We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Abby Ramirez Alcala a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Abby, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
As a photographer in the creative field, I do find myself constantly thinking about what life would be if I had started my creative career sooner. I didn’t pursue photography professionally until I was about 21 years old; now 7 years later I’m working at my first creative job alongside younger colleagues and it stings a little to know I could have had the same advantage my younger colleagues have if I would have believed in my myself a little more and just applied. The fear of failure, the anxiety of the thought of rejection and not having a bachelors degree in my field was the cause of many missed opportunities and ultimately the reason I did not start my creative career sooner. However, my creative journey has been such a learning experience filled with some of my best memories and I wouldn’t change anything about it because I truly believe everything happens for a reason and I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
Abby, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a 28 year old, proud Mexican artist from Montclair, California. I’ve been an artist using photography as my medium for about 7 years now, specializing in portraiture. Over the years, I have been able to grow as an artist and develop my own techniques and style when approaching photography. Originally a poet, I enjoy incorporating storytelling and symbolism in much of my work as a way to create emotional connections with the viewer. Im also fascinated by color and the effect color has on the viewer as well as the image, which can be seen with my shifts from color to black and white photography. I gravitated to photography in order to cope with depression and anxiety. Vulnerability and transparency are important themes in much of my work. It is also important for me to leave room for the viewer’s interpretation based on their own experiences. I have installed interactive installations in the past such as, “Passenger Seat” that was installed at The Progress Gallery in Pomona, CA.
Many of my portrait work has been published in many fine art magazines such as Goji Issue 22, BEYONDall Vol. 3, NEVER magazine Issue 7, MOB magazine Issue 13, RAAMAT magazine Issue 5, and Verses Issue 2, the book: Chaffey College Student Invitational: Then And Now, published by curious publishing in 2020, 17:23 Magazine Vol. 95, 6X Magazine Vol. 91, and STYLÉCRUZE Magazine March 2023 Issue.
As a Latina in a white, male dominated field, I just want to continue taking up spaces that weren’t created for people who look like me and ultimately break the stigma of being an artist in an over saturated field.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing my work displayed or published for others to see. In a world driven by social media, there’s something special about being about to physically touch and see your art in real life. And it’s fascinating to me knowing that if it wasn’t for it being displayed in that exact location or published with a certain magazine that those looking at my art in real time probably would have never experienced my art at all.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I think over time my goal or mission has changed. For a long time, I wanted to open up a studio for POC creatives; however, in the economy that we live in today and becoming a new mom, I’ve decided to put that dream on hold. Nowadays I’m happy to just be able to still create and have time for my craft, so enjoying my creative journey however that may look is my goal.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.lafeaduckling.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/lafeaduckling
- Facebook: Facebook.com/lafeaduckling
- Twitter: Twitter.com/lafeaduckling
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lafeaduckling?_t=8hmLpZuKSb8&_r=1
Image Credits
Eddie Garcia