Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Angelina Salgado. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Angelina, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I’m currently in a unique position, in which I’m returning to working a normal job in order to have the means to continue exhibiting my artwork professionally. Two years after the unexpected death of my daughter, Aurora Annette, I was home caring for her surviving twin sister, and also beginning to sell my artwork: the Aurora paintings that I paint in Aurora’s memory.

I exhibited my paintings at my very first art show in New York City, which was the All Star Art Show group exhibition, produced by Start Shows in July 2022. It was the first time that I realized I was doing what I’m meant to do: share the story of my trauma and grief and the artwork that I create from it. I went on to exhibit my art in various art exhibitions and pop art events. I made my art fair debut at Superfine NYC in September 2023.

As incredible as it was to have my artwork featured and slowly gain exposure as an artist, it costs a lot of money to even be included in exhibitions. From the outside, most people have a vague idea of what it entails to be in an art show. However, having done so many shows, I learned that in order to consistently exhibit your artwork professionally, you need a consistent cash flow. Ideally, you show artwork and sell it and make a profit. I learned that that is hardly ever the case. Not to say that my artwork will never be financially self-sustaining, it just is not YET.

I realized that my art career is a marathon and not a sprint, and that’s okay. From where I am, I can see how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown as a person. The loss of a loved one is absolutely life shattering. The grief has been heavy, overwhelming, and ever-present, which is why I alchemize it into artwork. In showing my artwork and sharing my story, I’ve found the confidence, self-assuredness, and inner strength to choose the joy in my life, while still acknowledging my grief.

This past April, I exhibited my artwork at Art Expo New York with the Hudson River Art Collective. This was a huge milestone for my art career and was incredibly validating to me as an artist. The timing worked out that the day after Art Expo, I would be starting my new art teaching job at an elementary school.

Not only that, but I’ve realized having a normal job takes off the pressure for my artwork to immediately be financially sustainable. Additionally, after taxes and household expenses, I can save what I earn and use it to fund my burgeoning art career: I can continue to showcase my art in larger and more prestigious art exhibitions and art fairs. I think this is a sign from the universe that maybe my path is meant to be as a professional artist and a professional art educator. I honestly thought that it could only be one or the other, and I think I’m about to prove myself wrong.

Angelina, 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?

I’ve been an artist my whole life, but it is only in the last few years that I’ve been exhibiting my artwork professionally.

I think the best way to tell my story of grief and truama and why I am the Grief Alchemist, is to share my artist statement:

“My baby, Aurora Annette, died unexpectedly, three days after she and her identical twin sister were 2 months old. I alchemize my grief and trauma into art, inspired by the Aurora Borealis , and each one dedicated to Aurora Annette. Through my art, I explore and externalize the complexities and layers of grief. My grief is exacerbated by my past trauma. For over 3 years, I struggled with primary infertility due to Stage 3 Endometriosis. I had two invasive surgeries, 10 months apart. After which, I endured a cycle of in-vitro fertilization, leading to a high risk pregnancy & emergency c-section 7 weeks early. Because my babies were born premature, they stayed in the NICU for a month before coming home. On September 24, we found her limp and unresponsive. Her death was ruled as Sudden Unexplained Infant Death. My art has become the primary outlet for my grief and emotions in losing my baby so unexpectedly.

Light and dark, although total opposites, coexist in nature. Similarly, joy and grief can coexist after the death of your child. My grief journey and my art practice have become intertwined and inform each other. Painting every single day allows me to explore, express, and externalize the emotions and trauma from losing Aurora, from no longer being a twin mom, and from the ways Endometriosis and infertility have impacted my life. However, it’s in realizing we need both light and dark to live a full and complete life. You need to acknowledge the presence and necessity of the dark, in order to see the stars. The optimal light conditions for seeing the Aurora Borealis are far from bright city lights, in the darkest regions of the Arctic. Just as in order to truly see the colorshift in my artwork, you must endure the darkness of my grief.”

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The reason why I do what I do is more about me as a mother, in addition to being an artist. Because I have one surviving daughter, it is easy to assume that she is not a twin. Sometimes, it feels as though I’m living in a world where I know that I am a twin mom, but the rest of the world does not. This feeling invalidates my difficult journey of infertility to infant death. However, because I am an artist, I alchemize my grief and trauma into paintings of the Aurora Borealis, and in doing so, exclaim to the world that I’m still a twin mom, even if I only have one living twin. Of course, the most important reason I am an artist is to ensure that Aurora’s memory lives on through each of my paintings. She was only alive for 65 days, but I will spend the rest of my life honoring every second that she was alive, because I’m her mom.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I think this pivot is happening right now. When I first started showing my art in shows in NYC and NJ as an emerging artist, the hopelessly naive thought that was always in the back of my head was maybe I’d be a huge overnight success and not have to worry about how to get there. I’d let my art speak for itself and a random Chelsea gallerist would see my artwork and offer to represent me on the spot and sell my artwork for thousands of dollars. (And even if they won’t admit it, every artist has imagined themselves in this dream scenario.)

However, it was Steve Jobs that said “If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.” I’m realizing that the journey is more encompassing than I realized. It feels a little like playing an RPG of my own life, where my goal is to realize my dreams of being a professional artist, not realizing that there’s no end goal, just a constant leveling up when I’m ready. However, in order to level up, I have to go through the trials and tribulations of the current level, which I won’t realize until I’m 2 levels ahead, that what I’m learning in every level prior is teaching me what I need to know for the next level.

To be totally honest, I was very adamant about not going back to teaching because I had experienced so much of my infertility trauma while teaching elementary art, which is in itself, a mindf*ck. However, from exhibiting my art and talking to countless people about my story of grief and trauma, I’ve discovered this inner strength and confidence to go back to teaching. I realized that it wouldn’t be the same as last time, because now, as an elementary art teacher, I am simultaneously professionally exhibiting and selling my art. Think about it, how cool is it that your art teacher is also a professional artist? It’s basically the same as if your gym teacher also played for the NBA.

I’m returning to teaching art with the confidence and consistent art practice of making my own art. I’m also planning to introduce my students to contemporary artists, all living people, who I already know about because I’ve exhibited with them and/or they’re my friends! I already know my art classes are going to be dope because of the fact that I’m an artist, and I’m excited to see how each will inform the other.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://angelinapaints.aurorasforaurora.com/
• Instagram: instagram.com/AngelinaPaintsAuroras
• Facebook: facebook.com/aurorasforaurora

Image Credits
Photo credit for profile picture: Victor Otero Photography