We recently connected with Cleonique Hilsaca and have shared our conversation below.
Cleonique, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I grew up writing poetry, playing the piano, and singing in the school choir. I would come home to draw and paint before bed. I knew I loved art, but at my young age, I hadn’t yet thought about what my love for it could become. The ambition to study art professionally came to me during a college fair I attended in 9th grade in high school back home in Honduras, where I learned more about the Illustration program at the Savannah College of Art & Design booth. In my pursuit of a career path in art, I would later attend SCAD, where I graduated with a BFA in Illustration and a minor in Graphic Design.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Cleonique Hilsaca, an illustrator from Honduras, based in St. Louis, MO, where I will soon pursue my MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at WUSTL. I work as a freelance illustrator, creating art for advertising, magazines, newspapers, board games, and picture books.
In my work, wether personal or professional, I seek to depict bright, magical places, surreal creatures and lovable characters, while finding inspiration in the stories and games I grew up with, as well as the culture and identity that make me who I am as a person and artist. This balance can be hard to achieve, but I always strive to create harmony between the project’s needs and my own voice.
Besides my illustrated work, I create fine art for gallery exhibitions where I am able to experiment, express myself freely, and learn new techniques. I also spend my evenings writing stories and comics of my own, that I hope to share with the world one day.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
After college, I worked as a freelance and in-house surface designer creating patterns and art for a variety of clients. It was work I could do, but didn’t feel passionate about. After 3 years I made the difficult decision to quit this career path I was in, and go back home to find myself again.
During this time, I worked as a barista while I redid my portfolio. I sought to find my voice and passion again for my work while striving to polish my skill set. My new goal was to create art I loved, and hopefully, that would be enough. As the years went by, my client list and audience grew, until I could fully support myself from my illustration work.
Even though this wasn’t the ideal journey, I have learned and grown as a person and artist through it, and I believe I am better and happier today because of it.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Professionally, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist has been the community: The people I have met and worked with, and the wonderful projects we have created together. Whether online, in college, or the cities I’ve lived in or visited, I always strive to meet other artists and creatives.
Personally, the most rewarding aspect for me is how art can be an amazing outlet for my stories, emotions and dreams. I experience the world through my art, wether it is on my sketchbook, through a toy camera, or in a silly poem I wrote. When I feel lost, I always have somewhere to go in my art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cleonique.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleonique/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cleonique-hilsaca-54a48b32/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cleonique