We were lucky to catch up with Zulay Romero recently and have shared our conversation below.

Zulay , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is the one I am working on now.
At the start of this year, I launched two businesses. One was within the field of mental health, which is what my degree is in, and the second one was my artist business, Ember Studio.
Ember Studio came to life when I began to feel burned out and wanted to reach people through art-making and not just in the clinical world. I then wanted to use this business to help folks see that art was more than the finished product.
In my early education, all of my art was made for a grade, for competition. There wasn’t much focus on creativity and the actual process of art-making. I found myself burning out even in the space that had been my haven for the majority of my life.
So I embarked on a journey I call “Because Why Not?” It started with letting my mind have a dedicated space to be impulsive. Being an upcycling artist, I knew I had all the materials I needed at hand. I began by adding coupon newspapers I get in the mail to a large canvas. That led to sowing and gluing down strips of fabric from old clothes, and so much more!
It is still a work in progress, but after adding plaster of paris, all-purpose caulk, gesso, hot glue for more texture, and acrylic paint, I had a realization: Process art is a way to combat imposter syndrome.
Up until now, I have separated my art into two categories. One is art that is for “the people.” It’s the artwork I feel a bit more confident in and what I think people might like. And the second is art that is for ME. It’s the art that is messy or not so “perfect.” It’s where I feel a little bit more free to play around.
“Because Why Not?” has given me the chance to go beyond those two worlds and not focus on the outcome, what people might or might now say, or if it will be liked. When I sit down to work on this piece, it has been liberating to be in the moment, following my senses, rather than expectation.

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 am a mixed-media and digital collage artist based in Tallahassee, FL. I am neurodivergent, first-generation Colombian American. With a Bachelor’s in Studio Art and dual Master’s degrees in Art Therapy and Counseling, I use the creative process to promote healing and wellness both in my mental health counseling practice with clients and in my artwork.
Since childhood, I’ve found my truest self in art, long before discovering I was neurodivergent in my 20s and 30s. For the past few years, I have dedicated my craft to focusing on my inner experiences, chronic health conditions, and the complexities of my heart and mind. I am drawn to the practice of upcycling where I use what I already have and build upon the layers. This method feels the most natural to me. A blank canvas brings me no comfort or direction. But a collection of images, textiles, paints, markers, etc., strewn before me, ignites a map of my thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I use what I see because it vividly represents my inner world.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I am driven by authenticity. Having masked most of my life it caused so much doubt and fear about my ability to be an artist… a human. This year has come with so much motivation and passion to use my creativity to be authentically me: loving, kind, daring, inquisitive.
My goal is that my creative journey be an inspiration to other women who have at some point been told that their “too” anything or not enough.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After working in mental health for about five years, I found myself struggling with my own health. I was diagnosed with neurodivergence in my mid to late 20s and with a chronic health condition just last year (2023). I was starting to learn more about myself, the way my brain works, and what a healthy work/life balance needed to be for me. I knew for most of my life that holding a “normal” 9-5 job wouldn’t work for me. I learned to give myself the grace I was teaching my clients about.
In the fall of 2023, I recognized that I needed to take a step back from the mental health field. While I did not want to leave it completely, I needed to make space for myself. This is when I began investing my efforts in launching an artist business that also offers creative life-coaching services.
At this time, I am doing therapy work very part-time and spending most of my time creating content about my art and building a program that helps women overcome imposter syndrome through the creative process.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.genesiscreativecounseling.com
• Instagram: @_emberstudio_