infidel_castro_x
- Linkedin: Dre Lopez
Image Credits
Michael Dantzler for Census Bureau (Profile pic)
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
