We recently connected with Edith Quintanilla and have shared our conversation below.

Edith, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I’ve always been drawn to creative expression from a very young age. I was fascinated by the world of storytelling, whether it was through books, art, movies, or even just daydreaming. You could always find me doodling, drawing or painting. Art was my safe haven. I grew up in an unstable and chaotic home with parents who were emotionally unavailable and suffered from addictions.

My childhood did impact my decision to pursue art full time because I was always told I needed a stable job that made money. Because of this, even though I knew I wanted to be an artist since I was five years old, the world’s voices discouraged me from pursuing art as a career and I ended up taking what I thought was the path of least resistance.

My career led me to tech for five years, where I pushed down my desires to be an artist further and further, until I could no longer hear them. I truly believe God intervened on my behalf because last March, I was laid off. I knew it was my chance to finally be an artist. Even though it scared me half to death, I took a leap of faith – fast forward – Poderosa Divina was born.

Edith, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an artist and a storyteller that has lived all over the United States. I am constantly inspired by my surroundings, memories and those around me. I love creating pieces portraying women of color being happy and free. Growing up, I never felt free and now as an adult I strive to be unapologetically myself.

When I create art, I feel grateful for the experiences that have shaped who I am today. Although, I was met with adversity from a very young age, I have persevered. My parents came to the United States with hopes and dreams of a better future but instead they were met with jobs that no one else wanted, and they persevered. They inspire me everyday to never give up on my dreams or my future.

The moment I decided to open my own business was the moment that truly tested my faith in God. I pivoted from a high paying job in the tech industry to being an entrepreneur. Ultimately it was a risk I was willing to take. I reminded myself that God has given me this creative talent and would provide for me through it. I have prayed everyday since and God has provided everything I’ve needed up to this point!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

When I first started creating art, I didn’t know how to truly express my feelings so I resorted to creating pieces that were centered on pop culture. I didn’t realize that I was pushing away all my emotions and suppressing my true personality for the fear of not being accepted.

Growing up, because my home was extremely chaotic, I became hyper aware of the feelings and moods of those around me. I wanted to make sure everyone else around me was okay. My siblings and parents’ feelings and desires came before my own. I followed everything they told me to do in order to be validated by them. Doing so, impacted the way I processed my own feelings and I became a people pleaser.

Because I never felt validated by my parents growing up, I strayed off the path of doing something I truly loved and it led me to a career I was not passionate about. I never did get true validation from my career in tech but I was motivated by the paycheck to stay. After stepping away from tech and into the creative realm of art, I started creating art that was different from what I first created. I began creating pieces that meant something to me on a deeper level and represent how I see the world today.

Unlearning people pleasing and validation seeking has been a challenge to say the least but it has been the most rewarding and freeing thing I could have ever done for myself. For that, I am so grateful.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Two years ago, I was experiencing a ton of joint pain in my hands. My grip was extremely weak and I could not hold plates or cups without dropping and shattering them. My hands swelled up and I’d be in pain for days after only a few hours of painting. I decided to visit the doctor who confirmed I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. The disorder caused inflammation in my joints making it difficult to move them. I went through a really dark time mentally, after this. I wondered if art was going to be in my future? I battled with negative thoughts everyday telling me my hands were going to cripple and shrivel in the long run and I would not be able to use them. I didn’t think there was anything I could do but to accept my fate.

My boyfriend encouraged me to take up weight lifting as a way to strengthen my muscles and bones. At first I was such a skeptic. I constantly compared myself to “healthy” gym goers, feeling I would never be like them. I continued going to the gym consistently and over time, I’ve started to get stronger. The gym helped me shift my perspective from a victim mentality to a more positive one. I realized going to the gym wasn’t a punishment but a way to improve my health. As the months passed by, my grip got stronger and the pain started to lessen in my hands!

Now, I no longer have pain in my hands. I can type and work on my art for hours without lingering pain. Having RA changed the way I approach my art. Everytime I create, I feel so grateful to be able-bodied enough to generate a new piece because for a moment there, I thought I wouldn’t be able to create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://poderosadivina.etsy.com
• Instagram: @creatively_edith
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edith-quintanilla/
• Other: TikTok: @creativelyedith