We were lucky to catch up with Candace Urquiza recently and have shared our conversation below.

Candace, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I knew I wanted to be an artist when I was around 16 and getting acquainted with the internet more. My mom got me Paint Shop Pro X, its like Photoshop but cheaper. It changed how easy it was able to make art and then post it online. From a very young age, art has been the one thing I could say I’m good at. and I have a passion for. I possess a very limited number of skills but being creative is one, so why not?

Candace, 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 am the artist behind the name Green Nymph Art. By day I am a full-time graphic designer who works on boardgames and by night I am a freelance illustrator working on my artwork/shop. Originally I wanted to become an Animator, so I got my Associates in Animation degree at DCAD. Then I decided to become a graphic designer and got my Bachelor of Fine Arts from MICA. I switched majors because, honestly, I knew getting a job in that field would be easier than animation (for me). Plus I had to think about after college and how much debt I was going to be saddled with. I needed to pay bills/ student loans when I got out of school.

I took a few design internships in college which helped me get a job at the end of my Senior year at MICA. The most fun (and my favorite job) was working for ThinkGeek as a graphic designer. It was my first experience in the toy/game/collectible world and I knew that was the kind of work I wanted to do since I was a kid. Its a very fun atmosephere and the people are of just a different breed! Also that’s where I met my husband who was working in Accounting at the time.

In Oct 2018 I left ThinkGeek due to the company moving from Fairfax VA, to Texas. GameStop (who had acquired the company in 2015) wanted ThinkGeek to be closer to headquarters and a lot of us just couldn’t do that.

Slowly everyone started finding new jobs at ThinkGeek, myself included. That time in particular was pretty nerve wracking. I needed to find a job before the company moved, if I didn’t I felt I would be homeless or need to move back with my parents which I didn’t want to do. The DC Metro area that I live in isn’t a big world for the Toy and Game industry. So trying to find the right fit in time was hard, and extremely stressful.

Eventually, I applied to and was accepted at ThinkFun as a graphic designer! I enjoy what I do and I still get to work in games. I’ve been here for 5 years now and I’d say I’m happy.

What would make me even more happy is if I could make it as a full time self employed artist/ illustrator. Its a hearty ask I know (in this economy) but it is something I want to work towards. So after my day job designing boardgames I come home and work on my illustrations. Making stickers, prints and other things to sell in my shop. Every spare moment I have is spent trying to work on this shop and my art.

My work is inspired by a lot of things but mostly, Sailor Moon, nature, video games, magick, and my childhood.
Lately my medium is digital however I started with traditional for a long time.

In order to help promote my art I also started streaming on Twitch just this year, reaching affiliate. For a long time I was a bit lonely and wanted to have a community of artists and creatives I could chat with like friends. So I made a twitch account and eventually I got my small group of friends and followers.

If I could make a comfortable living off my illustrations/ shop I would love to do it full time.
This sort of thing is a slow burn, the pay off only happens if you never give up so Im gonna go as long as I can.

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

Yes! I few years ago I stumbled across this video from a YouTuber: “struthless” and he made this video about Comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxJL6sXLqRw

Its worth a watch, he has other really great and inspiring videos for creatives too.

When I need a burst of inspiration I like to search artists or creatives on YouTube and here what kind of advice they have. And I really liked his advice about Comparison. He breaks down the idea in steps and asking ourselves questions to challenge our comparison. This can go for almost anything in life, but I like applying it to myself and my art. especially my shop!

And Im only human sometimes I do get the pangs of comparison/ jealously creep up on me. In those times I watch videos like his to get me back on track. I’m not a beginner artist but I haven’t been around this space as long as others so my audience is very small. Sometimes I begin to compare but it really isn’t helpful and I know this for a number of reasons. A lot of the ones in his video state too.

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

Please don’t support anything AI art related if you can help it. this is my opinion, it’s just lazy. Companies are so money hungry they don’t even consider the quality of work they are putting out any more. Disney release their Thanksgiving image this year and everyone could tell it was made with AI art. Sure someone may have gone in for touch ups but the expressions on those characters looks like the thousand yard stare.

This is because there is a human level to art that no machine can replicate. We understand and can translate nuances of a human face because we have one. AI art can only assume based off of what we tell it. There is a human element to art, that’s what makes it art.

Try to support real artists and creators who care about giving you quality. Real people who have families and loved ones they need to support. These companies absolutely have the money to hire real artists, they just choose not to.

Contact Info:

• Website: green-nymph-art.com
• Instagram: the.green.nymph
• Facebook: GreenNymphArt
• Twitter: @The_Green_Nymph
• Other: Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegreennymph

Image Credits
Personal Photo taken by: Lauren Xenos Herrity ART Fanart: Included some Fanart of Characters from Studio Ghibli, Bee and Puppycat, Legend of Zelda, Zine Pieces included from: Pacific Rim – Edge of Hope Fan Zine (2023) – Main Zine, Guidebook (Released) Sailor Moon FanZine – Celestial Night || Sailor Moon Zine (2023) – Main Zine (Coming End or 2023) Original art selling in Etsy shop: Breakfast Stickers, Pumpkin Cats, More coming soon!