Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ricardo Cisneros. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ricardo , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Growing up poor in Los Angeles in the 80’s and 90’s meant your resources for success were low. As a kid, my mother would take us to the city library to select books to check out. I would wander the aisles looking at the covers until one would catch my attention. It was then that I discovered Lee J. Ames “Draw 50 Famous Cartoons” along with others in a series to guide you in step-by-step drawing instruction. I was captivated by the process of drawing using simple shapes but I was too impatient to follow the steps. I liked to re-create the finished cartoons simply by site, as my talent grew with practice, I began to re-create Marvel and DC comic covers. Art became an escape for me growing up and would guide me through the most difficult moments.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I received my bachelor’s in fine art at Humboldt State University in 2004. Like most students, you go out into the world looking to start a career in your field. The first couple of years after graduation were not easy. I took odd jobs in the arts working in curation/art installation assistance, graphic design, studio assistance, and any other job I could find in the arts. Until recently, I worked as a ghost painter for a high-profile artist. It was little pay and heavy manual labor. At this time, I decided to pursue an MFA in Illustration. For my thesis, I incorporated skills from my work history an personal art practice to explore the psychology of consumerist culture and the effect on the individual. My work incorporates visual cues from marketing campaigns used during the history of capitalism. From its initial reference point, I use a multi media approach to drive a fictional narrative that highlights trends in popular culture.

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

In 2016, I developed a serious case of pneumonia. At that time, I was working as a graphic designer in a small local business. The job offered little pay and a negative work environment. I hated being there but I was stubborn and tenacious to work within a creative field. What started as the common flu, progressed to a severe case of pneumonia, sepsis, and multi-organ shutdown. Luckily, my family helped transport me to a local clinic where they rushed me to the hospital. I spent the next three weeks fighting for my life. In my recovery, I had to nurture my body to function normally. When I recovered enough to return to work I was laid off. It was at this point that I knew I needed to change. I was starting a relationship at the time with my love and now fiance. She encouraged me to go back to school. Graduate school was an economic and mental challenge, my father’s health was failing and it almost drove me to quit the graduate program. I finished my studies in 2019 and graduated with honors. Life has not been easy since then but creating art is a great passion of mine. I have seen many artists quit over the years, some start for delusions of grandeur or fame, others for financial success. Time wears heavy for those that choose the path of the artist. The cost of sacrifice increases the longer you continue to create.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Most of us grow up with a general sense of good and evil. Do good and you shall be rewarded. I grew up Catholic, my childhood was filled with moral lessons on how to be a decent human being. There is a common belief that if you are not a bad person, you deserve to have good things happen. I see this logic apply to artists in the field all the time. I’m here to tell you that I continue to unlearn this belief. Being good at representation does not make you a good artist. There are many tropes of entitlement in the art world and they all lead you to believe that you deserve success. I am not immune to rejection, failure, and personal blows to the ego. What I have learned over the years is to embrace growth. The only reason I continue to be relevant is because I continue to make. I do not believe I deserve success, opportunity or any special treatment because of my credentials. My triumph comes from improving my skillset with each new work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ricardocisnerosarts.com
• Instagram: @ricardo_cisneros_arts