Inside Our Artist with Venissa Cantu

Our featured Artist this week is Venissa Cantu! We sat down *virtually* with Venissa to get an inside look at the process of creating moving art that continuously inspires us, and the fans!

Venissa talks about her love for art and which artists have inspired her along the way. Read the interview with Venissa Cantu below to see what's Inside Our Artists!
 
How did you become an artist? Is there a particular experience that drove you to this choice?
I think I’ve always been an artist in some form. I started writing poetry when I was 13,  but for painting specifically, I was around 15 or 16. I had watched a close friend who painted and often found it to be so inspiring, and it made me curious enough to give it a try. She suggested I watch a movie called “Pollock,” which is about the abstract artist Jackson Pollock (he’s my favorite painter). It was like an explosion for me, And I went head on into painting and developing my own style. But if I’m truthful, I mimicked him a lot in the beginning.

What was your first work of art that really mattered to you?
I’d say sometime in my early 20s. I did a bigger piece for the first time, probably 30x40, and it was such a different experience from working on smaller pieces. I was really proud of it and gifted it to someone special at the time. The painting was of a full moon.

How do you describe yourself as an artist?
I’m still evolving as an artist, that process is never ending. If we’re being technical, I’d describe myself as an abstract artist. But I’m a dabbler and I experiment with many different mediums and techniques.

What is your biggest motivator as an artist?
Life experiences, love, pain, emotions all motivate me to create.

What single ethical consideration most impacts the decisions you make as an artist?
It’s my therapy. It’s about the feeling for me. How I feel when I paint... I paint to express myself and to release what is inside of me. It allows me to express what I cannot say.

What quality do you most admire in another artist?
What I admire about other artists is their bravery to push the limits of what creation is. There are so many talented artists in this world and to find your way through the labyrinth is most certainly a challenge not everyone is up for.

What media do you prefer and how did you come to use it as your primary one?
I work primarily with acrylic paint. More recently, I’ve started to use pouring paints because of the way they flow and mix together. I’ve tried using oil paint in the past and we just don’t get along. Some of my work is mixed media; it truly depends on what the concept is and where my mood is at.

Share something you would like the world to know about you?
I wear my heart on my sleeve and my art is a reflection of that. I pour myself, my energy, love, and soul into every piece I create.