Meet Sue Martinez | Artist & Illustration Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sue Martinez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sue, why did you pursue a creative career?
“Don’t seek to have events happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do happen, and all will be well with you.” – Epictetus. This philosophy, and pillar of knowledge has been a bridge for me to build my foundation in my personal and professional art practice. Nothing is ever really certain, except the uncertainty in life itself.

Living with that understanding and realizing how unpredictable life is: inspires me and provides me with solace. Trust me, as an artist AND over-thinker, I used to be filled with anxious thoughts on how I needed to have everything figured out. The reality is, most of us don’t have everything figured out.

There are factors within our life that are just out of our control. So, instead of allowing negativity and emotional baggage to overwhelm us, we need to embrace that uncertainty.

Remember, acceptance is not resignation.

Reality is, there is no “success story” to my creative career, or my art practice. It’s still a work-in-progress! However, I highly recommend reading Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles. After discovering the Japanese concept of Ikigai, I applied both Western and Japanese frameworks to my own professional artistic pursuits, and personal everyday life. These include: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. Similarly, the Japanese model reminds us to be mindful, and practice the joy of daily living, while the Western model allows me to frame my skill sets, and passion projects in an easy, self-guided format. Ultimately, “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”- Soren Kierkegaard.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a multi-disciplinary artist, and life-long student, who believes in the philosophy of adaptability and evolution within our own practice. Continuous learning, whether through a class or self-guided curriculum, is about being uncomfortable and being vulnerable. As an artist, I don’t like to dwell on my art style, or whether it’s marketable enough for audiences. I just create, and trust my decision-making process. However, within this process, it’s important to not skip the constructive criticism and feedback step. Mistakes should not be ignored, rather we should aim to understand them. As Henry Ford once said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” In my art studies and professional development courses, I balance my endless curiosity, with my pursuit in being authentic and original for myself. At the end of the day, I believe our personal self-discovery journey interconnects with our ability to make the world a better place.

Even if the opportunity does not exist, or if it’s outside our comfort, it’s within our power to get out of our comfort zone, and CREATE our own opportunities. We must… “[take] the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr. As an artist, I seek new experiences and environments, not only to avoid burn out, but enrich my expertise in a field. This level of method acting, allows me to immerse myself in a project, and understand it thoroughly. I call them my “season of interest,” where I am able to explore, learn, reflect and apply different design principles to similar practices.

As an artist and designer, I have learned that a creative design career is developed from a place of uncertainty and opportunity. I am grateful that my work has allowed me to contribute to a diverse range of industries and organizations, ranging from educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, museums, theater productions, and fashion shows. Each experience has strengthened my understanding of how design, storytelling, and visual communication can inform, inspire, and connect with one another. Hence, why I started Weird Gallery Studios, to offer artists opportunities to showcase their work, and inspire one another in a constructive and innovative environment.

At the moment, my client projects involve illustration and design within both worlds of fashion and marine science and ocean conservation. I enjoy exploring the intersection of marine conservation, environmental education, and ocean-inspired communications and storytelling, supporting marine science, wildlife conservation, aquariums, zoos, and aviaries; while also examining the relationship between conservation and eco-conscious fashion practices.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
California is a great place to explore sea landscapes and coastal cities.

For an itinerary, I would start in the northern part of the state in Monterey. We would visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, walk by Old Fisherman’s Wharf, and of course stop by Carmel-by-the-sea. Drive down through the Pacific Coast Highway, and stop by Big Sur and camp for a night. We’d stop by as many coastal towns and beaches and make our way down to San Pedro.

Here, take the Catalina Express, and go snorkeling at Catalina Island!

Come back to the mainland, stop by San Clemente, Oceanside, Solana Beach and go down to San Diego and explore all of its wonderful neighborhoods.

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?
Wholeheartedly, I extend my appreciation to my family, friends, and supportive village, who continue to inspire me, and support me in my artistic endeavors. Weird Gallery Studios would not be possible without the support of the community, artists, and volunteers. I am eternally grateful, and can’t wait to build further from this experience through further artist collaborations. Saving the best for last! This could not have been possible without the creative direction of Emma Petit, who led our marketing and social media efforts on our opening night for our first pop-up art gallery. Her creative vision, detail to originality and emerging talent, is to watch for, and excited to support, where her artistic and graphic design journey leads her!

Website: https://www.weirdgallery.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weird-gallery/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Weird-Gallery-Studios/61584259725036/

Other: https://www.suemartinez.com/

Image Credits
Design by Emma Petit (Shoutoutla_photo6)