We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Reyna Noriega a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Reyna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I revisited art many times throughout my youth but it was really solidified in high school when I took a summer art internship at MoCA North Miami and also discovered film photography. I was a very studios kid and I had no sports, I quit dance when I was younger and I was always aspiring to have a “thing” a “talent”. When I rediscovered art it wasn’t about having a “thing” it was more about the way it set me free. I felt accepted in art spaces and I was learning a whole new language to express myself with.
Reyna, 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?
I am a visual artist and author. My art centers vibrant depictions of women of color. I have always loved art and the way it has given me the ability to communicate or dive into my feelings and portray topics near to my heart in a language that can be universally felt and understood. I planned to study Visual Art in college but pivoted to psychology with a pre-med track due to fears that Art wouldn’t be a sustainable career, but the love was so strong I minored in art and English and focused on art related internships during my time in college. Funny enough I became an art teacher unexpectedly after college, it was supposed to be temporary and then I loved my role so much and the students were responding so well to me it became a longer term thing. It was during my days as a teacher I learned some very important skills that have really changed the trajectory of my career. Things like public speaking, confidence, maintaining a child like curiosity and balancing a lot of responsibilities. I was freelancing both art and photography during my time as a teacher and different circumstances eventually pushed me to take my dreams and ambitions more seriously, the way I had been encouraging my students to do.
The road to full time artist wasn’t easy or overnight but thankfully I used the hard lessons to make something beautiful. I am most proud to have had my work enjoyed by so many people. I have collectors all the way in Australia and different countries in Asia, I’ve had a cover for the New Yorker and buildings in New York wrapped with my work, all serving as confirmation that anything is possible.
Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)
I have stayed away from NFTs thus far mainly because they contradicted what my art stood for. My art was meant to be accessible to people and groups that are so often left out of the art world spaces and conversations. Especially with digital art, it was a great way for people to experience and consume art without worrying about judgment of not feeling welcome. Privatizing that for the sake of possibly making lots of money in a digital virtual reality while so many people in our very real reality are suffering and not able to make ends meet felt wrong.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Being a successful artist, or being successful at anything really takes a very large amount of inner work. I am so proud of myself not for my outward accomplishments but for all the lessons I have had to accumulate and overcome to see the changes in my life start from internal and then reflect in external results. If you are a person looking to become more mentally strong, more internally balanced and able to trust this journey (lots of trust is necessary, you never know when your flowers will bloom) I suggest you start by taking your evolution seriously. I had to learn about gratitude, and boundaries, and the power of my mind before knowing how to grow a following or price my work, but so often that gets skipped. I implore you, do not skip that step!
Many books helped me with that journey, here are a few:
The four agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz
The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
Steal like an Artist – Austin Kleon
The Alchemist – Paulo Coehlo
Damn Good Advice (For People With Talent) George Lois
How to Be An Illustrator – Darrel Rees
And I am currently reading “The Artist Way” by Julia Cameron
Contact Info:
- Website: www.reynanoriega.com
- Instagram: @reynanoriega_
- Facebook: reyna.noriega
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reynasnoriega/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0DqVRxteqWQk4L14HKlfgA
- Other: TikTok @reynanoriega8
Image Credits
1- Ruben Cabrera 2-5 Alecia Soto 6 Francesca Perini 7 Briana Clark-Forgie