We had the good fortune of connecting with Joan Magnolia Diwa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joan Magnolia, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?

I grew up in a small town in the Philippines. My family has a knack for being creative. Drawing, wood-working (carpentry), baking, crafting, etc. but the stigma of “there’s no money in art” also runs in our culture. So no one really pursues art as a career. Being the rebellious one, I majored in Fine Arts in College. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising. After college, I worked as a graphic designer for 5 years. But I still felt unfulfilled. My inner child wanted to be an animator. So I decided to pursue that dream somewhere else.
In 2007, I moved to California by myself with – this may sound cliche – $200 in my pocket. I was alone and had no idea what the next phase in life would be. So I worked my butt off to get back on my feet. I worked in retail, office jobs and freelancing. I had to push that young girl’s dream at the back burner.
A few years passed, I got married and had two kids. Both are special needs (one with ADHD & one with ASD). I had to quit my job and be a stay-at-home-mom to focus on them. Whenever they take their naps or when they were at school, I squeezed in some time to draw. Art has always been a part of me. So no matter how tired I am, being creative is my anti-stress go-to.
In 2016, I found out about Instagram and that’s when I started to share my artwork. At first, I only got to trade my art to fellow artists, until (to my surprise) people started asking if they could buy my artwork. I also got invited to gallery shows. All my work that I posted on Instagram got sold. That’s when I decided to make an online shop. My hobby became a small business.
That little girl’s dream of being an animator is still there; but I am proud of my growth as a person and as an artist. I feel fulfilled with my achievements. Persistence and discipline helped me get to where I am right now. Against all odds, no matter how difficult life was, I kept pushing forward. I found ways to tackle hurdles that life threw at me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I dabble between digital and traditional art. My favorite medium is watercolor. I’m proud of my watercolor pieces the most. When I started to share my artwork on Instagram, I got to meet a handful of artist that do Artist Trading Cards. They are small “pocket-size art” that you trade with fellow artist who does the same thing.
At first, I only got to trade my art with fellow artists, then some people started asking me if they can buy my work. I started posting some art to trade only, and some for sale. Everything I posted for sale on IG got sold; then I decided to make an online shop so it’s easier for me to track. That’s when my hobby became a small business.
As a full-time mom of special needs kids and managing my small business, I had to have dedication, discipline, hard work and tons of caffeine! Nothing was easy at first. I had to learn to how to make my own prints, make my own stickers and how to manage an online shop. I also started my Patreon page, and YouTube channel (that has been neglected, but I promised myself I’ll get to it again). I’m still learning, technology keeps evolving, and I have to adapt. There’s a LOT of stress, to the point of burnt out; I learned that the hard way. So taking breaks are totally OKAY. I’ll come back with fresh ideas, and more energized vibe.
My brand, is my personality. I noticed that when I create art FOR MYSELF, expressing my own feelings – people get naturally drawn to it, as opposed to making art for money or just so I can sell something, which don’t get much attention. When I create art from my heart, people tend to relate to it more. So I stick to creating on what my heart tells me. Being true to myself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Ooh this is exciting! I love discovering new food places on my free time! First stop: the beach! I live near the beach, I’ll take her there. Eat some fresh seafood at the pier, rent some bikes and enjoy the view. Next I’ll take her to my fave local coffee shops like Corridor Flow, Offset Coffee, and Cozzi Cafe. Then maybe dessert at my local homemade ice cream shop Kansha Creamery. I’m an “occasional” drinker *wink* so local Breweries like: Monkish Brewing, Strand Brewing, Steelkraft. Food trip at 626 Night Market. Maybe spend a couple hours nature walking at SouthCoast Botanical Garden. I love Kawaii / Cute stuff so we’ll take a gander at JapanLA or PinkMoon Atelier.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would say, the art community on Instagram. All the people here became my inspiration, and even made close friends with most of them (online and in real life). Whenever I feel like giving up, they are always there to give me that little push to go on. To remind me to never give up the thing that I love. The art community was the reason I’m still making art. That’s where it all started, from trading art to making and selling my own merchandise. Their support has been a big impact to me. Every single member, I cherish them.

Website: https://machochickart.wixsite.com/joandiwa

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/machochick/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC20UH8MuVPcXEyINGgoCRgQ

Other: ETSY: https://www.etsy.com/shop/machochickart PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/machochick

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.