Welcome to our interview series, Maria. We’re delighted to have you with us. As a lifelong singer-songwriter and artist, when did you first realize that creativity was essential to who you are?
I realized at a young age that creativity was essential to who I am. Perhaps until adulthood it served me as a way to strengthen my self-esteem and guaranteed me and assisted me as a means to communicate with others on a personal and social level.
Your work spans music, visual art, poetry, dance, acting, and voice work. What draws you to exploring so many forms of expression?
I think what draws me to exploring so many forms of expression is the potential of the individual powerfulness of each art form. And the creative ability to create unification of all these expressive art forms into one work of art stems from my passion for mixed-media and multi-media artistic creations which use audio or video.
Growing up, what early experiences shaped your desire to empower others through your art?
The experiences growing up that shaped my desire to empower others through art stemmed from elementary and high-school talent shows and requests to perform at school functions; and was consistently praised by peers and faculty on my inspiring songs and stage performances; whether reciting a poem or singing an original song with my guitar.
You describe being a “mindful audience member” from a young age. What did observing performers teach you about the power of artistic impact?
My observations of performers taught me at a young age that the power of artistic impact could be very empowering and inspiring. Artistic impact, I eventually realized, could positively impact an audience member by helping them recover their own willpower and resilience or live for life.
After your divorce, you traveled across Texas and gathered stories and memories. How did movement and place influence your creative voice?
Traveling across Texas and living in new places influenced my creative voice in unimaginable and unparalleled ways. I found a transformative growth and clarity in my song-writing, poetry and art that was transcendental.
In what ways have history, memory, and oral storytelling shaped the themes in your work?
The ways in which history, memory, and oral storytelling have shaped the themes of my work has been by allowing me to have truthful documentation of diverse social and cultural realities influence my expression as an artist. I have many times found myself translating the effect of history, memories and oral storytelling in my song-writing, art, poetry and dance.
You’ve described your path as non-traditional and sometimes difficult. What has sustained your commitment to creativity through uncertain periods?
The things that have sustained my commitment to creativity through uncertain periods is my own belief in making a difference with my artistic talents.
As a single mother and artist, how did you navigate balancing personal growth, parenting, and creative work?
The manner in which I, a single mother and artist, attained balance between growth, parenting and creative work is by giving equal attention to each of these realms and appreciating their rewards by being conscious of the decisive moments where they intertwine.
You’ve spoken about the maturity that comes after divorce. How did that life transition reshape your identity as both a woman and an artist?
Divorce reshaped my identity as both a woman and an artist by providing me with a life experience that required my understanding, consciousness, providing me with the knowledge to seek fortitude in resilience. Eventually realizing that divorce is not and end but a new beginning, with endless possibilities to “reshape” one’s perception of life. Marking a new birth and level of maturity in my expression through fine arts.
What role does discipline and training play in sustaining a creative life?
The role discipline and training play in sustaining a creative life is of great importance, these two skills allow the evolutionary transformation of triumph in expression.
How important has community and encouragement been in helping you continue your artistic journey?
Community and encouragement has been the primordial reason why I endured my chosen path in a lifelong journey as an artist.
Your work aims to empower others. What does empowerment through art look like to you?
Empowerment through art, to me, looks like change in people to seek meaningfulness in life, progress and fortitude.
As you explore voiceover and new creative directions, what excites you most about this stage of your journey?
The thing that excites me most about this stage in my journey as I explore voiceover and new creative directions is the learning experience and training. Why? Because it is constantly providing me with the tools to produce revolutionary interpretation of reality through expression and art.
Looking back, what would you tell your younger self about choosing a life devoted to artistic expression?
As I look back, the one thing I would tell my younger self about choosing a life devoted to artistic expression is that, at less than a year away of age 50, I have no regrets about my decision and passion and pursuing a life-long experimentation with artistic expression. The only thing I would have changed is having pursued teaching art and acquire an art teacher’s certification. 🙃
Finally, what message would you share with others who feel called to create but are unsure whether to follow that path?
The message I would share with others who feel called to create but are unsure whether to follow that path is to always find a way to share your talents to create with family, friends, community and the world. Half way through life I realize the wisdom and truth in the advice I heard since high school graduation and throughout my twenties, that an artist should have a career that pays the bills but an artistic soul and temperament should not be denied its development nor existence. All of us can benefit from an artist’s contributions based on inspiration, interpretation, clarification, perspective and expression.
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