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Representation Through Illustration with Reyna Noriega

Hi and welcome back to created live TV mining. Is Kate on the host today? And I'm very excited to be bringing on rain on Noriega. She is a artist, illustrator, writer and educator. And today she's gonna We're gonna talk about her art at end her poetry a swell. Have her show us a little tutorial on illustrating on the IPad in procreate. And we're gonna talk through some of her amazing art. Um, and so I'm very excited to welcome Raina to the show today. Welcome. Right now. How are you? I'm good. K. Thank you for having me. I'm excited for our check. Yeah, I'm really excited, Toe. Have you? So, um, e discovered you on instagram a while back from your beautiful art. So why don't we talk a little bit about you as an artist, you know, from from the start at school. And, you know, it sounds like you went to, um, school art school, and you also studied, likes you, started out as a teacher, Sam Flint, and then have ventured into being a full time artist a little bit more about your background a...

nd obviously introduce us to your pups. Well, this is Pepper. She know that there's some type of camera opportunity. So she did, huh? Basically my journey with our It's just been a lot of me gravitating towards what feels good. Um, so my dad was an artist, and from a young age, I just enjoyed seeing him create things in his sketchbook and then being out in the world and seeing like, ah, patch embroider that he digitized and stuff like that. And so although I didn't know what I could do, um, it just I was always, like, trying new things from, you know, just writing early on. So then photography and then painting and an illustration when I became an art teacher and even that was unplanned. It was just like an opportunity presented itself where the art teacher quit and they were like, Well, we know that you'd like to draws. You want to try it out. And it was only supposed to be temporary, but it ended up just being like I was so inspired by the kids and the relationship was so good that it just became like, ah, four year thing. And during that time, yeah, during that time, it gave me the opportunity as like the token creative of the faculty. Um, I was making all the flyers and all the club T shirts and things like that, and from there, just, like, inspired me to try freelancing. Um and so I was doing a lot of that on the side. So by the time that I decided to transition out of teaching and, you know, just, like, bet on myself and my ideas, um, I have been practicing that whole time balancing, you know, being a full time teacher and parts I freelancer. So it made the switch a lot less chaotic, I would say. Yeah, and tell me, like, was there something that specifically happened that made you feel like you were ready to jump into being an illustrator? An artist full time? Um or was it just that you kind of worked up enough clients and you were ready to make that transition? Neither. Actually, it was something that was kind of like in the back of my head. So I was making strides to do so, you know, saving a lot more money and just like looking for a lot more opportunities. Talking to freelance creatives, that I knew and and figuring out like, where the income streams come from, How did they keep it flowing and stuff like that? Um, but when I quit, when I resigned from teaching, I actually took another full time job as a creative director. And so it was when that, um, job when I left that job that I was like, OK, I'm gonna just try this out, Um, and see how it goes. Nice. And when was that? That was a couple of years ago. That was 2018. Okay, so we've been full time we made up for the last couple of years. And what is What does that feel like now? I mean, I guess ultimately, you're a creed of your entire life. And obviously, as a creative director, you were, um but how does it feel to be out on your own? Um and, you know, kind of making your own money as a as a creator. Yeah, It feels really good. I mean, in the beginning, there was just a lot of discipline I had to learn. And just like there's a lot of fear and anxiety that comes with it, you always feel like your next client is somehow gonna end up being your last. But once I pulled myself through those mind sets, it was a lot more just enjoyable and a lot. Um, I really treasure the the way that I get to just split up my time the way that I want between my projects and client projects and throughout it all on being creative. It's just a matter of like, that balance. Yeah, totally. So tell us a little bit more about your art. Um, you know, we talked a little bit throughout the weeks as we were preparing for this about your art. And I think you know what? What I gravitated to following you waas that your art represents a lot of different colors and shapes of women. And that was something that was really beautiful to me. A someone who is a minority to see an artist, actually, you know, representing people that looked like me, And that's not something I get to always experience. So we talked extensively about that, and I would love to hear more about you and your art and why that's so important to you. Yeah, absolutely. Um I think it came from that place originally of just like wanting to see more representations of myself and that being lacking in, like, the fine art space. Um, so it's really it really started off selfish, you know, Like, I was decorating my apartment and I wanted art for my walls, and I knew exactly the kind of stuff I would want to see up, but like, looking for it just didn't exist, you know? And yeah, there was just, like, always something that was lacking from the way that I would want it 100%. So, like, they're either wasn't enough color or like the women depicted didn't reflect me and things like that. And so, um, it was just gonna be, like a little Siris of, like, maybe five or six different illustrations. And then I figured like I had been before, I would just, like, move onto the next thing because I have done, like, several small, um, Siri's or like projects or challenges. And then once it's over, it's like, Okay, think about that's over. Now, I can try something out. Yeah, um but it was just like the more that I did, like, the more I was inspired by the more that I wanted to see, And I was able to put so much of what I love in terms of just like architecture and like, places that I've traveled or want to travel. And it was a way for me to just always have a visual of my highest self and like myself, when I'm most at peace and what I'm most confident and by diversifying the figures in the illustrations, I saw that I could do that for other women as well. Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's you know, what attracted me to your art was seating somebody who was showing such a diverse group of women that, you know, was every color and shape it. It was something that, you know, I don't get to see all that often. And it was really nice, uh, to kind of meet you that way and that such a important part of her art, and it moved me. So I'm really excited to have you on toe talk about how important that is. And eso today you're going to be showing us one of your own pieces that you're doing in procreate. Ah, and if you want to talk a little bit more about your art for yourself. Is this Is this a piece that you're making for yourself? Furs is a project you're working on for a client that you're gonna show us. It is a piece for myself. Um, and it's inspired by So I I talked to you a little bit about this to like, just between my writing and my my aren't my art has become I get the most joy from other people seeing that representation for the first time and being excited about it, being able to, like, bring them joy and color and all of those things. And my writing does the same thing. But I think that my intention has remained for me to just, like, make sense of my feelings and to just, like be 100% honest with myself and toe likes DEA. It's been like a radical form of just healing and truth for me. And so it's interesting because I've published to portrait books the 1st 1 it was like I was so embarrasses. Probably not the word, but I was just, like, so shy about it that it was something that, like I didn't talk about. I didn't want anybody to clap for it. So mostly like my friends and people that they may have told about it or pass it on to, um we're like reading it and sharing it and stuff like that. So it didn't really go too far. And then the second book, Um, I just got so much Boer honest with myself, and I poured so much more into it, and I became more aware of how sharing my story had the potential to inspire other people. So I did a lot more for that book in terms of just like celebrating it, you know, like I did a book cover reveal, and I I so funded and organized a mini book tour you know, went to like five, um, five or six cities across the US and just like, gathered some people and talks about the book and things like that. And so even then it was like clearly doing better than the first book. But as my art has brought in a lot more eyes, there has been a lot more eyes on the book, and so and so even when sharing it and like you know, like, you know, like this. Like whatever you write its archive, like it's never going away like it's for years and years and years. There's gonna be a copy somewhere. Um, So I put things in there that it was kind of like just so riel that thinking about all of the people that now, um, have access to it. I've been, like, meandering between, like wanting to to shy away and then also being like that. Was that your truth? You know, and you should You shared it and it was healing. And now it's, um it's gonna help other people. So, um so, yeah, the piece that I want to draw for myself today is just kind of like a way to visually show that feeling. Yeah, I would say, Well, and so before we jump into new illustrating can you tell me a little bit more about you know you sell? Published your first poetry book? What made you decide to actually turn it into a book? Since it was something that, you know, you started out being for you. What made you want to kind of put it out there to the world in a way that, you know, you weren't necessarily expecting to do at first. Yeah, um, so I always wanted to be a writer. Like writing was my first love in the first thing that I thought I was good at because just like in school, I would win prizes and stuff. And so I always struggled with, like, being a writer but wanting to be an author, and it's like, What makes you an author? It's having a published book. So there was always that, like, insecurity of whenever people would say like, Oh, what do you do? And I'll be like, Oh, I'm a writer And even though now I know that that's completely ridiculous And it doesn't matter, like your writer, um, and your valid even before you've published anything. Back then, I was always like, I'm I'm so tired of saying that I'm so tired of saying that like I'm publishing something, I want to just publish something. So all of the novels that I've written, um, are just like somewhere in a USB, and I haven't edited them, so they'll probably say they're for more years to come. But the first book was just me working through finding myself while in a relationship and just like that thought process, Um, as I was like becoming more attached. But then, like realizing there's no guarantees and then what that meant for what I had to give myself in terms of, like, just like self esteem and security and things like that. And so I knew that that was something that everybody goes through as they fall in love. And, you know, we know that, like all relationships are lessons, whether they last or not. Um, but I think I've always noticed that what allows me to grow is that I see the growth and everything that I do, and I see the potential for growth in the journey through it all. And I'm grateful for whereas a lot of people think that things just happen and they continue to just happen. And so I felt like by publishing it that way and by putting the poems in that sequence where people can see, like how I'm building as these things are happening, it would also like click something for them as well. But like OK, like all of this has happened for a reason. Like I've gone through similar things, and it's pushing me towards, like, my higher self and through my greatness. Um and so it made it like a little bit, um, easier to share And it just like I don't know. You sound honestly, you sound can be fearless. So many creators, including myself, you know, get so crippled by the idea of actually putting their work out into the world. And I think you represent somebody who kind of got over that fear and now is kind of reaping a lot of those benefits in a way that you probably didn't expect. And it's really kind of catapulted your career, at least from my viewpoint. Yes, absolutely. So All right, we'll now let's jump into what you're gonna be illustrating today. Still, while you flip over the camera, I'll remind everyone, uh, this is Raina Noriega. She is an artist and illustrator and educator who is based in Miami, Florida Uh, she has multiple books, poetry, books that are out now that you can buy. And she is also an incredible, uh, illustrator. Today. She's gonna teach us a little bit about illustrating on her. I've had Troche uses procreate on, and she is gonna walk us through some of her process while we watched her turn this pencil drawing into a beautiful piece of art. So we're excited to walk through that, Serena. Okay. Me too. Me too. So I've already started. Um, and I guess we can kind of talk about what I'm drawing as I draw it. But my, um my thoughts were the parts of the book that make me the most honey G Z, I guess, um, over the last the year that the book so in boom is about my bloom Essentially, and just like the growth that I experienced. And so I paused you for one second. Is there a way we can, um, pull the cam? Just move your ipad up just a little bit. See, they really go. That right permit. OK, I'm China. Okay, I'm trying. Use the blanket toe. Hope it focused on Very good. That's perfect. Oh, Christ. So I apologize. I interrupted you were talking about in Bloom. That is your second approaching. Yes. So it's about, um just like the journey of growth that I was going through. And so something that I experienced, you know, last year, Um that it was a kind of essential to that growth was just in terms off a relationship again, which tends to be like a great, um, lesson teacher for me. But there was one particular break up that I had experienced, like four years prior that I had convinced myself that, like, you know, it was whatever like, it didn't really matter. And it would often just I come back up to the surface every now and then. And, um, I realized it was because I had a lot of regret of just like all the things that I didn't say, you know? So I just kind of had a moment where I had to finally be honest, which I'm sure hit. Um, my, you know, my ex partner out of left field, because I had never been that honest. And it was just kind of like, Ah, moment for me to just surrender and just not harbor all of these, like what ifs? And this and that and this daydreaming and just, like, take control of my reality. And at that moment, just like so much changed with the way that I communicated with myself because I obviously I'm telling this person like I love you and I loved you then and I didn't say anything above a bladder like Okay, like I haven't heard from you forever. Whatever I care for you deeply, but like that's not where my head's at. And I felt so much freedom and, like, release in that moment. It was something that I had to, you know, I had to include. And, um, I even like I wrote a poem that is like titled In his name and things like that. So, like as people read it and as it, you know, I took advantage, I guess of the fact that, like, he's in a whole other continent and I think that, like, now that it's it's traveling, I'm kind of like, Oh my God, you guys, You did it. No, I don't think so. I don't think so. Um, but yeah, so that part is kind of like a little awkward, but it's still I think it's still important, like I don't think even knowing what I know now, if I could go back, I don't think I would have taken that out. Um, because there was just so special to me that I was like, finally, you know, 26 years of life later that I could be honest with myself and not think that, like love, has to be dependent upon someone reciprocating those feelings? Yeah, or like having a guarantee that you will face pain or rejection and stuff like that. So I think that how how therapeutic was it for you to get those those feelings out, whether you know, he dig actually breed the poem or you did actually talk through those feelings with him? You know, it sounds like the process of writing for you was the therapeutic part, Not necessarily the conversation afterwards. Absolutely, absolutely. And that's kind of like what I included, because I I included the like, the words that I wrote in the text message and then the whole process after that. Like I when he responded like I didn't read it right away, I kind of just like I meditated and I was like, It doesn't matter what he says. Like, what matters is that I'm honest, And, um, so within that time, like I was just proud of myself, that I stuck true to that. You know what I'm saying? like? Yeah, like sometimes I think that we tell ourselves, like, no matter what, I'll be fine. And then we're still hoping that it's like, what you want to hear, and then you're like, Not fine. Yeah, but I was just like I told myself bad and like, you know, I did my deep breathing and we reminded my see no grounded myself and all that stuff. And then I was just so happy to, um, to just know that I had been honest. Finally, you know? So how, um how is this drawing in any way if it is connected to any of your poetry? So I was thinking of putting her. I want her to be like I mean, excuse me. You know, So she Yeah, kind of like in the moon dreaming and her feelings. Um, I think it also relates to my signs. Astrology, waas. I don't know if your if your Indian astrology, what is that on? I feel like my my lever moon and my cancer rising is what really leads me, like, sink into my feelings and get get all in there. Um, so I just want her to be like, connected toe water and just, like, very mystical. Um, just like clearly by herself. Like reflecting. Yeah, beautiful. And so, as you're you're creating this. Um, you know what we talked a little bit about how you choose your color palettes. What is what's going into this color palette that you're working on right now? So knowing that I wanted to reflect, like the night sky, I'm using a lot of blues right now. I'm not sure if it will stay this wages because I usually like Teoh, also use like my oranges. You can see my color palette. I use a lot of, like, teal and orange and stuff like that. So I'm my come back and change some colors. But for now, I just want to get that feeling of Blake, her dress being able to double up as water. Oh, yeah, I see where you're going on that. So I wonder, and maybe this is right, But right or wrong, But you have a lot of Thiel's in oranges and greens, and, you know, you're based in, uh, Miami, Florida And those are all kind of tropical colors. Do you find you find color palettes from your environment? Yeah, Absolutely. I think that my need for the vibrancy is, um, definitely tight into just like my tropical setting My Caribbean background. Um, there's a lot of that because that was part of it. I think that I've seen a lot of illustration that is, like, minimal in nature. You know, I've seen face list I've seen. I've seen, you know, women that are dressed fashionably and things like that. So it didn't feel like my style super innovative in that sense. But usually those illustrations were either, like, really based on reality. And everything was just, like, colored the way you would see them in your life, or they were stuck toe like neutrals. Um, you know, tan beige and browns and things like that. And they just felt like they all look the same. So I wanted something that it did not feel the same and everything that I will seem. And so when you start on a drawing like this and remind me you're using procreate, right, so most of the time, when you are drawing, you start kind of with a pencil drawing, like like you did here, and then you import it to procreate and Then you add all the colors afterwards, right? Or did you do this? Gets drawing on procreate as well. Yeah. So I've done it both ways this time. I did this sketch just straight on procreate. Okay. Um, yeah, I enjoy doing it both ways. I think behind your family have Sorry thought to me. Oh, I was just gonna say so, Uh, from reading a little bit about your history when you became an art teacher. Um, it sounds like you You ended up teaching a lot of graphic design classes. Did you have a new experience and graphic designer? Was that something you learned and tell me about so kind of transitioning? And now, now, graphic design is such a big part of your career. Was that something that you felt comfortable with or was? Were you kind of thrown into it? I was definitely thrown into it. I thought that I was teaching traditional Where is full people? I thought I was teaching traditional art, and it turned out to be digital art and visual technology. And so I really had to learn, like, on the spot, because I could not let the kids know that I didn't know what I was doing because that was part of the problem. They had already run run out like a couple of our teachers. Like I was gonna be, like, the fourth teacher in the span of a year. And so they were kind of like, not afraid to make your life miserable if they were not having fun. Um, and I had used digital art for I'm not a did or I had used photo shop for my photography. All of this is interesting. Not mad, Not mad at, uh, um, I had used had used digital art for my photography. And so it was just a matter of like, figuring it out for illustration, But I was definitely open to the challenge. It's funny. Say that, uh, that because I'm right now reading, uh, Roxanne Gay's book, Bad feminist, other know you've ever heard of it, or no rocks and gay. But she was actually just on our CEO's podcast a few weeks ago, and she has a very similar experience when she becomes a college professor of being like, oh, crap. I don't know what I'm doing, and I can't let these kids know that I don't know this is much as they do. I think that experience is a very common experience that people don't talk about very often in just how as a creative and as an entrepreneur, you're just learning every day. And, uh, you know, you're kind of evolving every day. It's not just a finite skill that you learn. It's just every day something else changes and you have to evolve. And that's scary every time you step up in front of somebody and you're expected to be teaching, and that's just that's part of teaching in general. But I think it's a common thing and creative ventures that, um, you know, you're you're kind of figuring it out as you go. And that's this weird secret. Ah, this secret kind of that creatives don't talk about a lot is just that none of us really know what we're doing. We're all figuring it out, but it's actually doing the work, which is something our our CEO Chase talks about is actually getting the work out. There is how you're gonna build that muscle and feel confident at this time. Thank you. You kind of did that to a T with your book issue? No, both your You You weren't. It didn't. Doesn't sound like you were necessarily ready to get that out in the world. But you forced yourself. And then the second time when you wrote your book it it made it that much easier because you force yourself, you didn't know how to dio on. And the next time that thing comes up, all of a sudden you know how to do it a little bit better. And it's a little less scary. Yeah, that's something I try to emphasize with my audience with whoever will listen. And that's just like to start whatever it is that you want to do, Um, just start because you cannot see improvement if you never beginning. If you don't have anything to just base your growth off. And I think it would be so much more beneficial to people a society if they understood that all of the people that they look up to and all of the things that they aspired to be are within reach. You just have to not give up and not count yourself out. Solar plane. My very first book had like so even though, like I reread it by myself, which is probably part of the problem, because your eyes kind of like reading it, reads what it wants to read, you know, like it knows what you mean. So you think that your proof reading. But really you're just like I don't know your like you've already memorized it and your eyes likes give me stuff. But I had, like so many type als in the 1st and it's like it's like, a weird thing because I felt like I failed. When I put it out and I realized that there was still typos in it. I was like, Oh, my God, people are gonna think that I'm just like, not smart and bubble of law. And even to this day, I forgot what book that I was reading. But like I think pretty much every book from every author that I admired, I will find a typo, and it will be like this thing has been in print for years. This has gone through reprints. This has gone through editors and I'm still finding type ALS. So why would I be so hard on little old me who is doing the writing the designing the formatting, illustrating like everything for myself with no one toe kind of like bounce anything off at and that it must be this kind of when you see those typos, What a sense of relief that times where you're like, Oh, this person had a whole TV and I still find little errors and it allows you to stop being so obsessed with perfection because really, you've got so much value out of that book or whatever, that that piece of art waas whether that typo was there or not, you know, it's actually getting it out into the world and not being worried about an error or something like that. Absolutely have stolen thing looks like, and every time I mean, I still had typos, your orders. I had typos in the second book, but it's like, you know, it's there was definitely less of them, and they're like, they're more so not even straight spelling errors like I just kind of noticed that I I had a weird apostrophe somewhere for no reason, like it just kind of like I must have hit the key or something. I didn't notice it and like, distinct that that that it's like it's OK the next time, like they will be even less unless and as it as an artist How you know, how do you not struggle with perfection? You know, I think we all all do. And you you seem like you have. You're really good at forcing yourself not to be honest on getting in your work out into the world, because that is how you grow as an artist. How was there anything that is there anything that you do or that has happened to you in the past that has allowed you to kind of get over that hump that so many people struggle with? Um, I try to think about that all the time because I think what has helped me most is that I don't have. I let myself pivot, And I let myself, um, flow with what is working and whatever is not working. I kind of like table it, um which is glad, which. I'm glad that I kind of stuck to the idea at a young age that like, even though everyone says that like, you have to pick one thing and you have to be really good at it. I really like that. I allow myself to explore everything that inspires me and everything that, you know makes me feel good creatively. Because if ever anything does not feel right and I am failing terribly, I'm not going to say, like, forget this. Like, I have to focus on something. I'm good. I'm gonna say like Okay, right now, this is stressing me out on this. Doesn't feel good. So I'm gonna leave it alone for a bit, and I'll come back to it. And when I come back to, it was just like fresh eyes, fresh energy. It tends to work out a lot better. Um, and I think that, like looking back at multiple steps in my journey, like I I knew as a kid with, like, the fantasy that I wanted to be the kind of adult that worked from home and had, like, a studio in their house. Um, but it wasn't. It wasn't like I was gonna feel like a failure if that didn't happen. You know, it was kind of like I kept chasing opportunities, you know, I did internships, and I kept going around the things that felt good and felt like it was taking me closer to my goals. Um, but it wasn't like I don't know, like I get a lot of people that when they asked me certain questions, it features a lot of a lot of just like Rush, you know, like, how do I build my following and like, how do I get X amount of clients like really fast? And it's like, I don't know how to help you with that because that was never my focus. It was just more so like, how do I keep growing? You know how? Yeah, if I make mistakes because we're all gonna make mistakes, how do I learn from them? How do I ensure that I'm like, just making sure that the foundation is strong? And I think I've watched, um, a lot of people that I have admired and I'm always super curious as to like, what causes a person to to like Fagel, you know, or to, um, to disappear and and I've seen like that burnout. So it's like I've never chased notoriety. Um, but more so, just like making your foundation strong. Yeah, and I think that's that's a commonality. I continually here among creatives is, you know, success often comes and I think a lot of people get, you know, they see someone's following grow by 50,000 overnight because of one thing. But that person has really been, uh, working. And it just happened to be that that peace is what group? Ultimately, they've been doing the work for 10 years, and they just you never saw it. And, uh, it's it's something that, you know, you speak to never doing it for the, uh, never doing it for never doing it for the money are the notoriety and always doing it for yourself. And I think that's the most important thing to do, as as a creator is, you know, finding what moves you and you have so many things that have moved you it's it feels like, you know, lots of create adventures have really been have excited you. And how do you decide to pursue one over the other? You know, um and I don't I don't It would be too hard. It would be too hard. And I wanted to know also like a Sfar is what you were saying. Um, I read I don't know if I read, I heard it on an interview, but that was something that I was stuck to me. I think it was like a a podcast or something. And it was a musician, and they were just saying about how, like, at one point in their career, he even though no one was listening to it, they just put out so much music so that when the time did come, you know, that somebody stumbled across their stuff. They had all of this like a catalogue Teoh go through. You know, I'm just, like, really fall in love with that. And I think about a lot of things that I have made that in the moment might have felt like a failure. Like even the earrings. I made some unions with my friend, and she, um she does like she laser cuts the wood and she does it by hand. And we painted by hand and we designed them together, and we made it. We were super excited about them, and I mean, they didn't I was just happy that anybody bought them and wore them. But it was just kind of something like we were selling. Maybe like five months, you know? Yeah. And, um, I was just, like, so excited about how they turned out. I was kind of, like, shocked by, but I didn't consider them a failure. I was just like, Okay, whatever late the c, I'm gonna note this like maybe people don't like Aaron's as much as I thought they would. But you know, that's that. And now since, like everything else has blown out like, people are a lot more interested in the earrings, and it's like it's cool that it's there so that as people are discovering my stuff like, they can choose what works and what fits their lifestyle, whether it's prince for canvas or earrings or whatever. And it's just like all there and that to an interesting point you bring up because I think we often when we're creating, we set these like lofty goals of like, Oh, this is this is gonna be the piece that makes me blow up. And to your point, you didn't have that. You know when you are making them, you were just making that the earrings out of joy and a collaboration with your friend, and you didn't have that expectation And now that you you, your audience is growing from other things that you're seeing the results of people discovering those hearings in a way that they hadn't before and really setting setting X goal in the beginning may have really made you feel crappy at the end because it didn't happen. But now it's happening in a way that you didn't expect. And so it's interesting, you know, were as a country as, ah, we're very obsessed with hitting benchmarks and goals. And I think you bring this kind of interesting perspective of just letting whatever you do out into the world without any expectations. And then seeing what happens can read to really beautiful things. Yeah, exactly. Um, that kind of brings need Teoh A on your website, that is, art is lasting. 11 is brief. Um, and I that kind of speaks to keep you as the artist, Which is that you you're going to kind of get your work out into the world regardless of how you feel about it. And you're gonna share it with people so they can experience experiences or have their own experiences through your art. And I just wanted to speak a little bit more about that quote and what it means to you. Yeah, I think, um, it's funny, because that was something that I made. It was my first time to I don't know if you guys Yeah, probably awkward if I try to show you from here. Uh, I think you can see it on the picture on my website, but it was my first, Um it was my first time, too. And it was something that, like, it was just a quote that I came up with. Yeah, and I, like, went and translated it in Latin. And, like I asked somebody, um, that, you know, had studied Latin if it made sense, and it did. Um, but I was always very concerned with leaving a legacy. You know, like whether I heard kids or not when I think of like what I want to be remembered for, um, I wanted to have some type of, like, positive impact on others. So I think like being popular is not what's important. It's just like how you're able to inspire people. And when I think about art, when I think about writing and just the way that we like the way that it it lasts. And it has an impact. And something that meant something like centuries ago liken still impact of society. Um, I was just always super interested and all of that. Yeah. Uh, And what made Jew, um, you know, decide Teoh get a tattoo. And what made you choose Latin to put it in? Um, just that being such old and, you know, something that has lasted even though we say that, like Latin is a dead language, but we still use it. Um, you know, use it in science. It is just something that has stood the test of time, and they're sanely that I would want my work to. And when did you get that tattoo? How old were you? Oh, when was that? Um, it waas. I want to say after college. Might have been or later. Actually, I think I got this recently. Yeah, I was, like, 2018. It was like after my teaching days or something like that. Looks like that. So, originally you were playing with some oranges in the background. It looks like you've transitioned Teoh blues. Yeah, I think I might keep it cool. I still not sure. I don't know. And I don't think if everything is, um if everything is like represented, a Sfar is me because I don't think that I'm just blue. I think that this filing sadness and we're not sad. We're very happy. So is that you know, to that point when you are creating like, this Is that something you naturally think about that this color palette typically represents X emotion? Is that something that kind of guides? Your creativity is what What emotion? The colors of oak. Yes, absolutely. And I think that's something that, as I've, um, just like work and created more. It's been a lot easier for me to make that distinction. I remember when I was, like, first starting and first, um, illustrating because you can just like I can change this all day. You know, it's digital. I can change the color. I can change it back. I could add things. I could delete him. I think it's very hard to make that decision of, like, the way when are you done? Yeah. And, um, I've had to learn over time to just I get a fuel and, like, let myself get a feeling for men. And if that's the feeling that I'm trying to evoke, leave it alone, Um, and just, like, let it go from there. And so when you're starting, a drawing is there is, you know, toe work. A reverse engineer. Do you start with the feeling and then create the drawing and then find the color palette or is Sometimes they're different kind of flow of your creativity. There could be a different flow, but I I think typically, it's that, like, if I'm trying to say something like, I know what I want to say And then I I kind of feel through what is going to best poetry, that there are times when, like, you know, you'll just see an image or, you know, like you're working for somebody else. So they already have the reference and stuff like that. Um, and you can kind of like play with it. But if there's something that I know that I'm trying to say, it's a lot easier to just like feel through it. So tell us what you're doing right now. It looks like you're adding zin texture to the background. Yes, I just added my texture. Um, that's something that I like just because I like the feeling of I still wanted to feel like a drawing on paper. Your, um First is I see Try playing with this orange. Umm yeah, versus just, um, make a flat. Did you know drawing? Not that there's anything wrong with that. Um I just refer, you know, I don't mind. I don't mind the on track. And look, you know, did you create those textures in procreate yourself? Whether did you find texture somewhere? Are are you using pictures they have within the software? No. This is something that I am I scanned and I'm using. I liked, like, unlike you can kind of use it on. Ah, I use it on a linear burn I used to use multiply. And then I decided that No, I wanted it more drastic. I wanted to really show. Yeah, I've seen um I used to like that a lot. I think it's the illustrator. Petra Eric said only think that she uses texture, but you really have to squint like you wouldn't even notice it. And when I first, um you know when your first into illustration and you're looking up all this inspiration. That was something I really, really loved. So when I first started using texture, I was using it like, very light. Like, I didn't want you to notice it at first. Like you almost had to, like, look really closely. But I got it. I I like it exaggerated personally. And you know what? What evolved in with you as a creator or with your that caused you to kind of make that transition and that you wanted to it to be more no vegetable? Was there something that isn't just stylistically that you felt that way, or was there something else in the digital? You know, graphic design? Um, world are, you know, to me often, like having that texture feels like it's more tangible in some way, and it feels it has it add some ducks in in some capacity. Um, yeah. What was it that kind of made? You want to take that transition to something that feels a little bit more textured? Um, it it became very clear to me early on, like my goal before I could draw, I wanted to be an artist, so I always had like this dream in this vision of myself was like, you know, solo our shows and just like in a studio. So painting was my first, like traditional art love. Um, and I had taken a break. I took like a four year painting hiatus just because I was painting super hyper realism and like it was not. It didn't match my personality. So I was doing it because I wanted people to know that I was skilled, and that's like a terrible place to come from. But it's like I was pushing myself to just continue improving and my shading and like everything, had to be the best that you'd ever seen. And it was not about me. It was not about my enjoyment. It was not invest like there was. It was lacking a lot of stuff, So pretty much like instantly. Once I started this syriza and all of the missing components were there like I finally what colors I was into. I knew a text of shapes I was into, and you with Texas subjects. I felt ready to jump back into painting and then, um so it just became about like what I would want my paintings toe look like And I would want them to feel just very, like, tangible Like something you want to touch and something that has been, like, worked with and not perfect. So I wanted it to be, like, as in perfect as possible, even though in digital, um, that's sometimes not the case. You know, it's, like, perfect, perfect shapes. Um, so, yeah, it was kind of like that intersection for me. I look that idea of, uh, putting imperfection into something that has the ability to be perfect. You know, in the digital world, you have the for everything to be perfectly precise and you know, a lot in digital art. And I think it's really cool that you want to add that kind of sense of imperfection. Uh, because it it makes it more real and human and in some capacity, you know, tell waken due to the dress right now, I saw just added a pattern because something that I have been enjoying the week and, um yeah, I'm really I'm really at the point where I need to decide what I want this to feel like. And, you know, part of that probably is that I have planned to, um, let's see, but still open. Yes, I had plant all It's gonna go away, and I'm not gonna take you all through my photo. But I have land to put words on it. So, um, like words from in bloom like one of the poems. Yeah. Maybe I don't want up with the camera. You guys can see me for a second crowd. I see if I can find the poem. So there's just things you know, I signed a lot of NBA's lately, and the last thing I need it's for, like, projects me cheek to come out or something on the understood is that that you do a lot is incorporate your poetry and TV. Our designs. Um it's something that I would want to do more. I was looking at like my page, and I noticed that I have it. Really, um, shared. I've just been so busy, but I do like to like it's it's marketing and one way like it kind of refreshes people's memories that the book exists and also hears it with, like, a digital illustration, Um, and also like for me. Sometimes there are things that I revisit in the book that, like, are speaking to me currently. And if I have something to say Like, I find that instagram and like, the captions are a really good place to start a conversation about anything that is like on your on your mind. And it's nice to see um, people engage with it and, like, you know, just going through similar things. So So, yeah, I do enjoy. That's Yeah, I see. And did someone did you have a specific poem that have thought tied with this piece of work before you started under that kind of come to you as you are working through it? Um, there was one, and I'm trying to see vice being shot It. Yeah, I think it was fun. It was one that kind of, like came after that moment in the book. Are they moving? Um, and yes. Oh, just still, I remind everyone the moment I assume what you're talking about is the moment to kind of let all that relationship go. And you got those words out on the paper. And you, you know, kind of leaned into your independence and you healed from some it. Ah, hard break up that you you know, you hadn't dealt with the feelings yet. And so I assume that's that's what you're speaking to. Yes. So let me know if I'm become straight again, So I don't know if you guys and read it, but the plum says the surrender I was looking for it came from action. The clarity I needed was born from a mess of tears and confessions of less than ideal responses fluttering angry butterflies. But in the morning, I was free, and then I don't like reading the freedom was worth it. And those were along really beautiful. So how how do you, um, you know, walk us through putting this text on on this peaks? Yeah. So, normally, because this is like a screenshot from a pdf, so the quality is probably gonna be terrible. Normally, I would probably just copy and paste this in illustrator and make sure like the fall is something that would be eligible on instagram. Oh, may be available. No. See, um, yeah, so I'll probably do that when this is over. Yeah, what? We but on you. And if they're willing, we'll we'll tease everybody because it's hard for us to see on the screen. But after after we're done with the live stream, if you don't mind sharing this piece so we can share it across our social platforms so people can see, um, the poem more clearly, we love to do that. Absolutely, absolutely. Did you have any preferences with this dress? Well, what were your thoughts? As I was flipping through C. Can you put through a little bit more? Yes. So the first thing I kind of like the pattern because I think everything else is such, like, big, bold shapes on Yeah, I love the pattern. But then I would just decide, like, normally, I'll use a color that's very close to the color it is. So it's not as, um, it's not a stark of a contrast. Yeah, but every now and then you just, you know, you get kind of adventures. I was Yeah, I just feel I'm a kind of mint green. That's real nice to Yeah, I mean that they just evoke totally different feelings. One A's look at the dress and the other one is kind of look at at the the woman, and I think you know from this conversation while I was attracted to the mint green. I feel like the piece really speaks to the dress is kind of a uh Oh, that's nice. Oh, which one would deal a night? The dark You? No, the darker green. There we go. That looks real nice. But what I was saying was, you know, the abuse itself, uh, represent the strong woman who's gotten over this break up and now is is feeling I was feeling herself, so I guess I don't know. It feels like the dress. Uh, it could be represented in two different ways. You know, when I'm feeling myself, I like to dress up and look and, you know, put on something that makes me feel good. And that kind of speaks to what? What this dress looks like to me now only Oh, I agree. I may. I like this. And so obviously this green is like what I'm using in my in my feet right now. So it'll blend it. That's well, it goes back to where we started, which is you have a lot of green and orange and pink tones. And, you know, I think I'm also attracted to those tones. If you look at my wallpaper behind me, it you know, you match the color palette that I have is well, and so that I think that was coincidental. But I love where we've ended. Yeah, I like the contrast of this blue. I'm gonna leave it. Yeah, I like the contrast of the words and the words will just, you know, live over here and, um and yeah, I'm happy. I'm happy with it. I love that shading. I think that brings us to our hours treatment. I really, really appreciate you joining us and showing us your workflow and watching this this piece of work co from a sketch to this beautiful piece. And thank you for letting me add some input. It's been really fun. Toe was Tom Delay? No, thank you. I've had. Well, here I am. I've had on a lot of fun and, um, yeah, yeah, turned off different than I expected. What, when you were getting started were kind of expecting it to be those blue tones that we're talking about in the beginning. Yeah, and I think this is just like a lot more going on that I've been drawing recently, so it's fun. It's like a like a change. Like I've been doing very simple, like Positionings My very few colors. So this is a lot more like mystical. Yeah, that there's a lot of people really like that too. They like that. Like the moon balloon er stuck. Yeah. No. Well, we e uh well, I think we don't have a bowling. We were half man you last night when I was out on my wall. Um, but at the ways I think everyone will be really excited to see the poem next to it at wouldn't You're finished. So I'm excited to share that with everyone. I want to remind everyone that this is your brain on Noriega. You can follow her on Instagram at Breanna Noriega, and her new book in Bloom is an incredible poetry book. Um, it didn't go over to her website, which is her name. We haven't pinned to the top of the comments for you guys to go check out her war. Um, and she she is an artist illustrator. Uh ho it and an educator. And we really hope to have her back to teach us and more stuff about procreate and writing in the future. So basically, so much rain up for joining us today. And I can't wait to see the finished product and to share it with everyone. I think everyone will be really excited to see the combination of your poetry and your art together. Yes, absolutely. Thank you so much for having me on. And I hope everyone enjoyed it.