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

Hi Analicia, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I chose to pursue an artistic career because all my life, all I’ve ever wanted to do was paint and draw. I watched a lot of cartoons and animated Disney movies growing up; it gave me hope to think I could be creating characters and stories like that someday. 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In the pursuit of knowledge, I’ve had to overcome certain situations that most people could never think of handling. During my time at Otis College of Art and Design, I had to get to school by any means necessary. Whether it be riding two buses and two trains every morning, or driving nearly 3 hours each way just to get there, I feel like I‘be always had to work harder to get to where I need to be, so now I push myself in everything that I do. That perserverance and determination has made me into the artist I am today. Growing up, I was very obsessed with Disney movies, and my all time favorites happened to be The Nightmare Before Christmas and Alice in Wonderland. I loved the whimsical and creepy nature of these films so much so that they have continued to be the influence in my art for the last 20 years. I like to think the characters I create reflect a little bit of my own zany rabbit or cat self, depending on my mood. The stories are built from what I think my alternate universe might look like when cartoon nightmares and dreams take over. Combine all of that with my love for 1930’s – 50’s aesthetic, horror, and surrealistic artists Mark Ryden and Camille Rose Garcia, and you get Rabbit Hole Dreams. Over the years, some of of the lessons I have learned include: 1. Always have deals In writing, 2. Know your worth, and don’t undermine what you value your artwork to be priced at, and 3. Always back up your files to an external hard drive, in case you spill coffee all over your laptop.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One place that I always tell people to go for drinks and a cool environment is Beetlehouse LA; spooky decor and people dressed up as Tim Burton characters are always fun! For all your shopping needs, Del Amo Fashion Center has numerous floor levels of shops that seem to go for miles. If you’re in downtown LA, Melrose always has cute boutiques and interesting people all around. Dinner has many faces, but one option you could go for is Koreatown Pizza Co. in Koreatown for some Korean BBQ fusion pizza. The savory and sweet flavors play excellently together in both their pizzas and burgers. Last but not least, for dessert, I would highly recommend the ice cream shop named The Dolly Llama. Also located in downtown LA, The Dolly Llama has bubble wrap shaped waffle cones that have some of the richest flavors I have ever had.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to my parents-who have always believed in me and my abilities. Love you guys, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.

Website: www.rabbitholedreams.com
Instagram: @rabbitholedreams
Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/analicia-benavides-bb650486
Facebook: https://facebook.com/rabbitholedreams/

Image Credits
All artwork done by Analicia Benavides

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.