We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Juana Martinez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Juana below.

Juana, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project that I have worked on was an art show in April 2024 called “Growing Up Hispanic” in which I brought in local Hispanic artists and their work and showing what is was like to grow up Hispanic in the beloved city of Oxnard. I collaborated with theatre talent to make the space immersive and colorful. to really shine a light and highlight the work of the talent itself. To bring in people who have never seen art like this before, like my parents and my sisters. To other peoples family coming to see the art show too.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have always been an artist as such a young age, it was more of an obsession if anything and the older I get the more I realize that I really do love the craft. There is so much to do with it and the mediums are never ending so right now I am trying all the mediums that I can. I paint, I sculpt, I mold, I sew, I do plenty of different techniques when it comes to my work and lately have taken interest in CyanoType and resin, but one thing at a time. I often work close and try to come up with the vision for my clients, some have a hard time putting their ideas in words so I try to bridge that gap so they often leave satisfied. I am proud of how far I have come and what I have done, I am involved with the community which is great but I want to delve past that, I want to get even more involved to see what people create and what they bring and grow from that to expand my knowledge. I am excited to see what this world has to offer.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

STOP comparing yourself to others, STOP competing against other, JUST STOP. You must only compete with yourself and your past self, that is the only way you are going to get better. YOU LOOK at a painting and say “I wish I could draw hands” then draw hands and keep drawing them until that is all you see. you will notice with practice you do get better. for the longest of time I was always drawing small little comic book character and keeping track of my numbers and being like “am I ever good enough for them?” and now focusing on my own craft and painting and doing different mediums, it is a lot of “am I good enough for me?” which has made my relationship a bit more positive with art itself. It helps with art blocks and just the creative process and overall the mental health too.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Seeing people smile is rewarding, SEEING people by the art that I make rather than commissions. Commissions are great but that is very much me molding into what the client wants which isn’t bad but not as fulfilling as doing your own art and having people see it and get your art. LIKE THAT is such a good fulfillment in my heart and emotionally.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://juana-martinez.weebly.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenney_todd/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064022321433
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juana-martinez-73436a130/?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fjuana-martinez.weebly.com%2F

Image Credits

ALL pictures by me, except the group picture it is by Carolyn Mullen and Marionne Cothern