We recently connected with Maria Paula Rodriguez and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Maria Paula thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I moved to the United States from El Salvador when I was 14 years old. I was raised in El Salvador my whole life and somehow I always felt like I never quite fit in.

When I was little I lost my sister to gang violence and as I grew older I didn’t want to be in my country anymore. I spent years living in fear and with trauma I never processed up until recently. All those years, painting helped me deal with it whether I knew it or not and that’s something I came to understand until I started going to therapy not so long ago.

I always knew I wanted to be an artist. Apart from feeling unsafe in El Salvador, I also felt discouraged to become a full time creative because there’s not a lot of outlets to be successful or to have a job guaranteed after university.

My parents had divorced when I was 11 so I was living with my mom and my grandparents since then. I remember my mom coming into my room one night and just asking “ would you want to move to the U.S?” I didn’t have to think twice I knew I wanted to.

Leaving my home was hard because I was leaving my friends and my family and I knew that it would be a while until I would be able to see them again. My mom and I knew that we were about to go through a lot of struggles and that we were going to face the unknown for a little while. I knew that we would be living illegally for a while until we figured out how to apply for asylum, and that was really scary. It has been 10 years since we came here and we haven’t gotten an answer about our case yet. I live in constant fear of being sent back.

My mom and I lived in my aunt’s basement for a couple years. I started going to high school where I felt so happy because I was taking art classes. I worked hard on my painting projects to be able to apply to art colleges.

I remember crying one night because I thought I wouldn’t be able to go to college because I was not a citizen. Without citizenship it’s hard to get around applying to loans, to public schools, receiving aid, and a lot more. I got accepted into The Savannah College of Art and Design, which accepted me without my citizenship so I decided that I would go there.

At first I was a painting major, but the more and more I got into my classes I realized how personal and meaningful painting was for me. All my life, it was my way of processing and of healing my soul. I thought to myself that I wanted to keep that personal.

I started taking fashion classes and I completely fell in love with it. I opened a new door full of excitement and opportunity to grow as an artist. I took a chance and I switched my majors. I took summer classes to be able to finish my degree in time and I graduated with a B.F.A In Fashion Design in May of 2021.

I landed an internship with Kohl’s as a Boys clothing designer and during it I realized how much I enjoyed the print and pattern aspect of fashion. It was like painting and fashion combined.

I have been working as a print and pattern artist for The SO brand at Kohl’s for over a year now. I have been working independently on my painting as a hobby and I couldn’t be happier I made the decisions I made throughout my life.

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 am a painter and designer from El Salvador. I mostly paint feelings and surreal worlds with characters I have made up throughout the years as a way of comforting myself. I like translating sadness and struggle into bright colorful art. The clothes I create embody the same aspects of my paintings. It’s wearable art, with a lot of nostalgia to it.

I’m most proud of the kind artist I have become. I want people to know that you are loved and welcomed in this space, and that the art you see/wear is filled with so many stories and so much love.

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

I think it’s so rewarding when I see my potential. When I see someone look at my art with excitement I think it’s the most rewarding. The fact that I brought a smile to someones face. When I really think about all the blank canvas I have filled, it makes me so emotional. Thinking that I created that with my own two hands, because sometimes as creatives we can be very self critical and unkind to ourselves. I try to remind myself constantly that it takes a lot to be an artist.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think that we should have more art programs for the youth in school. Not just like art making driven, but also entrepreneurship, and branding programs specifically for art! I think it’s really important to have this knowledge from early on!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mariapaularc.com/
• Instagram: @maria.paula.arts
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/maria-paula-rodriguez-cardona-she-her-ella-659b501b9

Image Credits
Zach Jett