We recently connected with Maria Elena Cruz and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Maria Elena thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
Throughout my childhood, I utilize art to draw out my emotions. It would help me feel a sense of calm, and it gave me an opportunity to reflect on my life experience. It was my safe place. It wasn’t until I was around 20 that I began to acknowledge myself, as an artist, I had an encounter with a stranger that had seen some work that I had created and immediately he started telling people around us that I was an artist. I remember feeling so uncomfortable and asking him to not say that. I ran into this person on several occasions, and the same thing would happen. He kept telling people that I was an artist, and I would cringe. Until one day, I had asked myself why was this so uncomfortable for me? At the time I had landed a teaching position at a high school and although I had not pursue the job to teach art, I ended up taking over the art department. I suddenly began to realize that I did have a passion for art. And everything I pursued would usually turn into something quite creative. Finally, I decided to start painting on a larger scale, still, drawing out my emotions and reflecting on life and my journey. I began to take steps to showcase my work, and almost immediately I started landing shows and selling my work for more money than I imagined someone would pay for it. I remember how much fear I felt preparing for my first show. I felt like I was entering into a room naked. But I was afraid and excited at the same time. It turned out to be an incredible experience! The stranger that became a friend was the tap on my shoulder that I needed to acknowledge that I had a gift and to wake up to my calling. I am so thankful that I finally said YES! I AM AN ARTIST.
Maria Elena, 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?
Years before I had children, I began to explore painting on larger surfaces and studying what it took to showcase my work by attending art shows and conventions. I met with various gallery owners, read a lot of books on the business of art and consulted many of my peers that were artist. I took a lot of notes and made plans for my work to be in cafés, galleries, museums, and in private homes. I was told that it would take months and possibly years to be seen in galleries. I wanted to believe that I could land a show sooner rather than later, so I kept showing up to various art events, asking questions and searching for the open door. I was met with a lot of rejection, but it wasn’t long before I ended up showing and selling my art in galleries, cafés and even museums.
Then came my first born and marriage. My son was ten days out of the hospital and I was at the opening of a show in which initially I was told that couldn’t showcase my work unless I rented out the rooms for thousands of dollars and still paid a percent of the sales (I wasn’t open to that). However, someone who curated a couple of shows that I was in, ended up being the same gallery’s guest curator and she chose my work to be in the group show. I realized at that moment the importance of staying open to the possibilities despite of what appears to be road blocks.
After being married and having children (Which, by the way, I have two AMAZING kids. A son, now 18 and a daughter, 17), participating in art shows slowed down a bit. I began searching for another way to stay home to raise the kids and still create income as an artist. So I began teaching more mommy and me courses and creating art camps designed for kids out of my home. I was also able to take on several commissions to create art for homes and businesses along the way.
Sadly, my marriage began to unravel and I moved out of our house with no stable income. We lived with my sister for a few months and then transitioned into a one bedroom in Leimert Park. I had some incredible experiences in Leimert in my young adult years in which inspired me creatively. I remember taking walks in the neighborhood enjoying jazz and spoken word poetry at 5th Street Dicks and discovering various galleries and a museum that reflected my culture and its rich history. I had great conversations with the owners that opened me up to a flood gate of questions and possibilities. So when I moved into the community with my kids, I was both challenged and filled with excitement at the same time. One day, I was walking down our street with my babies and I kept seeing “Save Leimert” signs all over the place. I had to admit, it didn’t carry the same vibe I had once experienced in my youth. It saddened me and ignited a new vision that would send me off into the neighborhood on a quest to figure out how we could save ourselves through collaboration and the arts. All fingers pointed to Ben Caldwell and the business improvement district (BID).
I would show up to Ben Caldwells incubator meetings and the BID faithfully. I shared ideas about starting an art walk utilizing the vacant spaces to exhibit local artist and before I knew it, the idea took off. I also began, The Pulse Project at that time.
I loved hearing the African drummers in the park every Sunday. The rhythms would have people dancing in the middle of the circle. It felt spiritual. I went to bed imagining me painting to the rhythm of the drums and then I thought, I should bring my kids to paint too! But it didn’t end there…my mind began to explore inviting the community to paint with us. And that’s how it started. I had all this STUFF in my garage. Enough to have the community join us in the park. That night I went to sleep and my dream was very clear. I saw the entire set up outside and everything I needed to get it started. I woke up excited about sharing my plans at the next meeting and the following Sunday, I did exactly what I saw in my dream. It was AWESOME!!!! It changed the dynamic for the good in the park. I was there every Sunday creating with the community and so many incredible opportunities exploded from that experience.
In addition to my involvement of the art walk and the pulse project, I realized that I had not been engaged in many art shows and my art work (which was a life line to me, a huge part of my healing) was on the back burner. I began to realize how much I can do for myself rather than waiting on someone else to do it for me. So, I decided to curate a show with the message that I wanted to send out into the world and invite other artist to join me. Lucy Florence in Leimert opened their doors and allowed me to curate my first show, “Birth of a New Freedom”. This was the beginning of a new adventure as a curator. Since, I have curated a number of successful shows with incredible established and emerging artists.
From all of these experiences, I have been invited to educate, curate and create art in many places throughout California. I am very proud of the results that my business, Dial Art, has accomplished through the years. Our tag line is “A call to enrich, empower and serve communities through art.” and we are experiencing those results at every event. It has been a true joy and privilege. There are so many amazing stories to share. I am grateful that this platform is making it possible to share a glimpse of this exciting journey as an artist.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is experiencing my vision come alive in such a powerful way. Almost everything that I started, began with little or no resources. However, when I said YES in my spirit to what I feel that I was called to do, everything would come together to perfection. It never cease to amaze me.
In addition, I have been able to witness the power that art has in the lives of other people and how it creates community. I absolutely LOVE making that connection. It feels my heart with so much joy and purpose.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
When I was child, I faced many difficulties and I didn’t trust anyone. I use to write my feeling in a journal until one day I felt violated when confronted about what I wrote. So that no longer was a safe place and talking to others wasn’t an option. This was the beginning of my journey as an artist. I would literally draw out my emotions and that was my safe place to explore what I was feeling and to vent but at the same time, explore more of what I wanted from life. I am thankful that I have continued to explore the lexicon of emotions that I feel and also create a platform in which opens a pure conversation for other to think about their own quest and purpose.
Anytime a sudden and big shift happens in my life, I think about how important it is to feel its pain, to heal, and then reveal.
The reveal has to do with exposing what has happened and t0 search for purpose in the pain. At some point, we have the ability to help someone else through it. This is what I do through my art.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ElenaTheArtist.com www.DialArt.org