We recently connected with Alexandra Garcia and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Alexandra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Yes, fortunately I have been able to make a full-time living from creative work. Honestly, I never doubted that I would. I just didn’t know how it was going to happen. Right after college, in September of 2019, I started working at my mom’s office part-time, while also doing art and design work on the side. I didn’t realize at the time how difficult being a self-starter in your own art business was. The talent was there, but I didn’t have the sales and social skills in order to put myself out there how I needed to. I knew that I had a lot to learn about sales and marketing before being able to sustain myself with art, and it made me feel very defeated, especially since being an office manager was not for me.
After almost two years of working as an office manager, one of my best friends asked me if I wanted to join him in being an assistant for a local Miami artist, Laura Chirino. At first I was very hesitant, considering it might take away from my own artwork, but when I thought about how unhappy I was in my office job, I gave it a shot. After working there for about 4 months, I quit my office job in December of 2021 and I’ve been full-time since then. In July it will be a year since I’ve started working for her. I love that I have the opportunity to work in an environment where I can be creative, and at the same time learn about business and marketing from my boss. It’s also a very practical way to make consistent money as an artist!
Throughout my illustration and design education, I was made to believe that I had to make it on my own. “Team” was not in my vocabulary. I was all about solo shows, finding my own clients, and always working on my own vision without any help or collaboration. I wish I knew how to swallow my pride back then, and make room for a team in my life. I have truly flourished while working on a team. Being a creative doesn’t mean always working on your own ideas. It can also mean helping bring others’ ideas to life, and working on projects together. Also, I wish I had known back then that I didn’t always have to be perfect. One of the biggest reasons why I was so uncomfortable putting myself out there is because I felt unworthy of receiving what I really wanted. Meanwhile, what really makes one stand out as a professional is their authenticity and their confidence. People don’t want perfection; they want someone who is unapologetically who they are.
Alexandra, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
For those who don’t know me, Hello! I’m Alex, an illustrator, nature lover, and (amateur) pole athlete/dancer. I’m the owner of Aquatic Alex Illustration, LLC. I was born and raised in Miami to Cuban parents, who are both very active art lovers. They have always supported any creative or athletic passion that I’ve wanted to pursue. Because of them I’ve practiced singing, drawing, writing, painting, gymnastics, guitar, and tennis. My family has made me into a very energetic and free spirited person, and I’m so thankful for that. It’s no surprise that I’m currently a full-time creative.
When I’m working with clients, my goal is always to bring their vision to life through illustrations and design. I want to show them a sketch for a painting or a logo, and hear them say, “WOW! That’s exactly what I was going for!” That is one of the best feelings in the world to me. A few months ago, I did a watercolor portrait of my neighbor’s late husband, and their grand-daughter, surrounded by roses. The image of the final portrait brought tears to her eyes, and I’ll never forget that. I want to bring emotion out of people with my artwork. I want to have a positive effect on people. When a work of art brings out feelings in others, whether it be a movie, a dance, a painting, a book, etc., that is what makes it the most special and memorable. That is also the same of works that teach people valuable lessons. Something that has always been very important to me in art is to use my nature illustrations to teach children about animals, so that they can grow to love and respect them, and the planet. I’ve been looking for opportunities with non-profit organizations in Miami, so that one day I can do small animal drawing classes with children. When I hear about children loving animals and caring about nature it just melts my heart!
As a creative, I want people to see more than just my visual artwork. I want people to see that artists aren’t these two dimensional people who do nothing but draw and paint. Nobody should have to choose just one passion that brings them joy. Social media is a valuable tool that has been created to share things with people who you might never meet in real life. This is an amazing way to share what we do as creatives with the public, which is why I don’t just post things about my visual artwork. I love to show the athletic side of me as well. I believe that everything I do is connected. Ever since I started pole sport and pole dance, I have noticed a dramatic shift within myself. The sense of accomplishment and joy that I get with every move, choreography, or conditioning practice I learn has given me confidence that I never thought I could have. I’m more outspoken and more willing to put myself out there, knowing that I’m worthy of the things I want in life. As a kid, I was so in love with the sports I would play, like gymnastics and tennis, for example. Once I would reach the point where the coach would talk to my mom about me playing competitively, I would run. I would pretend I wasn’t interested anymore. It was so scary to lose that I didn’t even try, and I think because of this I’ve learned to neglect that part of my life that I loved so much. Getting back into a sport in my early 20s, after what I’ve learned, I know that it’s not too late to start something that you’re passionate about. There is room for everyone to be a success, and to have abundance. This applies to art as well! As long as you are doing what is totally authentic to you, and what brings you joy, you will have abundance and success. I focus on my own journey and growth, and not those of my colleagues and competitors. When they share accomplishments, I celebrate alongside them. Those are the ideas that I want to share with the public, my colleagues, and my clients.
When a client hires me for a job, they know that I am someone who can collaborate, and understand their unique vision. Ever since I started working on a team, these skills have only grown. While on a team I’ve accomplished things much more consistently than when I was working on my own. I’ve attended more art festivals, met more people, and we’ve even created a mural together! In March 2022 we created a beautiful mural for Lowe’s at the Calle Ocho Music Festival in Miami. The finished mural is now on display in the Lowe’s Hialeah location. It felt so amazing to be part of the whole process. We brainstormed together to make a sketch, built an 8 ft. x 8 ft. canvas, put the sketch on the canvas, made it into a “paint by numbers” and then painted it in color live during the festival. For the first hour and half, children were helping us paint too! It was adorable to see them so excited about being a part of the mural. I would have loved to experience that as a child. When we all work together, it’s amazing what can be accomplished. I’ve learned that it feels just as good to experience that success with others, as it does to experience it alone. It even feels better. For me, a client’s success is also my success. I want them to have their vision come true just as much as I want another piece for my portfolio and another dollar in my pocket.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
So far in my life, I haven’t met anyone who just enjoys one thing. Why should that be the case for visual artists? I think that if you want to truly support an artist, you need to support all their explorations of creative expression. So many people in life want artists to check just one box, the “artist” box, but nobody should have to just check one box. We don’t play one role in life, and we don’t have to have just one passion. I’ve even seen artists on social media experiment with a different medium, and get some negative feedback from their followers. There is also backlash when it comes to posting personal pictures on your professional page. “That’s not professional,” or “This isn’t art” is what the public responds. Well, that painter who you love so much is also a parent, or a teacher, a friend, a lover, a spouse, a grandparent, an athlete, a nurse, or anything you can think of. Artists and creatives are simply people, and we do not exist to please and serve others; we exist to express ourselves.
When I first started sharing pole videos on my social media pages, I was nervous because I always kept my pages strictly “professional.” I wouldn’t post anything else except for my art and design. I had forgotten that social media is a place to have fun! It isn’t a gallery or a boardroom. At first, a few people didn’t like the pole videos. I had a couple of unfollows, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was mostly surrounded by very supportive people on social media. If anything, I got more followers, and I’ve connected with other pole artists by sharing my sport. I know that as time goes on, I’m going to keep getting better and better at pole sport. Maybe I’ll even perform at a few locations or go to a competition one day! Who knows what the future holds? I fear that the non-creative (and even some creative) people in my life have kept me in the “visual artist” box for so long, that one day if I adopt this new athletic profession, that they won’t support me. I fear that I won’t have the approval of some people I care about, or that people won’t see me as an artist anymore. It would hurt, but at the end of the day, the only person I need to make happy is me. Art comes in many different forms, and that’s what’s so beautiful about it!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
When it came to competition and success, my mindset used to be very unhealthy. I didn’t always believe that there was room for everyone to be successful, and I didn’t feel worthy. I used to think that I had to beat everyone else to come out on top. I think a lot of that was instilled in me through the education system. We were taught to compare ourselves to one another instead of lifting each other up, and celebrating each other’s unique skills. We were taught that success was what kind of job you have, your marital status, how much money you have, the influence you have over others, the more you go against the current, how much you worry about the future, how many hours you work, among other things. I don’t remember being taught about how the importance of the present moment, how to feel more grateful for what I have, how to use our individual skills to work together, how to love myself, or how feeling good is our natural state. In adulthood, I’ve learned these valuable lessons through books like “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz, “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle, and “Peace Is Every Step” by Thich Nhat Hanh, just to name a few. I also watch videos about the Law of Attraction and Abraham Hicks.
It would take forever to describe what I’ve learned from each of these teachers (because it is A LOT), so I’ll talk about the common thing in all of them. I have learned that the more authentic I am, which means the more I am at peace with who I truly am in this moment, the more I will attract the opportunities that are right for me, both professional and personal. For me, being at peace means being grateful for what I have every single day, and speaking and living my truth. Day by day, I make decisions in my life that lead me to my professional goals. It doesn’t matter how small these decisions are; each one leads me in the direction I want to be, if I choose authentically. For example, I knew I truly didn’t want to work in an office anymore, but I was always grateful every day that I had a way to make money, and that I could work with my mother. I put the energy of gratitude out there in the Universe, because we really do not know how great we have it sometimes. I started to really hone in on this feeling of gratitude through meditation. A few weeks later was when my friend called me about a new job as a creative assistant. Instead of listening to my overly competitive and critical self who was telling me I couldn’t put energy into artwork that wasn’t my own, I decided to listen to my gut and take the opportunity. With this choice, I went from working a part-time office job to working full-time as a creative. That decision put me in a place that aligns with my authentic self. Every day I always have my goal of living my truth. I try my best to say “no” to what I really want to say “no” to, and say “yes” to what I really want to say “yes” to. It sounds very simple, but sometimes we get so caught up in people pleasing and guilt, that we forget how to make ourselves happy. By being authentic, we can even weed out the opportunities and people that aren’t for us, and that is a lesson that works amazingly both in my professional and personal world. It can be applied to anything.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/aquaticalex_art
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquaticalex_art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aquaticalex97/
Image Credits
GFilms Production Laura Chirino Mauricio Velez