We were lucky to catch up with Sol Rodriguez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sol, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I think it’s easy to sit here and wish that maybe I wouldn’t have wasted so much time doubting myself and trying to run away from the love I had for art; I actually did do it a lot for a long time. As they say, hindsight is 20/20 and it’s easy to judge my own choices and feel like maybe I’d be farther in life if I’d done things differently. But the way my life has worked out thus far I really can’t help but believe that everything that is meant for me will come to me eventually when it is time. I really live by the phrase “everything happens for a reason,” so I think if anything in my journey would have happened differently I wouldn’t be the person (or artist) I am today.

One of the questions I get asked a lot is when I “learned” to draw and it’s always a hard one to answer simply because there is no straight answer. Since childhood, drawing has always been my happy place so there has never been a time where I wasn’t making art and I truly think I was an artist before I even understood what that meant. However, it wasn’t until college when I ended up in spaces with fellow creatives that I really felt like my work could be more than a hobby. That was my first time having friends who cared about art the way I did so it felt really special at the time. I think it was really that camaraderie and collaboration that would be the catalyst for everything I’ve done since.

Sol, 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?

I’m a self taught Mexican-American artist from Virginia Beach and now based out of eastern NC. My portfolio mostly consists of digital art, a little mixed media collage, and I’ve recently begun incorporating typography design in my work, as well. However, I really enjoy anything where I can be creative and I feel I’m always growing, so I try not to limit myself.

I really enjoy portraiture and almost exclusively draw womens’ faces under the handle SUNSH!T. I don’t think I necessarily have an art “style,” but common themes you can find in my work are anger, heartache, infatuation, loneliness, and despair. Creating art is my outlet so I will often draw inspiration from own experiences and emotions.

As I’m also the graphic designer for the hip hop collective, The Social Contract, music is another big part of my life and it also often serves as inspiration. Art is extremely subjective and to try and act like there’s some deeper meaning or cause at play within my work would just be inauthentic. I’m really just a person who loves to draw, but when I create I feel a lot and I hope my work makes you feel something as well.

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

In those moments where I’m feeling not so great about myself/being a person I try to remember that I’m an artist and it is one of the few things that can’t be taken away from me. It might sound silly but I’ve found there’s strength in autonomy (yes, I am a virgo) and being able to create something from nothing feels almost like a superpower at times. Creating art is one of the few things in this life that humans can partake in 100% guilt free; it does nothing but nourish us and our soul. To be able to do that consistently is one of the most beautiful parts of my life.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think many might question how long it took me to get here, as I’m 26 years old and finally making the art I’ve always wanted to make. I remind myself everyday that it’s not about speed but direction. And that’s really the biggest takeaway and the biggest piece of advice I can give to creatives and non-creatives alike. A wise person once said that our dreams and aspirations are on our hearts for a reason: they will always be for us alone and only we can accomplish them at whatever pace suits us best.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://solsunz.com
• Instagram: @ssunshit