We recently connected with Arianna Flores-Moya and have shared our conversation below.

Arianna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

If I could go back in time, I would not have started my art business, Evokeaholic, earlier. I believe in divine timing and the unfolding of my life. I always knew I would have a creative career since I was a kid. I had no alternate plan for my life. My intuition told me I was brought here to create, entertain, and connect through art.

Growing up, my parents always had my sister and me involved in creative activities. Film and Theatre performance were my first loves, and I later graduated from George Mason University with a BA in Theatre in 2019. I’ve enjoyed bringing my visions to life in whatever medium appealed to me at the time. I predominantly sketched cartoon characters while following along on the “How to Draw____” books. It was my escape. Time seems to slow down when I am in my flow. I can reside in a protective bubble with myself and savor the present moment.

I started my art business named “Evokeaholic Art Shop” and now “Evokeaholic” at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. I had recently graduated from college and was stuck in this weird in-between stage of figuring out what I would do for the “rest of my life.” Approximately six months later, the world was hit with a pandemic. The pandemic seems to have brought on a global awakening to the significance of now and made us evaluate how we spend our limited time on this earth. I worked a lot of retail jobs before and during the height of the pandemic and felt deep unfulfillment. I recognized I was not showing up as the person of my dreams. I had multiple breakdowns on the sales floor because my soul kept telling me, “This is not where and whom you are supposed to be.”

My hesitations about quitting the job made me miserable because I thought, “Well, at least I have a job when so many people are losing theirs.” It wasn’t until the pivotal moment one of my supervisors asked me, “What do you want to do?” I asked, “Here at this job or in life?” She said, “Well, I meant here, but I guess in life.” With assuredness, I said, “I am going to start my art business and continue pursuing my acting career.” Two weeks later, I quit, and my entrepreneurial journey began.

I took the risk to begin my business without guidance or knowledge of entrepreneurship. Taking a leap of faith was essential to laying the groundwork for the ambitious and creative woman I have always dreamed I would be. Starting a business is a spiritual evolution at its core. It makes you face your deepest insecurities and limiting beliefs and asks you to flip them on its head. To heal the parts of you needed to step into this new role, this new life.

I believe my timing in taking this leap was perfect for me. I desired a drastic change in my circumstances and path. I chose my purpose. I am grateful for the ability to express myself through art because it has helped me return to my true self. The purest form of my soul’s expression. Anything I want to create goes. I don’t have to ask for permission. It is me versus me.

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 background and context?

Hello Art Lovers! I am Arianna Flores-Moya. I am a 25-year-old Latina Self-Taught Surrealist Artist of Evokeaholic. I paint my reality through the unfiltered and distorted lens of surrealism. Surrealism gives me the freedom to explore my subconscious mind and grow through self-expression. As a surrealist, I can challenge what is and create what is yet to be seen. I chose “Evokeaholic” because artists desire to connect and evoke emotion through art. Artistic expression is an irresistible urge and addiction that feeds the soul in the most gratifying and transformational way.

I recently re-branded my website platform evokeaholic.com and expanded the types of products and resources I provide. It is important to stay adaptable and in tune with your mission when building a business. My mission is to serve as a resource for upcoming artist entrepreneurs through my new art blog. My growing visual arts blog will include topics on entrepreneurship, tips and tricks, manifestation, mindfulness, artist spotlight interviews, guest blogs, and more. I hope to connect with other artists and art lovers to build a community where we can learn, encourage each other, and build toward our dreams together.

The main products I sell of my surreal work are high-quality art prints, stickers, bucket hats, and limited-edition grinders. As I evolve, I know my art will too. I am interested in further exploring sculpture-making and clothing design. I am open to the evolution of what Evokeaholic can become. I am multi-passionate at heart and follow my desires to create wherever it may lead. I am proud of my visions and my ability to transform them into my surreal creations. My artwork is snapshots of my life experiences through all stages, and in turn, it is helping me to find and love myself in new profound ways.

I hope that Evokeaholic inspires you to follow your intuition. A community to practice, self-growth, heal, manifest, and live fully and unapologetically in your gift. I want to show my fellow art lovers that you do not need to wait for opportunities to present themselves. You can create them. You have agency over your life path. You can create a world that fills you with joy and purpose. You have the power to decide. Feel your power!

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

As I mentioned earlier, I believe entrepreneurship is a spiritual journey. It requires you to dig deep, cement your values, embody leadership, and adopt a growth mindset. I love watching Ted Talks to expand my knowledge of business management, self-development, and being a creative entrepreneur. My top recommendations are “The Art of Being Yourself” by Caroline McHugh, “A Guide to Believing in Yourself (But for real this time!) by Catherine Reitman, and “Give yourself permission to be creative” by Ethan Hawke. I admire the motivational speakers Mel Robbins, Brené Brown, Oprah Winfrey, Les Brown, Deepak Chopra, and Jay Shetty. Other resources I love are YouTube videos, LinkedIn Learning Courses, and podcasts focused on self-development and mental and spiritual well-being. It is important to understand your mindset and core beliefs about yourself and others because it affects how you show up in the world.

I have an addiction to learning and growing, and it has helped me transform tremendously over the past two years. I prioritize gaining knowledge in everyday life to become a better and more well-rounded person. These resources have been the foundation for developing my art business and allowing me to be seen. I highly recommend enriching your life with all the knowledge you can.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society can best support artists by being open-minded to the unconventional. Society at large is quick to judge something or someone because it or they are unfamiliar. We are doing ourselves a major disservice if we don’t embrace the possibility that we don’t know it all and that there is much to be discovered. This mindset allows room for growth and individuality.

Individuality and authenticity are at the core of creation. Without an individual’s vision and implementation of the idea, we wouldn’t have items such as Squishmallows or food-shaped candles. We need “weird.” We would be and have nothing without it. On an individual level, I would say support your artists’ friends in any way you can; like their newest post, comment with your thoughts, share your favorite pieces or buy their work. There are many ways to express your support. The root of support is connection.

In the vast technological world of social media, we’ve ironically become more disconnected than ever. It is often a lonely journey chasing after your dreams, but it doesn’t have to be. Create your tribe and lift each other up to your highest potential. It is our responsibility to create an atmosphere where we can all thrive. An accepting community where we dare to be unconventional.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://evokeaholic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evokeaholicartshop/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evokeaholicartshop/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/evokeaholicart
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7WT3s1HN3pmxenN6T4-RvQ
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@evokeaholicartshop?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/evokeaholicartshop/