Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Taveras.

Hi Andrew, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It would be cliche to say that it all started when I was a kid – but that would ring true for me. I was a creative kid, always into the arts & had a very big imagination which laid the foundation to what was to come once I grew up. The real journey started after high school. I spent a couple of years just testing waters, trying to figure out what makes me tick. I was searching for who I was & what I was passionate about. Today, it feels like I struck gold but I couldn’t tell you the exact moment it happened.

I attribute a lot of my growth to Youtube – as crazy as it sounds. Anything I was curious about, I would just give it a quick search & end up going down this rabbit hole of how-to’s & people with all these different skills & talents that were just giving out this information for free. In one of these searches, I discovered this artist on YouTube called Andrew Tischler. He would just explain things in a way where I could really understand. I was excited to learn what he was teaching & I became obsessed with this idea of applying these techniques my own way & growing as an artist. Same goes for all the other creative mediums I was interested in learning. I was & will always be a student of the game.

Fast forward all these years later, I am still on this journey as a creative. I don’t think there’s any end game to this path I’m on but the growth I’ve shown to the world & proved to myself leaves me excited to keep going. I am miles ahead from where I was 5 years ago but still so far from where I want to be. Walk with me!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth is the last word I would use to describe this path. The truth is, I struggled with confidence on my journey so there were a lot of up’s & downs along the way. In art, I would never be as good as I thought I was. In design, the public opinion was so important to me that I would second guess everything I was doing. This hindered my growth for a while, I was in a place where I was doing things for others & not for myself, and you could see it in my work. As I’ve grown as a person, I’ve become a lot more in touch with myself & what drives me as an artist. I realized that my art reflects who I am directly & my experiences in my life. My lens is as unique as everyone else’s. To be great, you have to be you. That’s a quote I just made up LOL I’ll live by that!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a painter & designer. I mainly paint in oils – from portraits, figures, pixelated images, still lifes, etc. I don’t like to put myself in a box, I will explore all subjects when It comes to my art. I also run a clothing/design business called Off The Books, where I have full creative control of all the products we make & the production of them. I am a man of many different trades, by choice of course. I love to scratch my creative itch.

I have thrown a couple pop-ups/art shows over the last few years where I’ve displayed both my art & my design. I gotta say, putting together these events are the thing I am most proud of. It’s one thing to paint pictures & put together a collection of clothing, but to do both of those things on top of planning & prepping for a show/event is a whole other beast. With the help of friends & family, these shows have been successful & are always a great time. A very gratifying experience every time I get a chance to experience it.

One thing that sets me apart from others is that I see things through to completion & I always move on my own time. Many people are skilled & talented but that means nothing without the work ethic & drive to be greater. I’ve always been conscious of that in my journey. I know what I’m good at, what I could get better at & how to use that to my advantage.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Yea, I have actually. Enjoy the times we get to spend with each other. For a couple of months, we were isolated & left to experience each other through phones & screens. Fortunately, my work benefited due to the fact that people were tuned in & I had all the time to create but there is something about people coming together to experience something outside that hits different.

Be present & mindful & don’t take things for granted.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mrtaveras.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drewhoudini/
• Other: https://offthebooksco.com

Image Credits
Select photos by photographer Cesar Villar