We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lola Montejo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lola, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
It takes risks to develop your artistic senses. A lot of time, failure, and experimentation is what I have learned the most from in my studio practice. I find success when a painting is just about to fail and then I can discover something. For myself it is a practice that takes place after certain amount of trials, and those trials create the presence of the painting. In a way the construction of the painting has to pass through an inner conflict that can only be embraced on the canvas, and by embracing that conflict it creates the existence of the painting. The most beautiful meanings of life are sometimes best understood by struggles. For me, success in life is simply trying to do and live from what one loves. Every future moment is uncertain in art and in life.
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Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Hi my name is Lola Montejo. I am an artist, I create abstract paintings, drawings, collages, and monotypes. My art combine the visual vocabulary of abstraction and expressionism by layering and juxtaposing incongruous forms, textures, and colors.
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?
Dedication, persistence, and authenticity are words I use when describing my work habits and what I attribute to any of my success as an artist.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
It is hard to be an artist. I am a professor and I warn my students that it is not an easy life. I work a lot, long days, and often 7 days a week. I do not have time for much else, the work consumes me. I have overcome many obstacles and I could have picked a more stable career, but I don’t have a choice. My art is what I have to do, it is what I am.
For me, success in life is simply trying to do and live from what one loves. Every future moment is uncertain in art and in life. If you want to pursue art then do it, there is a place for you. I remember in school feeling like art is so competitive but there is so much art out there and there are large followings of all kinds of work. Find your place, where your work belongs and you will find people who enjoy what you do.
Contact Info:
- Website: lolamontejo.com
- Instagram: lolamontejo
Image Credits
Photos of art taken by Wes Magyar.
