Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Garza.
Hi Cassandra, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been creative, my parents have photos of me as a toddler with my art easel drawing and painting. They even have pictures of me in Pre-K decorating cookies. I always had an assortment of art sets or utensils which meant I was always drawing and painting what I could. In those younger years, I tried my hand at mini art contests and UIL but never really got recognized. I felt like others were more talented than I was, but that never really stopped me from continuing to draw.
When I got to High school, I tried to focus on integrating my culture with my art. I created a self-portrait with rice and beans (Latinx household staples) and continued to learn about different techniques to make my art unique.
Fast forward to my college years, I knew I wanted to study art so I could continue to learn and build my craft. It was so hard! Everyone around me just seemed better and more advanced. My classes were small and there was little diversity within them, being that my school was a predominantly white institution (PWI). I stuck out like a sore thumb because my work always focused on my Mexican heritage. My close friends and acquaintances, many of them are a part of the Latinx community, started to take notice and appreciated my art because it finally felt like something they could relate to. To close my senior year in college, I painted a lotería bench as a hired artist for Downtown Iowa City, as well as a collaborative mural encompassing Latinidad on campus.
Through 2018-2019 I created my first sticker and hand-painted graduation caps for BIPOC students at the University of Iowa. The graduation caps were unique because they showcased my client’s personal accomplishments and culture.
Everything ramped up once I moved to Austin in the Fall of 2019. At first, I did not know what to do but I continued painting graduation caps, shipping them across the US and Mexico. The joy of painting for other people slowly deteriorated though, and then COVID-19 came along. I realized it was a blessing in disguise, using the excuse of having to stay home 24-7 to paint and draw absolutely whatever I wanted. I quickly realized that now was the perfect time to start selling my art, and I could no longer say I didn’t have the time to do what I loved. The question at that point was, where do I start? The first thing I tried to illustrate on Procreate was Bad Bunny–after the release of the Yo Perreo Sola music video. I was totally confused on how to paint digitally and it took me a few hours to finish the piece. But, ultimately I was happy with what I produced. I didn’t really understand how to fully utilize Procreate until June 2020. Soon after I honed my skills in the digital realm, I released my Concha Corazones. It was a great illustration I created from a wooden heart I painted into a concha earlier that year. I posted the first images of the piece on social media and was blown away by how much people raved over how cute and beautiful the colors were. So I kept going. Sticking to my roots. I drew inspiration from some of my favorite movies, music, and rituals that reminded me of my family and my childhood as a proud Latina.
Eventually, my creativity exploded and I had so many illustrations/designs that I felt I needed to start sharing them with my Austin community. In June 2021, I attended my first vendor market with Frida Friday. From there, my motivation and excitement to share my art with my community has placed me where I am today.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I wish. You always hope for the best in a journey like this when you have so many positive responses, but it’s never a cookie-cutter situation. I’ve dealt with my artwork being stolen and copied by other “artists” a handful of times. And I’m always fighting with myself wondering if my art is good enough to be shared with the world. When the days are super slow, I question if I should just make something for the sake of a dollar in my pocket. But I have too much integrity. I’ve been improving my pieces that I really like and enhancing them so they get the attention they deserve while simultaneously developing new pieces to share. It’s a very long process to sit and paint for hours, but on really good days, it brings me joy and keeps me centered.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m not any kind of brand, I’m just me. CGARZA ARTE is me and all I am. C is for my first name, Cassandra. Garza for my last name. And arte, specifically in Spanish because hago arte, and my grandparents can pronounce it! When you own a piece of my art, you own a piece of me, my time, energy, and originality.
I specialize in digital illustrations and hand-painted items. I love creating pieces with acrylic paint and using Procreate to design illustrations.
People know me for my stickers because not only do I make a lot of them, but each design appeals to a variety of people, speaks to a different aspect of Latinx culture and community, plus they have a lot of personality. I have gone through over 40 designs since 2020 and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon.
I’m most proud of my growth as an artist, learning so many different techniques and applying them to my paintings, designs, and illustrations.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Everything in life is a risk. I’m pretty sure that’s a quote from the Selena movie. But in all seriousness, you cannot live life without taking chances. Last year I really just woke up one day and was like “I’m gonna make this a business.” And I did. I wasn’t sure of how successful I would be, but I couldn’t be too bad if I had people loving my artwork already and wanted to own it.
Pricing:
- Stickers $4
- Keychains $10
- Pins $12
- Wall Hangers $15-$50
Contact Info:
- Email: cgarzaarte@gmail.com
- Website: www.cgarzaarte.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cgarza.arte
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cgarza.arte
