We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Reinaldo Gil Zambrano. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Reinaldo below.
Reinaldo, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My family has no history of visual artists; I grew up in a household of science educators with a passion for rocks and the earth. My parents recognized in my brother and me the things we liked to do by taking us to many things, from sports to cultural events to readings and crafts. One thing I recognized to play a major role in my desire to be an artist was that they assigned the wall next to my bed in the bedroom I shared with my brother growing up to be my “mural wall.” I could experiment with drawing and painting in it, and for many years, I did that. I tried pastels, charcoal, and acrylics, learning from my mistakes while coping with my favorite anime characters. I experimented with color, proportions, and, of course, with large-scale art pieces. I loved working on this wall because it enabled me to create an immersive environment and an idea of what being an artist is. I loved the attention and comments that family visiting would make about my work, and my desire to continue to do so kept growing.
Reinaldo, 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?
A first-generation immigrant, Reinaldo’s understanding of home is multifaceted. The experience of belonging to many places at once prompts him to probe the overlapping areas that exist between the roles we assume in different cultural environments. His work highlights the rich and complex stories that emerge when these often-overlooked aspects of identity are given due attention. Reinaldo holds an MFA from the University of Idaho, Moscow and a BFA from the College of Idaho. He co-founded numerous collaborative printmaking initiatives, such as Spokane Print Fest, the Spokane Print and Publishing Center, and the podcast Hello, Print Friend, which offers bilingual exposées on current printmaking topics. Reinaldo’s work has been exhibited internationally and is included in national and international collections. Currently, he works as an Assistant Professor of Art at Gonzaga University and is creating a series of video documentaries archiving the myriad applications of printmaking around the world.
Reinaldo founded RGZprints.com in 2018 to promote his fine art printmaking work, create public murals and wearables.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Creating work that matters and creating a dialogue with others.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I find affinity with biographical books of accomplished athletes. I see a connection between athletes’ mental toughness and resilience, similar to an artist—first, having a vision, breaking it down into actions and goals, small progress and later performing. Working constantly for the late reward and not the easy fix. The constant pushing beyond self-doubt, tiredness, and outside noise. Some of the books that have helped me are Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins, Total Recall by Arnold schwarzenegger, and Art & Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.reinaldogilzambrano.com
- Instagram: @rgzprints
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rgzart/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reinaldo-gil-zambrano-96a7a476/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc_Vx3Y-cViaMM1wVRaL56g
- Other: Check out our printmaking podcast: wwwhelloprintfriend.com and our printmaking studio: www.spokaneprint.org
Image Credits
By artist