We were lucky to catch up with Carlos Castrejon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carlos, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

The love for the arts started in early days of my life, unfortunately training for art was not available for me. The idea of making art developed the necessity to use any material or tool to create drawings just by observation and dedication.
It was in my early 20’s when I had a chance to take some figure drawing and painting classes at a college level. There it was when I developed my skills and my style.
I think the opportunity to take classes earlier in my life would have been very helpful to advanced faster.
My drawing techniques have been very helpful for the continuation of my career, and the love for color and social themes are a very strong mixed for my success.
Continuing school was always a dream, but life events shaped my path to focus my attention to create art.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Getting to create art is so amazing, a got to say the I have to combine my creative world with a world of other activities. This is to be able to provide for my family and life expenses. I learned few other skills in the picture framing industry; becoming a designer and fabricator for different studios and shops. During my regular hours my mind also flew to my imagination and daydreaming to paint and draw. I spend long hours after work doing what I love the most: creating art. Life is so interesting for me, art is a lifestyle, a personality attached to me; everywhere I go I’m a visual artist. As an artist, I offer my services to private and business clients, commission projects, art restoration, art consulting, art installation, art exhibitions, I also do art promotions in my two galleries Studio C Gallery and SC Gallery in East County.
I have to be honest my career in this industry have many doors that have been open. I run a framing shop and and tow art galleries, I get to meet other artists and provide logistic information for their projects, exhibitions and picture framing needs.
I get to be involved with the community, at the high school level I held few student art shows and teachers art shows.
I’m involved with several art groups for local, national and international art exhibitions. Showing in Spain, Taiwan and Mexico.
My emphasis is to do the best on any project I get involved, I continually challenge my self to learn a new technique or to figured how to solve any art puzzle for my clients.
This has required long hours of work and research. it is very satisfying to see the results and see my clients satisfied.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

A believe that as an artist my maturity consists in a long life process; I would like to complete certain goals, perhaps the biggest is to be able to exhibit my art in a prestigious museum or gallery. Showing in Europe has been wonderful, but it is a dream to show in more places. My success relies on the completion of a new work, any other events that can happen to that art piece would be an extra part of my success.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

As an artist i believe that it is very important to develop my own language, how to share my thoughts and my beliefs, utilizing my style and media. Creating art for the masses could actually impede the originality of my art. Therefore create art for what i think is necessary at the moment, it would always keep me positive about where I carry my status as an artist.
In few words keep your language this is the best way to be yourself.
the benefit of being a creative person is being free to say what needs to be said.

Contact Info:

• Website: castrejonart.com
• Instagram: studioc_castrejonart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/castrejonart
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/carlos-castrejon-1144072b