Rising Stars: Meet Angela Bolaños of Coral Gables

 

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Bolaños

Angela, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Art-making has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. it was just something I did, spending hours doodling in my notebooks, embroidering something for school or putting little plays with friends out in the yard, Creativity in any and all forms, through dressing, living, experiencing it through the work of others. After college, I started working in museums as an arts administrator. This proximity to artists and the creative community, especially here in Miami, cemented my desire to continue life more focused in honing my career as a visual artist, jewelry designer an arts educator.
Despite facing challenges along the way, I remain dedicated to my craft, continually pushing myself to grow and evolve as an artist and a person.

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?
Becoming a visual artist is a journey unique to each individual. I have definitely experienced many of the same challenges most visual artists experience living and working in Miami-Dade County such as high cost of living, limited work opportunities, gentrification and displacement, lack of space to work, etc.
For me, creativity requires time, space and nourishment to blossom. I have had to be very intentional about how I invest my time. It is easy to get distracted and also discouraged by life, work, and just the stress of living in large city such as Miami . I try to center myself in my own voice, remind myself of the type of connections I want to make with others through my work, foster genuine dialogues through art and art-making.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am multidisciplinary artist. I work in various mediums such as painting, embroidery, digital and mixed media and jewelry design.
I try to find balance between an intuitive creative process that embraces the flow of ideas through experimentation and exploration, as well as my need to effectively communicate a specific narrative that will hopefully spark conversations and encourage engagement with art in a meaningful way.
I would say my embroidery on paper is pretty unique. My work is both deeply personal and also full of ancestral and cultural connections and references. I want to be part of the whole while honoring my individual story, especially my connection with my grandparents. Another way I take up space is by using bold colors in my artwork. It is definitely indicative of my heritage and my environment growing up.
I am looking forward to the next chapters in my professional career, but I always want to keep sight of the kind of human being I am becoming with every new achievement. I have been called “generous” a lot lately, and I think that is something to be proud of. Being generous is a super power, it is what I admire most in people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://angelabolanos.com
• Instagram: @_angela_bolanos_

Image Credits
Headshot:
David Gary Lloyd
Artwork:
Angela Bolaños