Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Rodriguez.
Hi Elizabeth, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
For as long as I can remember I have always found joy in creating art. It wasn’t until high school that I realized art was much more than a hobby for me. It was essential for my well-being. The summer going into my junior year of high school, two of my track teammates dies in a tragic car accident. Mourning their loss in my way and trying to wrap my head around the fragility of life, I found art to be my answer.
It was an expression of both subconscious and conscious thought that required no words. A form of communication between all parts of myself. Now it is easy for me to see art’s healing powers in my life during those moments, but when I was in high school, I just viewed my art class as a room where I could shut everything off and find peace. I decided to go to Kent State University and obtain a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art.
I’m sure many questioned whether a stable job could come from the path I was choosing to align with, but God had made it so obvious to me that that was what I needed to do that I never had second thoughts. During my time at Kent State University, I was awarded first place for the First Year Art Scholarship and the School of Visual Arts Outstanding Student Award by three professors for my academic achievements.
At Kent, the workload of one studio class is equivalent to three standards, and three credit courses. I was taking two to three studios a semester in addition to my other courses. I spent weeknights, early mornings, and weekends in the studio working as hard as I could to meet not only my teacher’s expectations but mine as well. I held myself to a high standard because I did not want to waste my chance.
I knew I could always be better at a skill and would not take anything less than my best. Despite the many hours in the studio, I felt fueled by a passion to continue. Making art grants me moments of mental freedom where my mind escapes from the world and feels peace. Being a very empathetic person, allows me to separate my emotions from the people and the world around me.
I graduated in May of this year, with a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and a double minor in psychology and arts entrepreneurship. I completed this in three years and graduated Summa Cum Laude. At the beginning of this summer, I had planned on going to graduate school. A part of me believed I needed a stable job and higher education to succeed. I was allowing the fear of the uncertainty that comes with owning a business to stop me.
Throughout my life, I have had a strong faith in God. When I came across this quote, it spoke volumes to me. “The enemy’s greatest success is if he can stop you before you start.” As I began praying and considering if I should take a chance on myself, I began to see blue herons frequently. One to two times a day, flying overhead, beside me, or even so close in front of my car that its feet could have touched the windshield.
Feeling blessed by the messages God was sending, I looked up the meaning. “The long thin legs of the heron reflect that an individual does not need great massive pillars to remain stable but must be able to stand on one’s own.” The message could not have been clearer. I am now in the beginning stages of my business, Eza Arts.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Currently, the biggest struggle has been getting started. I always felt held up by the little things. I would tell myself I couldn’t start because I can’t think of a business name, or I don’t have enough time. I truly believe that I was putting roadblocks in my way. Once I changed my mindset from “I can’t” to “how can I,” I started taking steps in the right direction.
As for the name, it was right in front of me the whole time I was just overcomplicating it. John, my significant other, had given me the nickname Eza. I wanted to keep my name in my business to signify the uniqueness of my art and a way to be identified by what I create but wanted something shorter than Elizabeth. It was also important to keep Arts plural to include a wide range of mediums.
As for time, if you want to do something, you can make the time for it. I work full-time during the day and have started up my business after work. Nowadays so much time is spent wasted watching other people live their lives, that instead of going out to live our own lives we feel self-pity or jealousy. I refuse to fall into that trap and so I found a balance to make it possible to follow through with Eza Arts.
Because this is only my first month as a business, the struggles right now feel merely like questions needed to be asked. God keeps putting the right people in my life who have resources and advice to help me. As I continue moving forward, I understand there will be struggles but I also know that if my mindset is willing to see “rain” as a chance to grow, then the journey itself will be as worthwhile as the destination.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
To learn more about my art it seems important to read my artist statement: (The framework for my art resides in carefully constructed compositions and dynamic figure-ground relationships that are utilized to create movement. Expressive line quality loosens the tension produced by a complex structural undertone, allowing for texture and depth to coincide. Intentionally, abstracted shapes bring negative space into focus.
The addition of both contrasting and analogous color, which vary in intensity, enhance what the work communicates. As an individual, I too have a complex framework that structures who I am. Through loss, I have experienced the healing power of art. With a heightened sense of empathy for those around me, I have experienced confusion in separating my emotions from the emotions of others.
Art brings clarity to the confusion. I believe the most powerful forms of expression require no words at all. Art is my language. It allows for communication between my conscious and subconscious mind. It is an opportunity for me to better understand myself, whether that be personal, about another, or related to my place in the world. I believe emotions and thoughts cannot be wrong; they simply exist.
To understand who you are, you must first heal. Heal from anything that keeps you from growing. Growth is uncomfortable but necessary. My artwork is representative of journeys: journeys to better understand myself emotionally and journeys to better understand those around me. By viewing the natural world as a metaphor for our emotional states, abstracted shapes are often found in my work that is representative of natural elements.
In wonder and awe of both the creation of the world around me and the complexity of the human mind, my art resides deeper than the abstract aesthetic. The process of creating the work tells of a journey from thought to action, it is essential. Living in a world of constant motion and movement, taking the opportunity to still one’s mind is vital.
I have discovered this through various art processes that have allowed me to reach a mental stillness. When water flows down a river, it is moving but there is a sense of stillness. The same is true for the process of art, and the same is true for the viewer. By trying to embody the stillness one feels when sitting beside the water, I intend to connect to the viewer through my art. To provide them with just a moment of mental stillness and allow them to allow their mind to wander.
Both the juxtapositions of movement and stillness and complexity and abstraction remain the foundation which my work is built upon. It is the process of creating art and the discovery found along the way that makes the end product increasingly meaningful.) Now you know my inspiration! I currently work in a variety of different mediums. Acrylic and oil paintings, functional ceramics, and I have even touched the flameworked glass.
As I continue growing my business, I plan to sell my artwork at craft shows, art festivals, and online. I am also open to taking commissions. However, I believe Eza Arts is meant to offer much more. I plan to have weekly art journaling groups where I lead individuals in the healing process of art and help them to find a way to express themselves in a new way.
I also hope to travel to senior centers or host events where seasonal crafts are made or for paint and sip nights. However, the true purpose is to bring people together and help them build new relationships with others but essentially a new relationship with themself, teaching the therapeutic nature that art has.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
The first thing that comes to mind is word of mouth. Having people share my name or my contact information and getting the word out is the biggest thing. As I have said previously, I am at the very beginning stages of my business so having more people know me and know Eza Arts would be a tremendous help.
I would love to collaborate with individuals and share my talents at their events or functions. For example, retreats, after-school programs, working with special needs, etc. My doors are wide open, and I simply want to reach as many people as I can in all the ways I can. My creativity has no limits!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/eza.arts
