Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gabi Diaz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Gabi, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I keep my creativity alive by giving myself the opportunity to experience new things. I love having outdoor adventures, traveling, and observing my surroundings. Sometimes embracing the mundane can bring you new ideas too.
One thing about me is that I follow through with my ideas, no matter how crazy they may seem. Recently, my neighbors cut down a small, forested area in their backyard. As a self-proclaimed “tree hugger,” I was upset by this because I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I channeled that energy to build something for the animals in my own backyard. I constructed a pond and filled it with native aquatic plants. Now every time I look outside, I see all kinds of birds and bugs enjoying the environment I created for them.
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 run an online art shop called Berrinoodle. The name Berrinoodle comes from my love for strawberries and ramen noodles. I love combining my interests in this way and it inspires the things I create too. My most popular items are my cinnamon roll snails. They’re little clay snails that resemble cinnamon rolls complete with brown sugar filling and cream cheese icing.
The other items in my Etsy shop are also food themed. I have animal ice cream sundaes, bear burgers, and handsewn cake plushies. Amongst all the chaos in this world, I found that making cute things like these became an outlet for my stress. Surrounding myself with cute, endearing objects reminds me to be kinder to myself.
Beyond sculpting, I love making paintings and illustrations. I’m always open to work on custom projects like posters, book covers, really anything that involves creative problem solving.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The most impactful qualities to me were humility, determination, and acceptance.
I studied at FIT for 2 years with a focus in illustration. My art classes had a critique session for every project that we submitted. We would present in our work in front of the entire class so students could point out any shortcomings they noticed in our piece. Having humility allowed me to be receptive towards their advice which strengthened my skills as an artist.
Determination keeps me focused on my goals. I have to follow through with customer expectations and give them unforgettable pieces of art.
Finally, Acceptance: Accept that “failure” is an option and can lead to success. Scrapped projects can lead to better opportunities. One of my professors would give us the advice to “stop being precious” about our work. Instead of spending several hours stuck on a small detail, you can use those hours to focus on the bigger picture. Sometimes you just have to let things go, even if at first it doesn’t seem like the right thing to do.
My main advice to other artists in their journey is to embrace everything that happens to you. When you fail, fail hard. When you succeed, do it with all your heart. Life is a cathartic journey and all we can do sometimes is enjoy the ups and downs.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
The main issue that overwhelms me as an artist is having too many ideas but not enough time to pursue each of them individually.
I get paralyzed from the amount of choice I have as a creative person. Not only that but art takes time. So how do I choose the right project? I go with my gut instinct and stick with it. Once I have a vision, I make project timelines and specific to-do lists. If I ever feel stuck I ask my other artist friends for their feedback. Encouragement from other people is really important to me, it reminds me that not only do my creations matter, but I do as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gabidiazart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berrinoodle/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/berrinoodlestudio
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