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

Faith, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

My earliest memory of art dates to when I was five years old and living in the Philippines with my aunts. I remember picking up a pencil and experimenting with how to hold it, how to apply pressure, and how to solidify contour lines. My intense curiosity led me to use tree branches to sketch out birds and plants in the dirt in front of our bamboo house.

From elementary school to high school, my passion for art grew exponentially, and I became inseparable from my sketchbook. I remember just sitting and drawing anything and everything, unceasingly until I was able to get the subject to look somewhat proportionally accurate to the original object. Every year, I immersed myself in a new medium; I jumped from colored pencils to acrylic paint, and from there, moved to oil paint, which is currently my favorite medium.

My love for learning was my greatest catalyst for growth. In retrospect, investing in a mentor would have catapulted my growth to an even higher level, but it wasn’t until after college that I found a creative community online with my art program at Milan Art Institute. They provided me with support, encouragement, and inspiration from other artists. My biggest obstacle throughout the process was myself – I was just too afraid to put myself out there.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

For the past ten years, I have worked on creating personalized art commissions for my customers. This includes family portraits, paintings of pets, superheroes, celebrities, and landscapes. I love working closely with clients to create something meaningful for them to keep. In more recent years, I have been exploring the digital art world with Photoshop, Adobe Creative Cloud, and also dabbling in videography. I never really get bored of anything that allows me to think outside of the box.

Right now, I am pushing myself to evolve in my art career by developing a more distinct style and finding ways to use my art to impact viewers. I plan on branching out and joining local art festivals, and even having my own booth for art pieces. In addition, I plan to eventually build my own website to display content that connects with others.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to impact people in the way they feel, and the way they think. Art is a tool meant to move, to inspire, and to challenge different points of views. I have painted portraits of individuals that have passed away and given these pieces to their loved ones to keep. My favorite part of the experience is being able to witness a recipient’s reaction to seeing their loved one on a canvas, because it sparks a special memory, or a feeling that they have this person with them in spirit.

Art is beautiful in the way that it can be used to express what we want to say when words are not enough. Art is so powerful that it has influenced society throughout history and this is evident in paintings, sculptures, architecture, food, and so many other mediums!

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

Most creatives know or have experienced the dance between a full-time job and their creative pursuits. For me, days usually begin with throwing on nurse scrubs in the morning and end with cleaning paint brushes before going to sleep. Even with the unfavorable reduced sleep schedule, I love the hustle; I am constantly hurdling the demands of both careers because I know that I am pushing myself to progress. After all, life is about growth and not letting the limiting beliefs we place on ourselves hinder us from achieving our dreams.

A creative career tends to have unconventional pathways as compared to other careers, and with this comes the development of patience, resilience, and letting go of the fear of failure. I have had to make sacrifices with time and take many calculated risks to improve my craft. With all this being said, I am so grateful for my family and friends for being such a sturdy support system. Without them, I would not be where I am today.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/keepdatfaith
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/faithtsantos

Image Credits
(image of sculpture location) The Metropolitan Museum of Art , “The Struggle of the Two Natures in Man” by George Grey Barnard