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

Christopher, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

Wilted Nurture is the result of my mental health struggles that manifested at a time where I thought I’d never be okay again. It was a pivotal moment for me as it became an every day therapy where I could let it all out in the clay and that’s where the faces come in. They’re my little manifestations and depictions of what I feel sadness is; Which feels slightly content and just is. It’s something you can’t escape when it hits and you have to just learn to be, cope, process and heal with it by your side.

While I do know that pottery/clay has saved me in more ways than one, I often think about what my life would be like had I been encouraged to explore my more artistic side as it was strange to uncover a passion at age 27; Where I felt like I had to make up for all this lost time and even now I still very much am.

Had I pursued pottery sooner, I’d absolutely have the skills I wish I had now and I feel like the direction I’m headed would be even clearer. I’m not saying I needed my whole life in my medium, but I’d much have rather found this passion in my early twenties than late.

Everything I do now is ofte chaotic as it’s a mix of self taught creating, experimenting and applying new techniques all in real time. So much to the point where my margin for error has to minimal. I’d say 9 out of 10 times I’m lucky with the outcome of all my work.

While it does keep it fun and fresh, more often than not, I’d very much like to be further established in what I do as I know that is also going to take time to build on. It’s a push and pull, but definitely something I don’t try to dwell on too much as living in the present is where I’m meant to be and crying about what could have been is only going to cause unnecessary stress.

Christopher, 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?

My name is Christopher, I’m 30 years old and the owner, creator and everything that Wilted Nurture is. I like to think of my business and I as one and I treat it very much like a living breathing entity as it stems from the personal depths of my mind, but also pays homage to my Latin heritage within the designs I present.

Pottery is something I’d say that found me one day on Instagram. I used to see it as just cups mugs and plates until I found two artists La Viva Verde and Cold Mountaint Ceramics who shared content that made clay limitless in my eye and there was an innate need to not only collect their art but also this feeling that it was something I was meant to do.

Needless to say, after collecting multiple ceramic pieces and having a mental break down, I was pushed to pick up clay as a result and it became not only my passion project, but it was also therapy for me. So I often don’t see it fully as work unless I’m really setting stiff goals and deadlines on myself, which I try not to do because that’s not where my heart lies fully.

My work is all functional hand-built art. It’s a mix of my own technique that involves manual wheel work and coiling to mimick what an electronic pottery wheel would. I’ve been told my method of creating seems counter productive, but truth be told I prefer it this way to feel as connected to the clay and earth as much as possible.

The faces I add to my pieces in tandem with my line/decorative work make my pieces hard to miss and add my own personal touch to them that go unmissed. I think my favorite part of watching people connect with my art is how they interpret it. I enjoy how confused people can appear when they observe my pieces and I like when they question or ask what it is.

I’ve always felt like art is meant to generate conversation, whether it be good or bad, and that’s exactly what my work does. It’s something that’s taken time to be comfortable with. I know what my art means to me, but what it means to others is heartwarming to experience in real time.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My social media presence was next to nothing when I started, however that wasn’t the point at the time. It was terribly edited as well, but I think what a lot of people liked as I look back on it.

My social media page for Wilted Nurture was really more of a diary to me when it started, because as you know, my business/brand is rooted in my mental wellness. I started off with sharing pieces in progress, in tandem with a story or anecdote of how I’m feeling, what I’m experiencing and how I’m navigating said issue. It was extremely raw, vulnerable and unfiltered.

Over time I moved in a direction where I began to share process videos and creating more concise stories to make it feel a bit more curated, in addition to paid promo. While the process videos tended to do well, the rest fell a bit flat and it all began to feel inauthentic.

I found thay I was chasing views and numbers over time instead of doing it for the sake of my personal progress and don’t get me wrong, they are important, but at the same time caring too much about my arts performance on social media began to take its own toll on my mental health and plant false ideas and narratives in my mind about my art.

So rather than falling fully back into that rabbit hole, I decided to go back to the basics and focus on the three things that felt comfortable, which were: editing the photos aesthetically, making process videos that showcased the love I put into my art and of course telling my story.

Those three things have been at the heart of my social media and overtime I’ve been able to refine, elevate and remain authentic throughout it all.

I think it’s important to find 2-3 things your comfortable or good at with social media and stick to them. You can make them better overtime and it will all fall into place and feel a ton easier when you are making content and like less of a chore to get it done.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I would say that my art itself did a lot of heavy lifting for building my reputation within and outside of social media when I started, which I am absolutely grateful for.

It’s this type of notice that has allowed me to collaborate with amazing artists and makers, display my art in so many lovely places, take part in residencies and most recently have interviews such as these to be apart of.

I’m very lucky and grateful for the opportunities I’m given frequently, but I will say the one thing that has helped me continue my growth, is being intentional and trusting my intuition. I prefer to work with people and organizations I feel aligned with creatively and I find that when I do work with these people/orgs the process is much smoother and feels right.

It’s always important to be intentional with your passions and to always listen to yourself. You’ll ultimately know what is and is not for you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiltednurture/