We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karen Velasquez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karen below.

Karen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have always liked creating things with my hands from a very young age. Sketching and painting has always been a creative outlet for me and I have always implemented it into the other parts of my life. In school, from elementary to college, I would always doodle on my notes. I have always been a pretty anxious child, and I would feel immediate peace once I immersed myself in art. Every summer vacation I would do like 10 different art projects. Youtube DIY tutorials were my best friend. I remember the first time I painted on a shirt – when the first Despicable Me movie was released. I painted a minion face on a blank white tee. I would always take afternoon walks with my mom and our neighbors asked me where I had bought my minion shirt. Once I told them I painted it, they asked me if I could paint shirts for their kids. The first time I started doing commissioned pieces it fulfilled me so much because I was able to share my love for minions with others and seeing my art come to life and be worn in the real world. I only saw this as a summer project and never thought I could actually live a sustainable life off of selling minion shirts. Every summer I would start up new creative projects. I started creating original sketches and painting original artwork on blanks. I would save up the money for my college fund and never see it as anything more. Having immigrant parents and being a first generation student, I felt guilty thinking of pursuing an art career, I saw it as a selfish act where my parents sacrificed so much for me to have all the opportunities in the world. I wanted to give them the american dream of having a daughter who became a doctor and bought them a house with a beautiful nature scene. I continued on with my love for science and knew it was the more logical, conventional and secure route.

I continued with my sights set on science. My favorite subject in school was always science and I loved the subject because of how visual it was. The science textbook was the only textbook that was full of colorful diagrams and captivating images. My love for science and biology was not only because of the pretty pictures but also because of the hands-on learning experience it offered and it’s communication about the beautiful complexities of life and the world. I kept pursuing biology up until college and ended up getting a degree in that field. My next step was to apply to dental school and become a dentist. I was always intrigued by the dental career field as it was such a heavy hands-on job. Every dentist has to be impeccable manual dexterity skills and a high attention to detail. I knew dentistry was the perfect field to fuse both my creativity and critical thinking skills.

After graduating I took a gap year to give myself time to study for the Dental Admissions Test. During that year, a lot of unexpected things happened that affected my mental and physical health. I could no longer focus on studying for the exam, I burned myself out studying 8 hours a day for 7 days a week. I had horrible neck pain and back pain from the multiple all nighters, loss of appetite from the exam stress, and frequent panic attacks. I lost my creative spirit. I took a break and started painting on shirts again and creating fashion content. I started doing styling videos on how to dress like certain characters from tv series, films, and musicians/personas. The videos were actually well received and the best part of it all is that I was happy, energized, and innovative.

I started to wonder what if I put all of myself into the one thing that brings me utter joy and overall just makes life worth living. My parents have been the most supportive people in my life, they always told me, “No hay nigun trabjao o carera que nostros no te vamos a soportar, lo que nos importa es que te haga feliz y le heches todas la ganas”. I’ve always been aware that we only have one life, and the future is not guaranteed whatsoever, but it kind of hit that if I keep pursuing dentistry, eventually I will be a dentist for the rest of my life, like that is what I am choosing to spend most of my hours and days and years of my one life, and instead of being excited, I was actually feeling a lot of fear and regret. I then started to feel disappointed in myself and confused, because why am I having these thoughts right as I am about to cross the finish line.

I then realized that I would be more disappointed in myself if I didn’t go after my biggest passion – creating art and clothes. To me it seemed like a fools dream to go after dreams once I started to realize how much my parents struggled with finances, but I would be the bigger fool for believing that I am not capable of attaining my goals and aspirations. Right when my next DAT exam date was coming up was when I knew I was going to go all in being a creative. I logged into my account and cancelled my exam. That moment was the most amount of freedom I have ever felt. I was no longer latched onto the shackles of conformity and released into the waves of creativity.

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.

I love creating fashion content, painting on clothes, upcycling and constructing, and styling. My parents have always had their own unique sense of style. I have always felt like clothes was the perfect outlet for me to express and explore my identity. I remember watching Zoella and Bethany Mota and being so inspired by their videos. I then started creating youtube videos in middle school. I freaked out when one of my hair tutorial videos (like the ones Zoella would make) reached 8k views and my mom told me to keep it up! I stopped after I started highschool, but after my junior year I started filming more vlogs instead of beauty tutorials and then finally when I started college I started filming fashion content like outfit look books. Around 2019-2020 (covid era) instagram was being taken over by fit pics. I would put on a fit, take an afternoon walk with my mom, and ask her to take some quick shots of my outfit to post on insta. I started to make friends online that were in the fashion community and continued to be more inspired and confident. Then IG reels started to gain more popularity and I started to create grwm reels and soon after I created my “How to build a [???] outfit” series. By now my editing skills had improved and my style had evolved greatly. Having met such a great community people, I began networking and searching for styling project opportunities. I am so blessed to have such amazing talented friends who are photographers, clothing brand owners, and artists who not only create amazing art but also collaborate with their close friends which is one of the best experiences. Most of my styling videos are created by using thrifted items. Sometimes I create outfits just with one single trip to thrift. My paintings are all by hand with paintbrushes. It feels special to wear an item of clothing that has had a lot of time, thought, and care put in throughout the entire process. My favorite shirt I have painted thus far is a portrait of Bobby Lee. I started my brand called WAVY WHALES right around after graduating high school. I see it more as a gallery where I showcase my different wearable art pieces. The over arching message behind WAVY WHALES is to “stay wavy”. One of my favorite artists is Bob Marley and anytime I had a moment of stress, I would always write down “Don’t worry about a thing, cuz every little thing is gonna be alright” as a reminder to take a deep breath and recall how I am stuck in a riptide but I will be brought back to shore where all is calm. There are times where it feels like I am in inside a storm and I will never see the sunshine again, but as simple as it may sound, staying wavy is a positive mantra that motivates me to keep moving forward and simply go with the flow as wild as it may be, the waves are always changing. Whales are my favorite animal, they are the biggest mammal to exist on planet earth and are yet the most peaceful and calm creatures. Whales are the perfect example of embodying a wavy lifestyle. My dream is to collaborate with other artists and create pieces together and style people with my original creations. I am most proud of not giving up on my dream of creating art and fashion, it is very easy to let one’s mind filled with doubt and fear and let it consume you. I sometimes feel like I am underserving of love, success, and support. It almost feels right when I am in a moment of misery, but I have learned that mindset is powerful and truly believing in oneself is the important ingredient in any achieving any task, project, and goal.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I am choosing to “love the life [I] live and live the life [I] love” (Bob Marley), instead of choosing the life I think is best for the life I want to live, but not even getting to love the life I am living because I am living a life that is not authentic to me. I always carry this quote with me, it keeps reminding me to trust the process and concisously choose the path that is always filled with passion and creativity. I used to think that creating was a privilege, and though it might be to certain people, it should never be viewed as something that is only deemed to certain people. Creating is accessible to everyone and anyone. Being able to express the inexpressible and transform my disordered thoughts into something tangible that can be communicated and understood by others is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a creative. As well as discovering and being a part of a community of people who inspire me and spread love. We only have a limited time on this planet and the moments of vulnerability and joy we share make our experiences much more unique. Art feeds the soul. Creating makes me feel free, it just feels right to make something come to life, it’s like our superpower, our gift, and thats what keeps the world spinning.

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

Throughout my journey as a creative, I’ve faced the daunting challenge of navigating through various creative slumps, largely fueled by my struggle with hyperthyroidism. Living with an autoimmune disorder often feels like a silent battle. On the outside, everything may appear fine, but inside, I’m wrestling with chronic fatigue, mood swings, anxiety, muscle and joint pain, and insomnia. Some days, my self-esteem plummets, making me question my dreams and capabilities. It’s a relentless cycle—one moment, I’m fueled by an unstoppable drive, and the next, I’m trapped in a fog of doubt and despair.

Every day that I get out bed, especially when I do not snooze my alarm its a monumental moment. During these low points, I often find myself with feelings of being an imposter, as if my struggles invalidate my creative aspirations. I tell myself to show grace and compassion, yet there are moments when that voice is drowned out by the relentless urge to push through, as if I should be immune to my own human experience. It’s a tricky balance to maintain.

Living with hyperthyroidism means I can go months feeling as if I’ve conquered it, only to be suddenly pulled back into its grasp, where nausea, dizzy spells, and a cloud of paranoia become my constant companions. In these moments, I can’t help but spiral into fear, convinced that each symptom signals something far worse. But through it all, I’ve been blessed with an incredible support system—my amazing family and close friends.

My father’s battle with depression for nearly eight years has profoundly shaped my resilience. His journey taught me the importance of fighting harder, and as dark as it may seem there is light at the end of it all. I’ve learned to embrace the ebb and flow of my creativity, finding ways to keep moving during the tough times and staying grounded during the chaotic ones. Each day, I strive to channel my struggles into my art, using my experiences to fuel my passion and connect with others. This journey has taught me that resilience isn’t just about fighting back; it’s also about accepting where I am, trusting the process, and allowing myself to create, even amidst the storms. Through this process, I’m slowly discovering that authenticity is my greatest strength – stay wavy :D

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wavykarenk.wixsite.com/wavykaren-1
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wavykarenk/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wavykarenk

Image Credits

All of the photos are taken by me, except the photo where i am wearing a plaid skirt holding a purse (photographer: Pedro Nieves) and the last photo with the FUBU shirt (photographer: Jean-Claude C. Cubias)