August 19, 2025 • 40 mins
Have you ever felt a divine nudge? Or maybe a full-on nudge that pushed you toward a life you didn’t plan for? In this episode, I’m talking with the incredible interior designer Beth Diana Smith, who made the courageous leap from a successful career in corporate finance to founding her own celebrated design firm.
Beth shares the story of how she went from being the kid who organized her toybox and dreamed of becoming an accountant to a leading voice in contemporary design, known for her bold, eclectic, and maximalist style. We get into the pivotal moment of peace that led her to leave her stressful corporate job and how the skills she honed with spreadsheets and budgets became the secret weapon for her creative business. This is a candid conversation about listening to the signs, redefining your path, and the magic that happens when a client points out your signature style before you’ve even seen it yourself.
Chapters
00:00 - From Aspiring Accountant to Acclaimed Designer
06:56 - Juggling Two Worlds: The Hustle of Corporate Life and Design School
12:50 - The Divine Slap: Finding Peace and the Courage to Quit
18:40 - Building a Business: First Clients and Finding Momentum
22:15 - Discovering a Signature Style by Accident
28:08 - The Psychology of Design: Creating for a Client’s Future Self
34:20 - How Corporate Skills Shape a Creative Business
38:30 - On Pride, Passion, and Finding the Right Collaborators
Check out the full video interview on our YouTube channel!
https://youtu.be/JJ9aqXU1J74?si=2bPo8ZEwIQTFpEcv
Connect with Beth:
Follow Beth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethdianasmith
Beth’s Website: https://www.bethdianasmith.com/
Support the Show
Website: www.martineseverin.com
Follow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_
Subscribe to the Newsletter: www.martineseverin.substack.com
This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Santiago Cardona and Daniel Espinosa.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, my name is Jaina Tykwenko and this is how I create.
Welcome to This is How We Create, a show that digs deeper into the creative life ofcontemporary artists of color.
Discover what feeds their creativity and how they found or are finding their artisticvoice.
Through these intimate and candid conversations, you'll gain insights into the lives ofcreative professionals of color that are hard to find anywhere else.
(00:27):
Hey, it's my teen Severn here.
Welcome back to This is How We Create.
Today in the guest chair, we have artist Gina Tyquinko.
Gina Tyquinko embodies what happens when multiple cultural streams converge into a singlecreative force.
Born in Washington state to a family where creativity wasn't just encouraged, it was a wayof life.
(00:50):
Gina carries forward the artistic legacy of her Guamanian and African American heritage,transforming it into powerful abstract works that speak to both personal and universal
truths.
Gina's approach to art making, whether it's her mixed media installations or hercollaborative work with her young daughter, reminds us that creativity can be both a
(01:14):
healing force and a powerful tool for cultural dialogue.
you now welcome to the show.
Thank you so much for having me.
That was an amazing intro.
Thank you so much.
So Gina, although you were born in Washington state, you grew up primarily in Indiana.
(01:35):
Can you talk to us about growing up as a young child?
And could you tell us about some of your earlier exposures to creativity and to the artworld?
I grew up surrounded by creativity, but not necessarily fine arts.
I grew up around people who valued food and family and music.
(02:01):
And I had that multicultural background to kind of influence me in everything that I do asa young child.
Like I was very aware of differences and cultures, even as a young child.
to give you a little background.
My mom, she's a hairdresser and my dad was a musician who worked in kitchens.
(02:26):
And so my house was like always buzzing with liveliness and there were all sorts of peoplearound.
I was also raised by my late Nana who had a typical government job, I should say.
But she always encouraged me to...
Do things great, do things with passion.
(02:47):
She encouraged me to follow my dreams.
She had always been that guiding light in my life.
But going back to my day-to-day as a child, I have vivid memories of my dad and I gettingready for the day, and he would blast reggae music.
Bob Marley was every day, Bob Marley every day while we were getting ready.
(03:09):
And he would play his instruments every single day.
So I was around that and he exposed me to a lot of different world music and he took me onadventures in the woods and he just taught me a lot about the world and different people
and cultures.
And my mom, even though she was a hairdresser, she was actually like a really good artistherself.
(03:33):
She could draw really well.
She would help me with class projects that I had.
So they, both of them, between the two of them, they really cultivated an environmentwhere I just like thrived in my creativity.
Did you use to doodle as a child or draw at all?
All the time.
(03:54):
I was doodling all the time.
I was also reading a lot.
My dad told me I didn't even like reading kids' books, and so he would let me read hismusic magazines.
I was reading Rolling Stone and Spin as a child.
I'm talking like five, six years old.
And so between that and doodling and my mom kind of letting me do whatever I want, as longas I was good, she was good with whatever.
(04:22):
I have a funny story that I just remembered.
My mom caught me drawing on the cabinets inside the home and, you know, she got on to meabout it.
But little me, I thought it would be clever if I just drew on the inside of the cabinets.
And she caught me, but she never, in her mind, she thought that was funny and she thoughtthat was just very clever of me.
(04:48):
And so she let me continue drawing on like,
the inside of the cabinets.
That's so funny.
you have photos of that?
Of the cabinets?
I don't even remember that it was like my mom telling me about this memory.
So then can you tell me the story of how you gradually became interested in painting andeven thinking about pursuing a career in art?
(05:20):
Yeah, so when I was younger, um my dad didn't let me watch too much TV, but I was able towatch PBS.
And along came Bob Ross in my life.
And I think that was probably the first instance of me being interested in painting.
I didn't know it at the time.
(05:40):
I just thought it was cool.
I thought he was interesting.
I wanted to paint like him.
And so my mom had gotten me this Bob Ross art kit.
one time and it was like canvas and paints and brushes and she just like let me do mything.
Another time she gifted me basically being able to design and redo my room.
(06:02):
It was in our first home up until then we kind of moved around in apartments and stayedwith my grandma.
And so in our first home she allowed me to basically decorate my room.
Again, I was a young child and I remember
She had gotten this old desk, it like a school desk, and I was able to paint on it, and Ipainted flowers.
(06:22):
I do remember that.
And so between Bob Ross and my mom kind of encouraged me to paint on whatever andwherever, I think that was kind of like the first introduction to painting or art.
It's so interesting that your mom was aware of what some of your interests were and shekind of helped you along by just following that interest.
(06:51):
And I think that's the hallmark of a parent that's of a great parent.
So tell me the story of how you came to start stoking that fire inside of you and
graduate from being an admirer of Bob Ross to now painting these just, in my mind, they'remasterpieces.
(07:19):
So tell me the story of how you got there.
It was a long, windy road.
Isn't it always the best stories are?
You know, looking back, I've learned that this path is not linear, like I once thought.
But from the Bob Ross days and me as a child, I have always loved tinkering and trying newthings.
(07:45):
And ever since I can remember, ever since I started painting along with Bob Ross, I wouldshift my mediums.
So I taught myself how to sew one time.
I was into...
reconstructing clothes.
I did scrapbooking.
I drew cartoons.
I did a little bit of everything.
(08:06):
And then in middle school, AOL and MySpace were really popular.
And it became a passion of mine.
I learned how to code little MySpace layouts.
And I learned some graphic design.
And this is just me.
(08:27):
playing around, having fun.
Friends took notice.
I ended up able to charge them to customize their MySpace layouts.
from there, I realized, okay, I can make some money off of this.
I didn't realize I could turn it into a career until later, but it stuck with me.
(08:48):
I love doing this.
I'm making money from it, and maybe this is something I can do.
And so just from middle school to high school, I threw myself into learning as much as Icould about HTML and CSS and graphic design.
I downloaded a pirated copy of Photoshop and that's I learned how to do graphics andstuff.
(09:12):
And so from elementary school up until college, I just threw myself into things that Iloved to do at the time.
It was always creative.
It wasn't until 2015, it was after college, I had had a few years of working like acorporate job.
(09:34):
It wasn't until I actually moved to Florida that I picked up the paintbrush again and Istarted painting.
And when I started painting, it was just a hobby, it was just something to do.
But the more that I did it, the more I felt the need to do it.
And the more that I did it,
the more that my paintings and the process of painting revealed myself to me, if thatmakes sense.
(10:00):
And so I continued painting and even when I started to paint in the very beginning, I knewthat this was going to be a thing.
I didn't know where it would turn into, but I knew it was important for me to keeppainting.
And so that's just kind of what I did.
You know, you wouldn't believe how many people who come on the podcast who've had a careerdoing something else and then they just like, pivot, they transition into doing the work,
(10:31):
the creative work that they are doing today.
As you started doing these paintings earlier on, what were you looking for?
What were you trying to express?
That's a great question.
I really wasn't looking for anything.
It was just a creative outlet for me after work just to do, just to have some fun.
(10:55):
I had always turned to creative outlets as like a hobby or to quiet my mind.
So in the beginning, there was no goal.
There was no vision at all.
It was just painting for the sake of painting.
And tell me about the story of progressing.
So you move at some point from painting for the sake of painting, or maybe you still do itbecause there has to be as I'm going to quote you to you about how great art has a soul in
(11:26):
it.
So as you started growing and painting, how did you start transitioning from thinking, oh,this is just for fun, into thinking about
and to feeling that this could be something else.
And then the impetus to then take the next step to start having more eyes on your work.
(11:51):
So with me, any creative outlet that I've partaked in the past, there is always an elementof me trying to make some money off of it, pretty much.
Like, even as a middle school, high school college, I always had a little hustle going on,and I always had something to do with my creativity.
(12:13):
When I started painting back in 2015, I told myself, I don't want it to be like this.
I don't want to paint.
to make money.
Like, this isn't going to be another hustle.
And so I really had to like remind myself of that.
But it got to the point where I was painting in my apartment and I'm just building acollection of work.
(12:35):
I didn't know it at the time, but I was building a collection of work.
And then I started to meet people and just be out and about.
And, you know, people would tell me about, maybe you should...
apply for this call to art or this museum, this gallery is doing this.
And so, I'm one to always want to try something new.
(12:58):
And I love being social, not so much today, but back in the day, I was like out and about.
So was like, yeah.
And so I started applying to local calls to art.
And that's kind of how I transitioned from just painting for fun, painting for me and myapartment, to showing my work.
And hearing people receive my work kind of gave me a little motivation to keep going.
(13:27):
Because at the time, I didn't see it as like a thing.
But for people to recognize my work as something they love, I was like, okay, maybe I gotsomething going on.
So Gina, your work actively engages with both your Guamanian and your African heritage.
(13:50):
Can you tell me about how these two cultural streams meet and converse in your canvases?
So I paint exclusively with white, black, and gold.
And when I first started painting, that was intentional.
Coming from a graphic and web design background, I took the principles and the techniquesfrom that and I applied it to painting.
(14:19):
Because I didn't go to school for painting, so in my mind, I'm like, well, if I'm going tostart painting, I need to learn the basics and really master them.
And so that's where the black and white came from originally was let me paint in black andwhite and learn these basics like composition and line work and negative space.
(14:40):
Because, for example, when I'm doing my design work, it's like, let's say I'm doing a logodesign.
The way that I can judge a good logo is if you strip away the color and the message isstill as effective in black and white as it is in color.
I think that is a good determination of whether or not a logo is good.
(15:02):
And so in my mind, I'm thinking, okay, I could do the same thing with my work.
And I try doing color just because I'm trying something new, but I just didn't, I didn'tfeel anything.
I was just, I was doing color because I thought I had to.
I thought I had to experiment with color.
But even as I'm painting with color and just looking at my finished work, I didn't feelanything.
(15:27):
And so I went back to the black and white.
And that was like the key, was that feeling.
It's hard to explain.
It was an innate feeling, an emotional reaction.
And so I continued to paint in black and white in the beginning.
And like I said before, the more that I painted, the more that the painting revealedmyself to me.
(15:52):
And I would think about all of my experiences.
and think about my upbringing and my culture.
And just like all of these thoughts started flooding.
And I realized that my painting or the theme in my painting had a lot to do with duality.
And so I kind of played on that idea and it was easy for me to do using only black andwhite.
(16:18):
Because black and white, you know, as you know, represents opposites, light and dark,strength and softness.
identity and connection, it was a way to visually express the balance that I had to findwithin myself as a person of two distinct cultures.
The gold came in at a later time.
(16:40):
I can't remember where the gold came from, but I do remember I was using gold pens, goldmarkers, gold leaf foil that you could find at any craft store.
Eventually, I had gone to an artist residency in Mexico to learn gilding.
And when I came back, I was like, I'm not using this fake gold anymore.
(17:01):
Like, I'm going to use 24 karat gold.
But as I continued to reflect in my work and through my process, I realized that the goldfor me represents divinity and kind of connection to my spirituality.
And I kind of saw it like as me.
And so it's like the black and the white represents the dual worlds that I live in and thegold is me.
(17:27):
And that's kind of how I develop my own style and I continue to develop.
Can you tell me a little bit about how you're continuing to develop that style?
Because one would say, oh, she uses three colors.
That's limiting.
Why is she limiting herself potentially?
But you find that there is so much to explore in using those three colors.
(17:52):
So with these colors, how are you finding different ways of expressing yourself and togetting to a better understanding of your culture as well?
Yeah, for sure.
And people have in the past asked me, know, why don't you paint in this color or thatcolor?
(18:14):
And I'm like, well, at this stage in my life, I feel like I have not mastered what I'mdoing and there's still so much more to uncover.
It's just about me taking it as far as I can.
And until that's done...
I'm going to stick to what I've been doing because there's so much more that I still beexploring with painting in black and white and then using the gold.
(18:45):
It's so interesting that there's this spirituality that exists in the creation process,right?
Because there's something that you know you're trying to get to and you know you're notthere yet and more exploration is needed.
And when you've explored it all and you've had enough, you just know, right?
(19:10):
And until then, it's so...
uh
lovely that you are here and that you are really just looking for different things to say.
And your artwork is so intriguing, right?
I don't feel like I'm missing anything.
feel like that I'm seeing in some ways myself in a different way and seeing the world in adifferent way.
(19:31):
then which leaves me a little bit intrigued.
I'm like, wow, I want to talk to her, which is why you're here.
That makes me feel really good because there's nothing better than hearing someone look atmy art and being intrigued or seeing them or reminding them of a story, of a moment, of a
(19:51):
feeling.
Like, that's what it's all about for me.
Well, that's what's interesting about your work.
feel like you imbue feeling so well that there is like, there's so much that's there andthere's so much that's said and unsaid in your work, which probably might not actually be
what you were trying to get to.
(20:11):
It's just how a person who receives it kind of takes it in.
And on the feeling side, how do you go about imbue-ing your work with feeling?
Is that even?
something that you consider.
100%.
I wouldn't say traditional, but the work that I'm known for, which is White and Black andthe Gold Leaf, the heavily textured paintings, layers, there's layers and layers and
(20:39):
layers and layers of paint.
And that is how I kind of imbue my work with these feelings and these emotions that I'mexperiencing.
Some of these paintings take
months to complete.
And I'm often working on like multiple pieces at the same time just because of mytechnique.
(21:04):
It takes a while to dry and then I see something new and I kind of just like play with itand see where it takes me.
But the textures itself, it's like each layer interacts with the next, revealing hiddenstories.
And I recognize that...
(21:25):
know, midway through, I would say, learning about myself through painting.
I think that's why I continue layering and texturing, just so I could see what comes next.
And so I feel like if you were to see some of my work, you may be able to...
see, okay, she was like in flow or maybe she was upset or maybe she was feeling peaceful,just...
(21:53):
by my markings and the way that paint flows, because each layer is its own session.
Each layer reflects whatever I was going through or what I was thinking about.
And so it's like this culmination of what I'm feeling inside and my experiences just likeon my canvas.
(22:17):
Tina, how do you know when you're done with a piece?
So it's funny, this is one of my favorite moments in the creative process.
And it's something that I have learned to look out for, to feel, because in the beginning,I don't think I necessarily knew, but the more that I painted, the more I realized how
(22:40):
things look and how I feel.
And I have trained myself and put a lot of trust.
into the divine to help me figure out when a painting's done.
And music is a big part of my creative process.
(23:01):
I'm always painting to music.
And every single time it has not failed me that I'm working on a piece, there's a songthat comes on that just sticks with me.
Whether it's the lyrics or the beat, however it makes me feel.
There's something about a song that sticks with me, and I've trained myself to recognizethat moment.
(23:26):
I kid you not, every single time this happens when I'm listening to music, and a song juststicks with me, I look at my work and I can see where it's going and I can see the
finished product.
And that's when I know when something is almost done, is me basically being moved bywhatever song is playing at the time.
(23:50):
You have a very famous, or maybe not so famous, a great Spotify playlist that we can linkto the show notes.
So do the songs change over time?
Are there some songs that come up and they influence you over and over again, or is italways a different song?
(24:12):
It's always a different song.
So I have my playlists and I listen to other music and I have friends who do music and Ihave friends who send me music.
So I'm always listening to new music.
There are times in the process where I want to feel a certain way.
And so I will put on certain music.
(24:34):
And so I kind of have it set up like that.
So if I...
If I want to feel sad or think about my late grandma, I'll put on music that makes methink about her.
And then that ultimately translates into whatever layer I am on in my canvas.
If I know, okay, this particular piece needs some action, some different brushstrokes thanthe previous, then I'll put something more upbeat or more something to kind of...
(25:09):
draw that flow out of me.
So as I'm working on a piece and looking at the whole entire thing and the composition,I'm like, okay, this needs more soft lines.
Or this particular session, I need to be more soft in my application.
And so I'll put on music that I know will help me get into that groove.
(25:31):
So any kind of feeling I have a song or I have playlists to help me get there.
That's really lovely.
I always, for me, I always think about if this is only if I'm doing personal work and notdoing client work, when client work is something all together different.
But I always have to have a story.
(25:53):
I start with a story, I start with a feeling that I'm exploring and then I create a storyand then from the story, then I create the work.
But it's so funny that feelings do.
matter because then I guess that's the difference between you creating a piece that reallyevokes not just one feeling but several emotions in people versus a piece that you would
(26:18):
find that's created by a computer.
The human experience is definitely in there.
But something particularly moving about your practice is how you include your daughterRose in your creative process.
So you paint together sometimes on the same canvas.
Can you talk a little bit about how motherhood has shifted your perspective on art makingand maybe a little bit as well as to how Rose helps you or what you hope that Rose will
(26:49):
learn from these shared moments that the two of you have?
Yeah, so in the beginning, I didn't set out to include her in my work.
It was just one of those things.
I'm trying to fit in some painting here and there, and she's around.
And I'm very, I encourage her to do whatever, explore.
(27:15):
And so in the beginning, you know, I would be painting on my own canvas, and I would sether up in a different spot.
and she would paint on her little canvas.
But then there were a few times when she was not messing with her stuff.
She wanted to be with me.
She wanted to paint on my canvas.
(27:36):
And so I just, you know, one day I was just like, whatever.
Like, this is like in the beginning of a painting where there's gonna be many layers, likeit doesn't matter.
And I thought it was cool, like her DNA is literally in the painting.
And...
I recognize that connection and it was so amazing to see her being just like so excitedabout painting with her mom and she over time like really started looking at what I was
(28:15):
doing and what she's doing.
It's not like she's doing random things anymore.
It's...
I feel like even she, as a three-year-old, is painting with intention, like, right alongwith me.
And so, when I recognized that connection, I was like, okay, this is cool.
Like, I want to paint, and I don't necessarily have the time, like, how I used to.
(28:37):
And so I'm like, okay, I'm gonna just, like, work with this and see what happens.
And I realized, my goodness, this is, like, amazing because...
My work is now, you know, imbued with another layer of feelings and emotions and thinkingabout, you know, I don't think too much about like a legacy, but I do think about her
(29:07):
development and especially now, like she's like three years old.
And so I think it is important that she sees me doing what I do.
And I think it's important to involve her.
And it just adds like a whole new dimension to my work.
So it's just like this joy in being creative together is what is new.
(29:35):
My son would, in the early days when I was building my portfolio, he loved to be myassistant.
And I have these photos of him holding up a reflector.
And the reflector is so much bigger than he is.
I think he was four and he's like holding the reflector.
(29:58):
Yeah, it's so cute.
And it makes me wonder how with her oh
enjoying these moments with you, you know, what that's going to translate to.
It might just be that she's having fun with her mom, but...
Yeah, I think about that a lot.
Like, what is she going to be into?
How is this going to shape how she develops and sees the world?
(30:23):
So these things are constant, like, ideas and concepts.
have so many just, in my mind just watching her.
Well, it sounds like you've had taught yourself several different skills.
You've attended artist residencies.
I'm just thinking about the you from several years ago when you first started on thisjourney.
(30:49):
And you know, any artist who's starting on their art journey, they continue to evolve.
And so it's kind of like you're always the next version of you and you're just trying tounderstand your work.
more more trying to understand who you are and trying to understand the world and how thatfits in with your work.
(31:09):
For someone who is thinking about potentially painting and doing more fine art, what aresome of the things that you might share in terms of either advice or guidance that you
would give them as they're going along their journey?
Yeah, I've been painting for nine years now and I feel like I've gotten a lot ofexperience, not just like with painting, but someone, you know, who does shows or, you
(31:46):
know, did some residencies and stuff.
so...
The one thing that I always tell younger artists or just people who are starting to paintis to master what you're doing before you even think about trying to make money off of
your art or trying to be accepted into this show and that show.
(32:08):
It's like, why are you really painting?
Is it for you or is it for other people?
If it's for you, I feel like...
You just need to practice and get good at what you're doing and master your craft.
I see so many people who jump in a painting and might paint for like a year and think,okay, I'm ready to start making some money or I want to get into a gallery and stuff.
(32:33):
And I'm like, that's cool that these are your goals.
But I look at who are you as a person?
How have you changed?
How have you grown in your work?
And I think a lot of people, at least that I've run into, they want to jump the gun.
(32:54):
They don't want to put in the time to gain this experience.
So that would be the one thing I would say is just like, slow down, practice, master whatyou're doing so you can really...
get a good sense of why you're creating and when it's time for you to apply for galleryshows or residencies or whatnot, you know exactly what you want out of it and you're
(33:28):
confident about it as well.
And so that would be the first thing.
Another piece of advice I would say is to, as you are painting or doing whatever,
Put yourself in the mix of community and other people that are doing what you're doing.
(33:50):
Because you learn so much from speaking with other people, you learn so much fromattending events, just they will, most people are more than willing to share their
experiences and to help you.
So that's another thing is like, I feel like.
Yes, you can do this alone, but it might take a long time.
(34:11):
I feel like when you're doing something with community, it's more effective and it putsyou on like, not a faster track, but it's just, I guess, more efficient to be with
community instead of just being by yourself.
that was so good.
I'm reading this book called Obvious Adam, and it's about marketing, but essentially thebook talks about do the obvious things.
(34:41):
You might want to skip ahead and get all fancy, but just do the obvious thing, which isessentially what you've just said.
Just put in the time.
Once you put in the time, then you can move on to the next step, but you can't just skiparound like...
like you're playing hopscotch.
So I'm working on a, so this is our last question.
(35:04):
I'm working on a, episode all about how to either market your work or sell your work orapproach galleries and get more eyes on your work.
Over the nine years that you've been doing this, is there either a truth or
one tip that you've learned that has really helped you in terms of getting your work infront of the people who can commune with it and show your work and really get collectors.
(35:37):
have many.
This is actually a topic that I love and that my next phase in life, I want to help othercreatives kind of navigate this world.
And because I come from like a design background with marketing, it's like, it makes sensefor me to want to help teach others and guide them.
(36:02):
But first thing is...
A lot of artists will come to me and be like, oh, I do this kind of painting.
I'm like, that's cool.
Show me your work.
And then I see them fumbling through their phone trying to show me pictures, but theycan't.
They don't have a dedicated album on their phone.
(36:25):
They're just randomly scrolling or they're going to their Facebook or Instagram.
And again, it's like they're fumbling through.
And meanwhile, I'm like, well.
If you had a website, if you had a gallery, then this wouldn't be an issue.
And so my one thing that I want to get across to artists is be prepared.
(36:52):
Have a website, have personal branding, have a gallery of your work that is easilyaccessible.
Write your bio, write your artist statements.
have everything ready so then when these calls for art come in, you simply just have tofollow the directions.
(37:12):
You already have all your info, like bundled up and ready to go.
You're not stressing.
And it just shows a certain level of professionalism, I feel like, to these gallerists andorganizations who are looking for art and artists.
And so...
I think that is a very important step that a lot of young artists don't necessarily thinkabout, or maybe they think it's a lot of work and it's really not.
(37:40):
So yeah, just if you're prepared, getting prepared is like the hardest part.
Applying for, you know, all of these other things, that's the easy part.
Is there a centralized place that you go to to find out about artist residencies or it'sjust that you find them and then you like bookmark it?
(38:03):
So there are websites.
um One of them is called Cafe Entry.
And it's basically a database of artists and people who want to put on shows and whatnot.
There's always something.
There's always something to find.
(38:24):
And then I think another good way to find out about things going on is through your localcommunity.
through the galleries, through the museum, follow them on social media.
Follow other artists in your city on social media because they'll often post about theevents that they're doing.
(38:45):
The galleries will always post about calls for art.
And so it's just a matter of you being aware of these things and it's so easy to do withsocial media.
And I think that is...
the easiest and probably best way for artists to kind of get out there and put themselvesout there.
And there's also networking as well.
(39:08):
Like there's so many people that you're going to meet that are involved in thisorganization or that organization or that know of something, you know?
So it's always important to kind of like be open to meeting new people and...
(39:28):
making it known that you're an artist and you're serious about wanting to show your work.
Gina, this has been so good.
Oh my gosh.
I've just really enjoyed this conversation with you.
Thank you so much for coming on the show.
Thank you so much for having me.
(39:52):
there.
I have a quick
favorite to ask you before you go.
If you're loving this show, would you mind taking a quick second to leave us a five starreview on your favorite go-to podcast app?
Here's the thing.
Those reviews are like magic fairy dust.
They help other creatives of color discover our show and tap into their own artisticsuperpowers.
(40:17):
While you're at it, why not subscribe to our sub stack newsletter, Creative Matters.
matters is like a weekly dose of inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.
You can find the link to subscribe in the show notes.
Alright, that's all that I have for you today.
(40:38):
I can't wait to see you on the next episode.
Bye!
Hi, my name is Jaina Tykwenko and this is how I create.
Welcome to This is How We Create, a show that digs deeper into the creative life ofcontemporary artists of color.
Discover what feeds their creativity and how they found or are finding their artisticvoice.
Through these intimate and candid conversations, you'll gain insights into the lives ofcreative professionals of color that are hard to find anywhere else.
(00:27):
Hey, it's my teen Severn here.
Welcome back to This is How We Create.
Today in the guest chair, we have artist Gina Tyquinko.
Gina Tyquinko embodies what happens when multiple cultural streams converge into a singlecreative force.
Born in Washington state to a family where creativity wasn't just encouraged, it was a wayof life.
(00:50):
Gina carries forward the artistic legacy of her Guamanian and African American heritage,transforming it into powerful abstract works that speak to both personal and universal
truths.
Gina's approach to art making, whether it's her mixed media installations or hercollaborative work with her young daughter, reminds us that creativity can be both a
(01:14):
healing force and a powerful tool for cultural dialogue.
you now welcome to the show.
Thank you so much for having me.
That was an amazing intro.
Thank you so much.
So Gina, although you were born in Washington state, you grew up primarily in Indiana.
(01:35):
Can you talk to us about growing up as a young child?
And could you tell us about some of your earlier exposures to creativity and to the artworld?
I grew up surrounded by creativity, but not necessarily fine arts.
I grew up around people who valued food and family and music.
(02:01):
And I had that multicultural background to kind of influence me in everything that I do asa young child.
Like I was very aware of differences and cultures, even as a young child.
to give you a little background.
My mom, she's a hairdresser and my dad was a musician who worked in kitchens.
(02:26):
And so my house was like always buzzing with liveliness and there were all sorts of peoplearound.
I was also raised by my late Nana who had a typical government job, I should say.
But she always encouraged me to...
Do things great, do things with passion.
(02:47):
She encouraged me to follow my dreams.
She had always been that guiding light in my life.
But going back to my day-to-day as a child, I have vivid memories of my dad and I gettingready for the day, and he would blast reggae music.
Bob Marley was every day, Bob Marley every day while we were getting ready.
(03:09):
And he would play his instruments every single day.
So I was around that and he exposed me to a lot of different world music and he took me onadventures in the woods and he just taught me a lot about the world and different people
and cultures.
And my mom, even though she was a hairdresser, she was actually like a really good artistherself.
(03:33):
She could draw really well.
She would help me with class projects that I had.
So they, both of them, between the two of them, they really cultivated an environmentwhere I just like thrived in my creativity.
Did you use to doodle as a child or draw at all?
All the time.
(03:54):
I was doodling all the time.
I was also reading a lot.
My dad told me I didn't even like reading kids' books, and so he would let me read hismusic magazines.
I was reading Rolling Stone and Spin as a child.
I'm talking like five, six years old.
And so between that and doodling and my mom kind of letting me do whatever I want, as longas I was good, she was good with whatever.
(04:22):
I have a funny story that I just remembered.
My mom caught me drawing on the cabinets inside the home and, you know, she got on to meabout it.
But little me, I thought it would be clever if I just drew on the inside of the cabinets.
And she caught me, but she never, in her mind, she thought that was funny and she thoughtthat was just very clever of me.
(04:48):
And so she let me continue drawing on like,
the inside of the cabinets.
That's so funny.
you have photos of that?
Of the cabinets?
I don't even remember that it was like my mom telling me about this memory.
So then can you tell me the story of how you gradually became interested in painting andeven thinking about pursuing a career in art?
(05:20):
Yeah, so when I was younger, um my dad didn't let me watch too much TV, but I was able towatch PBS.
And along came Bob Ross in my life.
And I think that was probably the first instance of me being interested in painting.
I didn't know it at the time.
(05:40):
I just thought it was cool.
I thought he was interesting.
I wanted to paint like him.
And so my mom had gotten me this Bob Ross art kit.
one time and it was like canvas and paints and brushes and she just like let me do mything.
Another time she gifted me basically being able to design and redo my room.
(06:02):
It was in our first home up until then we kind of moved around in apartments and stayedwith my grandma.
And so in our first home she allowed me to basically decorate my room.
Again, I was a young child and I remember
She had gotten this old desk, it like a school desk, and I was able to paint on it, and Ipainted flowers.
(06:22):
I do remember that.
And so between Bob Ross and my mom kind of encouraged me to paint on whatever andwherever, I think that was kind of like the first introduction to painting or art.
It's so interesting that your mom was aware of what some of your interests were and shekind of helped you along by just following that interest.
(06:51):
And I think that's the hallmark of a parent that's of a great parent.
So tell me the story of how you came to start stoking that fire inside of you and
graduate from being an admirer of Bob Ross to now painting these just, in my mind, they'remasterpieces.
(07:19):
So tell me the story of how you got there.
It was a long, windy road.
Isn't it always the best stories are?
You know, looking back, I've learned that this path is not linear, like I once thought.
But from the Bob Ross days and me as a child, I have always loved tinkering and trying newthings.
(07:45):
And ever since I can remember, ever since I started painting along with Bob Ross, I wouldshift my mediums.
So I taught myself how to sew one time.
I was into...
reconstructing clothes.
I did scrapbooking.
I drew cartoons.
I did a little bit of everything.
(08:06):
And then in middle school, AOL and MySpace were really popular.
And it became a passion of mine.
I learned how to code little MySpace layouts.
And I learned some graphic design.
And this is just me.
(08:27):
playing around, having fun.
Friends took notice.
I ended up able to charge them to customize their MySpace layouts.
from there, I realized, okay, I can make some money off of this.
I didn't realize I could turn it into a career until later, but it stuck with me.
(08:48):
I love doing this.
I'm making money from it, and maybe this is something I can do.
And so just from middle school to high school, I threw myself into learning as much as Icould about HTML and CSS and graphic design.
I downloaded a pirated copy of Photoshop and that's I learned how to do graphics andstuff.
(09:12):
And so from elementary school up until college, I just threw myself into things that Iloved to do at the time.
It was always creative.
It wasn't until 2015, it was after college, I had had a few years of working like acorporate job.
(09:34):
It wasn't until I actually moved to Florida that I picked up the paintbrush again and Istarted painting.
And when I started painting, it was just a hobby, it was just something to do.
But the more that I did it, the more I felt the need to do it.
And the more that I did it,
the more that my paintings and the process of painting revealed myself to me, if thatmakes sense.
(10:00):
And so I continued painting and even when I started to paint in the very beginning, I knewthat this was going to be a thing.
I didn't know where it would turn into, but I knew it was important for me to keeppainting.
And so that's just kind of what I did.
You know, you wouldn't believe how many people who come on the podcast who've had a careerdoing something else and then they just like, pivot, they transition into doing the work,
(10:31):
the creative work that they are doing today.
As you started doing these paintings earlier on, what were you looking for?
What were you trying to express?
That's a great question.
I really wasn't looking for anything.
It was just a creative outlet for me after work just to do, just to have some fun.
(10:55):
I had always turned to creative outlets as like a hobby or to quiet my mind.
So in the beginning, there was no goal.
There was no vision at all.
It was just painting for the sake of painting.
And tell me about the story of progressing.
So you move at some point from painting for the sake of painting, or maybe you still do itbecause there has to be as I'm going to quote you to you about how great art has a soul in
(11:26):
it.
So as you started growing and painting, how did you start transitioning from thinking, oh,this is just for fun, into thinking about
and to feeling that this could be something else.
And then the impetus to then take the next step to start having more eyes on your work.
(11:51):
So with me, any creative outlet that I've partaked in the past, there is always an elementof me trying to make some money off of it, pretty much.
Like, even as a middle school, high school college, I always had a little hustle going on,and I always had something to do with my creativity.
(12:13):
When I started painting back in 2015, I told myself, I don't want it to be like this.
I don't want to paint.
to make money.
Like, this isn't going to be another hustle.
And so I really had to like remind myself of that.
But it got to the point where I was painting in my apartment and I'm just building acollection of work.
(12:35):
I didn't know it at the time, but I was building a collection of work.
And then I started to meet people and just be out and about.
And, you know, people would tell me about, maybe you should...
apply for this call to art or this museum, this gallery is doing this.
And so, I'm one to always want to try something new.
(12:58):
And I love being social, not so much today, but back in the day, I was like out and about.
So was like, yeah.
And so I started applying to local calls to art.
And that's kind of how I transitioned from just painting for fun, painting for me and myapartment, to showing my work.
And hearing people receive my work kind of gave me a little motivation to keep going.
(13:27):
Because at the time, I didn't see it as like a thing.
But for people to recognize my work as something they love, I was like, okay, maybe I gotsomething going on.
So Gina, your work actively engages with both your Guamanian and your African heritage.
(13:50):
Can you tell me about how these two cultural streams meet and converse in your canvases?
So I paint exclusively with white, black, and gold.
And when I first started painting, that was intentional.
Coming from a graphic and web design background, I took the principles and the techniquesfrom that and I applied it to painting.
(14:19):
Because I didn't go to school for painting, so in my mind, I'm like, well, if I'm going tostart painting, I need to learn the basics and really master them.
And so that's where the black and white came from originally was let me paint in black andwhite and learn these basics like composition and line work and negative space.
(14:40):
Because, for example, when I'm doing my design work, it's like, let's say I'm doing a logodesign.
The way that I can judge a good logo is if you strip away the color and the message isstill as effective in black and white as it is in color.
I think that is a good determination of whether or not a logo is good.
(15:02):
And so in my mind, I'm thinking, okay, I could do the same thing with my work.
And I try doing color just because I'm trying something new, but I just didn't, I didn'tfeel anything.
I was just, I was doing color because I thought I had to.
I thought I had to experiment with color.
But even as I'm painting with color and just looking at my finished work, I didn't feelanything.
(15:27):
And so I went back to the black and white.
And that was like the key, was that feeling.
It's hard to explain.
It was an innate feeling, an emotional reaction.
And so I continued to paint in black and white in the beginning.
And like I said before, the more that I painted, the more that the painting revealedmyself to me.
(15:52):
And I would think about all of my experiences.
and think about my upbringing and my culture.
And just like all of these thoughts started flooding.
And I realized that my painting or the theme in my painting had a lot to do with duality.
And so I kind of played on that idea and it was easy for me to do using only black andwhite.
(16:18):
Because black and white, you know, as you know, represents opposites, light and dark,strength and softness.
identity and connection, it was a way to visually express the balance that I had to findwithin myself as a person of two distinct cultures.
The gold came in at a later time.
(16:40):
I can't remember where the gold came from, but I do remember I was using gold pens, goldmarkers, gold leaf foil that you could find at any craft store.
Eventually, I had gone to an artist residency in Mexico to learn gilding.
And when I came back, I was like, I'm not using this fake gold anymore.
(17:01):
Like, I'm going to use 24 karat gold.
But as I continued to reflect in my work and through my process, I realized that the goldfor me represents divinity and kind of connection to my spirituality.
And I kind of saw it like as me.
And so it's like the black and the white represents the dual worlds that I live in and thegold is me.
(17:27):
And that's kind of how I develop my own style and I continue to develop.
Can you tell me a little bit about how you're continuing to develop that style?
Because one would say, oh, she uses three colors.
That's limiting.
Why is she limiting herself potentially?
But you find that there is so much to explore in using those three colors.
(17:52):
So with these colors, how are you finding different ways of expressing yourself and togetting to a better understanding of your culture as well?
Yeah, for sure.
And people have in the past asked me, know, why don't you paint in this color or thatcolor?
(18:14):
And I'm like, well, at this stage in my life, I feel like I have not mastered what I'mdoing and there's still so much more to uncover.
It's just about me taking it as far as I can.
And until that's done...
I'm going to stick to what I've been doing because there's so much more that I still beexploring with painting in black and white and then using the gold.
(18:45):
It's so interesting that there's this spirituality that exists in the creation process,right?
Because there's something that you know you're trying to get to and you know you're notthere yet and more exploration is needed.
And when you've explored it all and you've had enough, you just know, right?
(19:10):
And until then, it's so...
uh
lovely that you are here and that you are really just looking for different things to say.
And your artwork is so intriguing, right?
I don't feel like I'm missing anything.
feel like that I'm seeing in some ways myself in a different way and seeing the world in adifferent way.
(19:31):
then which leaves me a little bit intrigued.
I'm like, wow, I want to talk to her, which is why you're here.
That makes me feel really good because there's nothing better than hearing someone look atmy art and being intrigued or seeing them or reminding them of a story, of a moment, of a
(19:51):
feeling.
Like, that's what it's all about for me.
Well, that's what's interesting about your work.
feel like you imbue feeling so well that there is like, there's so much that's there andthere's so much that's said and unsaid in your work, which probably might not actually be
what you were trying to get to.
(20:11):
It's just how a person who receives it kind of takes it in.
And on the feeling side, how do you go about imbue-ing your work with feeling?
Is that even?
something that you consider.
100%.
I wouldn't say traditional, but the work that I'm known for, which is White and Black andthe Gold Leaf, the heavily textured paintings, layers, there's layers and layers and
(20:39):
layers and layers of paint.
And that is how I kind of imbue my work with these feelings and these emotions that I'mexperiencing.
Some of these paintings take
months to complete.
And I'm often working on like multiple pieces at the same time just because of mytechnique.
(21:04):
It takes a while to dry and then I see something new and I kind of just like play with itand see where it takes me.
But the textures itself, it's like each layer interacts with the next, revealing hiddenstories.
And I recognize that...
(21:25):
know, midway through, I would say, learning about myself through painting.
I think that's why I continue layering and texturing, just so I could see what comes next.
And so I feel like if you were to see some of my work, you may be able to...
see, okay, she was like in flow or maybe she was upset or maybe she was feeling peaceful,just...
(21:53):
by my markings and the way that paint flows, because each layer is its own session.
Each layer reflects whatever I was going through or what I was thinking about.
And so it's like this culmination of what I'm feeling inside and my experiences just likeon my canvas.
(22:17):
Tina, how do you know when you're done with a piece?
So it's funny, this is one of my favorite moments in the creative process.
And it's something that I have learned to look out for, to feel, because in the beginning,I don't think I necessarily knew, but the more that I painted, the more I realized how
(22:40):
things look and how I feel.
And I have trained myself and put a lot of trust.
into the divine to help me figure out when a painting's done.
And music is a big part of my creative process.
(23:01):
I'm always painting to music.
And every single time it has not failed me that I'm working on a piece, there's a songthat comes on that just sticks with me.
Whether it's the lyrics or the beat, however it makes me feel.
There's something about a song that sticks with me, and I've trained myself to recognizethat moment.
(23:26):
I kid you not, every single time this happens when I'm listening to music, and a song juststicks with me, I look at my work and I can see where it's going and I can see the
finished product.
And that's when I know when something is almost done, is me basically being moved bywhatever song is playing at the time.
(23:50):
You have a very famous, or maybe not so famous, a great Spotify playlist that we can linkto the show notes.
So do the songs change over time?
Are there some songs that come up and they influence you over and over again, or is italways a different song?
(24:12):
It's always a different song.
So I have my playlists and I listen to other music and I have friends who do music and Ihave friends who send me music.
So I'm always listening to new music.
There are times in the process where I want to feel a certain way.
And so I will put on certain music.
(24:34):
And so I kind of have it set up like that.
So if I...
If I want to feel sad or think about my late grandma, I'll put on music that makes methink about her.
And then that ultimately translates into whatever layer I am on in my canvas.
If I know, okay, this particular piece needs some action, some different brushstrokes thanthe previous, then I'll put something more upbeat or more something to kind of...
(25:09):
draw that flow out of me.
So as I'm working on a piece and looking at the whole entire thing and the composition,I'm like, okay, this needs more soft lines.
Or this particular session, I need to be more soft in my application.
And so I'll put on music that I know will help me get into that groove.
(25:31):
So any kind of feeling I have a song or I have playlists to help me get there.
That's really lovely.
I always, for me, I always think about if this is only if I'm doing personal work and notdoing client work, when client work is something all together different.
But I always have to have a story.
(25:53):
I start with a story, I start with a feeling that I'm exploring and then I create a storyand then from the story, then I create the work.
But it's so funny that feelings do.
matter because then I guess that's the difference between you creating a piece that reallyevokes not just one feeling but several emotions in people versus a piece that you would
(26:18):
find that's created by a computer.
The human experience is definitely in there.
But something particularly moving about your practice is how you include your daughterRose in your creative process.
So you paint together sometimes on the same canvas.
Can you talk a little bit about how motherhood has shifted your perspective on art makingand maybe a little bit as well as to how Rose helps you or what you hope that Rose will
(26:49):
learn from these shared moments that the two of you have?
Yeah, so in the beginning, I didn't set out to include her in my work.
It was just one of those things.
I'm trying to fit in some painting here and there, and she's around.
And I'm very, I encourage her to do whatever, explore.
(27:15):
And so in the beginning, you know, I would be painting on my own canvas, and I would sether up in a different spot.
and she would paint on her little canvas.
But then there were a few times when she was not messing with her stuff.
She wanted to be with me.
She wanted to paint on my canvas.
(27:36):
And so I just, you know, one day I was just like, whatever.
Like, this is like in the beginning of a painting where there's gonna be many layers, likeit doesn't matter.
And I thought it was cool, like her DNA is literally in the painting.
And...
I recognize that connection and it was so amazing to see her being just like so excitedabout painting with her mom and she over time like really started looking at what I was
(28:15):
doing and what she's doing.
It's not like she's doing random things anymore.
It's...
I feel like even she, as a three-year-old, is painting with intention, like, right alongwith me.
And so, when I recognized that connection, I was like, okay, this is cool.
Like, I want to paint, and I don't necessarily have the time, like, how I used to.
(28:37):
And so I'm like, okay, I'm gonna just, like, work with this and see what happens.
And I realized, my goodness, this is, like, amazing because...
My work is now, you know, imbued with another layer of feelings and emotions and thinkingabout, you know, I don't think too much about like a legacy, but I do think about her
(29:07):
development and especially now, like she's like three years old.
And so I think it is important that she sees me doing what I do.
And I think it's important to involve her.
And it just adds like a whole new dimension to my work.
So it's just like this joy in being creative together is what is new.
(29:35):
My son would, in the early days when I was building my portfolio, he loved to be myassistant.
And I have these photos of him holding up a reflector.
And the reflector is so much bigger than he is.
I think he was four and he's like holding the reflector.
(29:58):
Yeah, it's so cute.
And it makes me wonder how with her oh
enjoying these moments with you, you know, what that's going to translate to.
It might just be that she's having fun with her mom, but...
Yeah, I think about that a lot.
Like, what is she going to be into?
How is this going to shape how she develops and sees the world?
(30:23):
So these things are constant, like, ideas and concepts.
have so many just, in my mind just watching her.
Well, it sounds like you've had taught yourself several different skills.
You've attended artist residencies.
I'm just thinking about the you from several years ago when you first started on thisjourney.
(30:49):
And you know, any artist who's starting on their art journey, they continue to evolve.
And so it's kind of like you're always the next version of you and you're just trying tounderstand your work.
more more trying to understand who you are and trying to understand the world and how thatfits in with your work.
(31:09):
For someone who is thinking about potentially painting and doing more fine art, what aresome of the things that you might share in terms of either advice or guidance that you
would give them as they're going along their journey?
Yeah, I've been painting for nine years now and I feel like I've gotten a lot ofexperience, not just like with painting, but someone, you know, who does shows or, you
(31:46):
know, did some residencies and stuff.
so...
The one thing that I always tell younger artists or just people who are starting to paintis to master what you're doing before you even think about trying to make money off of
your art or trying to be accepted into this show and that show.
(32:08):
It's like, why are you really painting?
Is it for you or is it for other people?
If it's for you, I feel like...
You just need to practice and get good at what you're doing and master your craft.
I see so many people who jump in a painting and might paint for like a year and think,okay, I'm ready to start making some money or I want to get into a gallery and stuff.
(32:33):
And I'm like, that's cool that these are your goals.
But I look at who are you as a person?
How have you changed?
How have you grown in your work?
And I think a lot of people, at least that I've run into, they want to jump the gun.
(32:54):
They don't want to put in the time to gain this experience.
So that would be the one thing I would say is just like, slow down, practice, master whatyou're doing so you can really...
get a good sense of why you're creating and when it's time for you to apply for galleryshows or residencies or whatnot, you know exactly what you want out of it and you're
(33:28):
confident about it as well.
And so that would be the first thing.
Another piece of advice I would say is to, as you are painting or doing whatever,
Put yourself in the mix of community and other people that are doing what you're doing.
(33:50):
Because you learn so much from speaking with other people, you learn so much fromattending events, just they will, most people are more than willing to share their
experiences and to help you.
So that's another thing is like, I feel like.
Yes, you can do this alone, but it might take a long time.
(34:11):
I feel like when you're doing something with community, it's more effective and it putsyou on like, not a faster track, but it's just, I guess, more efficient to be with
community instead of just being by yourself.
that was so good.
I'm reading this book called Obvious Adam, and it's about marketing, but essentially thebook talks about do the obvious things.
(34:41):
You might want to skip ahead and get all fancy, but just do the obvious thing, which isessentially what you've just said.
Just put in the time.
Once you put in the time, then you can move on to the next step, but you can't just skiparound like...
like you're playing hopscotch.
So I'm working on a, so this is our last question.
(35:04):
I'm working on a, episode all about how to either market your work or sell your work orapproach galleries and get more eyes on your work.
Over the nine years that you've been doing this, is there either a truth or
one tip that you've learned that has really helped you in terms of getting your work infront of the people who can commune with it and show your work and really get collectors.
(35:37):
have many.
This is actually a topic that I love and that my next phase in life, I want to help othercreatives kind of navigate this world.
And because I come from like a design background with marketing, it's like, it makes sensefor me to want to help teach others and guide them.
(36:02):
But first thing is...
A lot of artists will come to me and be like, oh, I do this kind of painting.
I'm like, that's cool.
Show me your work.
And then I see them fumbling through their phone trying to show me pictures, but theycan't.
They don't have a dedicated album on their phone.
(36:25):
They're just randomly scrolling or they're going to their Facebook or Instagram.
And again, it's like they're fumbling through.
And meanwhile, I'm like, well.
If you had a website, if you had a gallery, then this wouldn't be an issue.
And so my one thing that I want to get across to artists is be prepared.
(36:52):
Have a website, have personal branding, have a gallery of your work that is easilyaccessible.
Write your bio, write your artist statements.
have everything ready so then when these calls for art come in, you simply just have tofollow the directions.
(37:12):
You already have all your info, like bundled up and ready to go.
You're not stressing.
And it just shows a certain level of professionalism, I feel like, to these gallerists andorganizations who are looking for art and artists.
And so...
I think that is a very important step that a lot of young artists don't necessarily thinkabout, or maybe they think it's a lot of work and it's really not.
(37:40):
So yeah, just if you're prepared, getting prepared is like the hardest part.
Applying for, you know, all of these other things, that's the easy part.
Is there a centralized place that you go to to find out about artist residencies or it'sjust that you find them and then you like bookmark it?
(38:03):
So there are websites.
um One of them is called Cafe Entry.
And it's basically a database of artists and people who want to put on shows and whatnot.
There's always something.
There's always something to find.
(38:24):
And then I think another good way to find out about things going on is through your localcommunity.
through the galleries, through the museum, follow them on social media.
Follow other artists in your city on social media because they'll often post about theevents that they're doing.
(38:45):
The galleries will always post about calls for art.
And so it's just a matter of you being aware of these things and it's so easy to do withsocial media.
And I think that is...
the easiest and probably best way for artists to kind of get out there and put themselvesout there.
And there's also networking as well.
(39:08):
Like there's so many people that you're going to meet that are involved in thisorganization or that organization or that know of something, you know?
So it's always important to kind of like be open to meeting new people and...
(39:28):
making it known that you're an artist and you're serious about wanting to show your work.
Gina, this has been so good.
Oh my gosh.
I've just really enjoyed this conversation with you.
Thank you so much for coming on the show.
Thank you so much for having me.
(39:52):
there.
I have a quick
favorite to ask you before you go.
If you're loving this show, would you mind taking a quick second to leave us a five starreview on your favorite go-to podcast app?
Here's the thing.
Those reviews are like magic fairy dust.
They help other creatives of color discover our show and tap into their own artisticsuperpowers.
(40:17):
While you're at it, why not subscribe to our sub stack newsletter, Creative Matters.
matters is like a weekly dose of inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.
You can find the link to subscribe in the show notes.
Alright, that's all that I have for you today.
(40:38):
I can't wait to see you on the next episode.
Bye!
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