We recently connected with Claudia Castillo and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Claudia, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I have taken risks throughout my life as I believe that is the only way for us to learn, make an impact and move forward. A major risk that I took was to leave my home country of Colombia where I had studied social communication and was a radio and television producer. Since my love was always in the arts and design, I chose to come Fort Lauderdale to study at the Art Institute and to transition my career. The opportunity to live in an area that had more cultural diversity and an LGBTQ community was a motivator for me.

Later in my life, I took another big risk in founding my studio in Wilton Drive an area that is warm, welcoming and diverse accepting all persons. I founded Claudia Castillo ART studio, a boutique art gallery in Wilton Manors, Florida where I exhibit my own art and give opportunities to other artists. I am happy that I took the risks in my life and to have pushed myself out of my comfort zone working hard through challenges in order to make my dreams a reality. I am blessed to have exhibited my work nationally and internationally in Italy, Netherlands, London, Greece, Switzerland and Spain. I am also very passionate about helping my community and I give back by serving on various boards and non-profit organizations expanding culture, art and diversity.

Claudia, 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?

About You, Your Art/Creative Works, Inspirations/Focus/Mission/etc For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your
industry / business / discipline / craft etc,

I was born in Colombia and educated in the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota. I sought additional arts studies at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, the Finishing School, NY, and the National University of Colombia. I have a deep appreciation of the great masters and have gone through a personal journey to study their works. My passion has always been to be an artist and that led me to transition my career later in my life to work towards that goal.

My art is a process of transformation that starts with an inspired idea from the emotions evoked from nature, earth and water. The outcome is instinctive and spontaneous: simply colors and forms. It draws upon emotions to create my own sense of realism which is a transformative abstraction reflecting my unique reality of continual change.

“My inspiration comes from nature, earth and water and from the moments that bring me peace and reflection”….Claudia Castillo

What type of products/services/creative works you provide, what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you
think sets you apart from others.

Claudia Castillo ART studio is a boutique art gallery in the heart of Wilton Manors providing a unique variety of quality original artwork, sculptures, gifts, accessories, jewelry, and collectables for everyone. The gallery focuses on Claudia Castillo’s artwork as well as other established and emerging artists. Voted 2022 Best of Florida Art Gallery and SFGN 2022, 2021, 2020 & 2019 Best Gallery and Best Artist. The studio is a welcoming place for everyone.

Please visit the studio or view all our offerings online at www.claudiacastilloARTstudio.com. The studio is open WED, TH & SU 4-10pm, FR & SAT 5-11:55pm. Please call 954.274.7047 for Monday, Tuesdays or off business hours appointments. We deliver purchases to local clients if needed and can ship nationwide.

What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about
you/your brand/your work/ etc.

I am most proud of being a champion for diversity and culture for my community and for the opportunity to engage with other colleagues to learn and strive to make a difference in society.

I fell in love with the Wilton Manors community, since I founded Claudia Castillo ART studio in 2017 and when I started exhibiting in the Art Walk in 2009. My motivation comes from the energy of this diverse community, from the local residents to the tourists that come from all parts of the world to enjoy the welcoming experience they do not receive in other cities.

My work with the Wilton Drive Improvement District during the last 5 years and now that I have been elected chair is very rewarding. I have an opportunity make a difference representing local businesses to enhance tourism and improve the services along the Drive. Being on the board of the Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce has allowed me the ability to help the community and other local businesses to gain awareness of the diversity issues and to be visible and speak up to strive for a more diverse future that is inclusive to all.

I am very proud to have been named one of 25 South Florida Business Journal’s Diversity & Inclusion program’s Diverse Voice in 2022 for my efforts in supporting the LGBT community. During the last 6 years, I’ve had the pleasure to be involved and to spearhead many efforts that I feel have improved the culture and quality of life for everyone in the city such as:

•  Painting the street parking meters along Wilton Drive and creating iconic ‘art pieces’
• Creating the ‘Rainbow Manatee’ in honor of late Mayor Justin Flippen and located at Justin Flippen Park
• Painting the ‘Pride’ Mural at the Pub Restaurant on Wilton Drive
• Painting of the ‘Be Proud’ Mural at the Wilton Discount Liquor on the Drive in collaboration with Island City Art Advisory Committee
• Championing the efforts to create the iconic ‘Rainbow Bridge’ Painting along the Drive
• Co-founding of the Justin Flippen Annual Manatee Contest for local Elementary Students in honor of the late Wilton
• Manor’s Mayor | in its 5th year this effort has provided over $20,000 in prizes and gifts to over 600 students of Wilton
• Manors Elementary and Somerset Academy Village
• Donating my artwork to several non-profit organizations for the benefit of supporiting their fundraising efforts
• As a Grant Panelist for Broward County Cultural Division for the past two years, I have an opportunity to contribute to
  participate in the selection and awarding of funding to organizations that offer diverse services in Broward County

I am very proud to be a voice and an encouragement for Hispanic women and for small business owners that we can make a difference in this world if we persevere, believe in ourselves and create a network of support from one another. Though my journey has not been an easy one, I strive each day to be loving, give back and I am very grateful for my life, my family and all the blessings that I have been given.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Less than a year after I opened the retail studio, I had to undergo back fusion surgery in which I had very limited mobility for a period of 6 months. Through that challenge, I still continued to paint and to manage the studio, and have been able to grow it each year and at the same time have been able to donate my time to city committees, LGBT groups and other art organizations.

A year and a half after my surgery, as we were finally reaching a point where the studio had grown in local and tourist recognition, I had to close the studio in 2020 for a period of 3 months due to the COVID 19 pandemic. I got through that time by continuing to paint including murals, using the time to update the studio’s online presence, and expanding our product offerings. I always kept the faith that I would reopen and the community would continue to offer their support. In late 2020, the studio reopened and I consider myself blessed because we continue to expand art and retail sales locally and nationally. In 2021, I was able to take my artwork further beyond the national and local community as I was invited to exhibit my work internationally in Spain and Florence, Italy at the XIII Florence Biennale. In 2022, I exhibited at the Fira Internacional D’Art in Barcelona as well as in other art exhibitions in other European countries. This year in October (2023), I will be back to exhibit at the XIV Florence Biennale.

Through inevitable adversities, I strive to keep a positive attitude and continue to persevere as I know with hard work we can overcome all challenges. I see adversities as opportunities to grow and explore other alternatives that I may not have seen otherwise.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think that art and culture is extremely important to a society. It allows us to grow and expand our vision of the world. Schools need to educate children early on from grade school about art, music and other creative fields and teach them the impact and importance that art has on the quality of life. Cities must continue to provide funding for public art and require development to incorporate art and great architectural design into every project.
I was recently in Denver, Colorado and was impressed at the quantity and quality of their art museums and with the thriving art communities that they have across the city. I was even more impressed to learn that one penny on every $10 in sales and use tax collected goes to the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) which is a metropolitan district that generates funding for nonprofit arts and culture organizations across Denver and other areas of Colorado supporting nearly 300 cultural organizations. This fund provides the financial resources to support the cultural diversity the community needs for artists, and creatives.

More cities need to adopt these types of initiatives as it educates people on the importance of cultural diversity which is the backbone of a community and our society.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://claudiacastilloartstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudiacastillo_artstudio_2215
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claudiacastilloartist
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-castillo-056b6419
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuG35vajvCppP3P0m5k_Vhw?view_as=subscriber
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/claudia-castillo-art-studio-wilton-manors-2
• Other: https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0TKtIMkkzKzA3YLRSNaiwsEixNDC0TE00skwEgiQrgwqjNNMki1QDQyODpDRLS2NTL-nknMTSlMxEheTE4pLMnJx8hcSiEoXiEqBYPgDubRnR&q=claudia+castillo+art+studio&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS740US741&oq=claudia+castilloartstudio.com&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j46i13i175i199i512j69i64j69i60l3.13343j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Image Credits
All image credits are to Claudia Castillo