We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yvonne Rojas-Cowan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Yvonne, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

My artistic spark ignited before I could even speak; my earliest memories are of me sitting in my father’s lap, mesmerized as he drew a house for me on paper, complete with a picket fence, dancing leaves, and chirping birds. I was hooked. I’d beg him to draw the house again and again until one day, the clumsy crayon in my hand began to echo his strokes. That spark never faded, even as many years later, I navigated the world of corporate finance.

While finance became my canvas for a while, that early art-infused spirit found unexpected outlets – creating websites brimming with visual language, designing logos, sketching during long commutes home, and teaching art classes on weekends. The financial crash hit hard and left me reevaluating my life’s priorities prompting a yearning for a different rhythm. Seeking a more balanced path and time with family, I joined my husband in the firm we co-founded. It was then that I rediscovered my paints, and embarked on a year-long journey of artistic exploration with a self-residency. That year wasn’t just about refining technique; it was a soul-awakening immersion into the language of color, the rhythm of texture, the pure joy of creation, and a deep dive into untapped emotions. I unearthed buried emotions, and unsung stories and finally found my voice – not just on canvas, but in the very essence of my being. The answer was clear: This, the artist’s path, is where I belong.

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’m a self-taught, 1st generation Latina artist who weaves emotions, stories, and reflections on the human condition into tapestries of abstraction, figuration, and sculpture. From swirling colors that evoke daydreams to faces that whisper unspoken narratives, my art aims to ignite curiosity, spark introspection, and connect us through the shared language of the soul.

“What sets me apart? Perhaps it’s the raw vulnerability I pour into my brushstrokes or the way I sculpt clay into tangible expressions of intangible feelings. My art invites you to see beauty in the messy tangle of human existence, to find solace in the dance between chaos and calm, and to discover something surprising within yourself.

From the moment I decided to dedicate myself to art, I dove headfirst. Galleries and exhibitions became my second home, print publications across the globe became my stage, and leading my local arts commission as Chair was an unexpected honor. Today, my work finds permanent residency in personal collections around the world. A recent publication in Women United Arts Magazine and a winning design for the City of Newburgh’s upcoming art project are proud chapters in this ongoing adventure. With each brushstroke, sculpture, and project, I hope to connect hearts and minds through creativity, leaving a small ripple in the vast artistic ocean.

My art playground spans across abstraction, figuration, and sculpture. Think of it like a big old tapestry, woven with emotions, stories, and reflections on what it means to be human. I want you to see my work and be like “Wow” but also dig deep inside yourself and maybe discover some things you didn’t know were there.

Abstract painting is my jam. It’s where I play with colors and textures, crafting worlds you can simply feel, no words needed. It’s like peeking into my daydreams, where fleeting moments and whispers of ideas dance hand-in-hand in a tango between calm and chaos.

But sometimes, I need to ground things. That’s where the faces come in. They’re about the messy stuff that makes us, you know, us– our hopes, fears, and connections simmering just below the surface. Every brushstroke is a secret code, telling stories you can see just by looking closely enough, stories that might even resonate with your own.

And then there are the sculptures, these 3D pieces that breathe life into my ideas. I bend and twist metal and clay giving shape to emotions, memories, and even the big, hairy questions about the universe. They’re there to tickle your brain, shift your perspective, and maybe even spark a conversation or two.

Ultimately, my work – the abstracts, the faces, the sculptures, the entire ensemble – is an invitation to dive in, feel things deeply, and contemplate the bigger picture. It’s a bridge between your world and mine, a playground for your senses and your soul. Come explore, get lost in the textures, and see if you can decode these hidden narratives. Who knows, you might just discover something extraordinary within yourself along the way.

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

One of my biggest lessons is the emotional shift from fear of imperfection to embracing the joy of the creative process.

It wasn’t just a lesson; it was a full-blown emotional revolution!

My journey into art was quite unexpected. Coming from a management background in finance, my left brain, trained on spreadsheets and metrics, kept tripping over the canvas’s freedom. I overthought, planned, and paralyzed myself with perfectionism. Hours evaporated in a haze of “what ifs” instead of joyful creation.

Then it hit me: the joy wasn’t in the imagined flawless masterpiece but in the joy of the creative process itself.

I shifted my focus – from the imagined applause at the end to the feel of the paint gliding, the whisper of the charcoal, the symphony of colors colliding. It was like opening a dam of inspiration.

That’s when my artistic faucet started gushing. Inspiration blossomed from every corner, every stroke an invitation to explore, to experiment, to be unafraid of the mess. Now, I don’t wait for the spark – I dive into the process, letting the journey itself paint the path.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

My work is driven by a profound desire to crack open form and expression, to delve into the messy beauty of the human condition. Women, often formidable figures pulsating with raw emotion, frequently are at the heart of my creations. Each stroke, a whisper across the canvas, builds a bridge between me and the viewer, daring them to peel back layers not just of the artwork, but of their own perception. My work is a mirror held to the soul, reflecting the kaleidoscope of our experiences, flaws, and all.

It’s this primal urge, this need to push the boundaries of how things can be felt that drives me. Every brushstroke is a quest for emotional resonance, a way to make shapes sing and colors scream. Ultimately, my art aims to celebrate the human experience, to weave threads of connection between myself and the viewer, to let them see the world through fresh eyes, perhaps a little rawer, a little more real.

Empowering women is a constant thread in my work. With strong faces and expressive bodies, they stand tall, unapologetic, demanding to be seen, heard, and felt. These themes; emotional connection, female strength, the messy beauty of being human are not just subjects; they are the very breath of my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artkarmastudios.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artkarma_1/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artkarmastudios
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonnecowan/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/ArtKarmaStudios

Image Credits
Photo credit: Yvonne Rojas-Cowan