We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zumbambico . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zumbambico below.

Zumbambico, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Consciously, it happened when I was 12 years old and I started taking painting lessons with a very loving teacher in Piracicaba, Brazil (where I lived during my teens). Her name is Denise Storel and those hours at her atelier became my happy place; my favorite time of the week, where I felt the most free and joyful. That is when I knew I wanted to commit to art for life.
However, earlier on, when I was 4 years old, my mom enrolled me for almost 8 years in ceramic and dance lessons in my hometown (Cali, Colombia). The focus there wasn’t on teaching kids to master the technical aspects of the “craft” but on pushing us to explore with materials, movement and space, which is something I am very grateful for, since it planted a seed in me of always tuning in with my intuition while creating. Big shout out to my teachers then, Nelly Delgado and Rocío Vivas, who always encouraged me to be myself.

Zumbambico , 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?

My name is Isabel and I am a Colombian artist, best known as Zumbambico (the name of my brand, which I created in 2015). I have centered my art on my experience of being born and raised in a country where both beauty and behavioral standards are imposed on women’s bodies. Therefore, I think of my work as a tool for healing my relationship with my body, creating my own emancipated territory and inviting others to do the same.

Since a very early age, art has become the language through which I communicate with myself and those around me. I approach my craft in a very intuitive way, where every piece works as a ritual that allows me to release, give voice to my emotions, and transform them into something new. Consequently, process plays an essential role in my work. This is the moment when catharsis happens and I can simply be.

When I founded Zumbambico, I had just graduated from college and I started selling stickers and notebooks in small owned bookstores. Being an entrepreneur has definitely taught me a lot about organizing my time, working with clients, managing my finances, charging for my work among many other things; but above all it has taught me to be patient with myself and with the process. There are moments when I question it all and wonder if I made the right decision, however I do not see myself doing anything else. I really don’t. The key is to take your passion very seriously, commit to it, knock on doors and persevere. There will always be uncertainty but it is much better to navigate it when what you do is rooted in your heart.

At the moment, I divide my time between pieces commissioned by clients (mainly digital illustration) and personal projects. In 2021, I started painting again and it has been great to experiment on the canvas and playing around with new materials that allow me to learn new ways of making and rediscover myself. Also, I love traveling and being able to show my work wherever I go. I have exhibited my pieces in group and solo exhibits in Maastricht, Bogotá, Barcelona, Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro, Houston, and New York.

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

I guess the most rewarding thing is the fact that I love what I do. Working does not feel at all like a burden to me, but as a channel through which I can freely express myself every single day; a channel to breathe.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I believe my audience has landed on my social media platforms because they connect with what I make.

Use social media for your advantage, to support causes you believe in, to express yourself, to connect with other artists, to promote your crafts, and to be inspired by others, but do not put too much effort on getting likes. What matters the most is what you experience while making a piece, and that is private and what lasts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://zumbambicoarte.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zumbambico/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zumbambicoarte/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB-v0Em0sKAhs8p48PSzFZw