We recently connected with Calina Hiriza and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Calina, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
Certainly all human beings experience a spectrum of emotions throughout life, from happiness to sadness and everything in between—and I am no different. However, I am a challenger by choice and I tend to focus on possibilities rather than limitations. I wasn’t always like this. In my younger years I definitely struggled with insecurities and tasks seemed tall orders on many occasions. However, what I have noticed is that every time something seemed unattainable, if I kept returning to it, the impossible exercise became easier and easier to digest, and eventually to subdue there’s a Romanian saying that goes “You’re staring at it like a cat at a calendar”. We all feel that way when we first lay eyes or hands on something we’ve never done before. Sometimes optimism can come from positive experiences or a solid support network and that’s great, but when those do not exist, or fail, inside us resides the power to reframe challenges positively. Reverse psychology works wonders on me, just tell me I can’t do something and off I go.
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 was born on February 5th, 1981, the year MTV launched in the United States, and in Mexico City Tohui was the first panda born in captivity. Picasso’s painting Guernica was moved from New York to Madrid and the Boeing 767 made its first flight. Other than that, Wikipedia states it was a pretty terrible year.
I frolicked on the hills of Transylvania (Romania) until I was 17 years old, when I was willingly, yet abruptly, transplanted to New York City. I still remember today the feeling of awe mixed with irritation at the sight of what seemed to be interminable skyscrapers. Where was I?
My love affair with art started early and by chance, at 11 years old, when a family friend and artist glimpsed real talent in my drawings. And just like that, years of artistic training began.
Like any relationship, it held highs and lows but it was ever-present. Always there, in times of need, in proper studio spaces, and basements, and living rooms covered in painter’s cloth after the house went to sleep. Always there. Mostly without the spotlight of fame and accolades but always leaving an impression on anyone witnessing it. And that’s how I liked it. It was my secret weapon, something I didn’t have to explain or validate through others. My hidden factor of coolness.
Hidden no more, as I have become intentional about my artistic pursuits. Because it’s not just about art behind closed doors but art that I want to share with the world. So I can have strangely satisfying conversations with dreamers and visionaries, experience the unifying nature of art across races, and languages, and Google maps. Because art is embedded within me, forever. Still my secret weapon, but now I know how to wield it. And it’s fun.
My work begins with a dialogue between self and matter, and leads to the abstract, where the corpus is deciphered through the texture, chromatic intensity, and kinesics. The pieces tell intricate stories in a clandestine language for which there is no physical referent.
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?
Resilience, embracing change, common sense. Every day is day 1 of your journey. It’s a different way to frame “live each day as if it’s your last”, and a more positive one. If there is something you want or need from life that life has not given you yet, do not give up on it. Huge leaps or baby steps, keep whittling. Paint that picture of what you want in your mind and work towards it. Keep yourself open to the possibility of it becoming a reality.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
My dream at the moment is to take over a large space and transform it. So I am looking to collaborate with other artists, rather they are fine artists, or musicians, tech guys, writers, I would consider anyone looking to create and shape the world for better a potential collaborator. Shoot me an email, call, text me, carrier pigeon, all are welcome.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.calinahiriza.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calina.hiriza/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CalinaHirizaArt/
