Meet Angelina Rataj | Illustrator, Fine Artist, and Graphic Designer

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

Hi Angelina, why did you pursue a creative career?
For as long as I can remember I struggled with the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I had many answers as a kid, but they never felt final. I always had an interest in art. It was something I did from a young age. In hindsight it was something I had a passion for, but it was never something I considered pursuing as a career. I guess I was just closed off to what a career in the arts really could be. It wasn’t until I took my first art class in high school that I began to really feel like this was something I can pursue. I had two teachers that really encouraged me to create and helped me improve my technique. When the time came around to start thinking about college I had this breakthrough- everything is art. So many things we look at on a daily basis have aspects of art and design that allow them to exist. It was in my Junior year of high school, in my art class, that I decided this is what I was going to do. It suddenly all made sense. When I was researching majors for college, I came across Illustration and it just felt right. I loved the versatility of it. There are so many projects you can take on and so many ways you can bring them to life. Music is my second love, and since then I’ve been finding ways to create work inspired by that. My ultimate goal is to create work for the music industry, for artists I listen to and love. I’ve been very lucky to have parents that encouraged me to explore my interests and pursue my passions. The support system I have definitely played a big part in me deciding to follow a creative path.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In my work I strive to capture a feeling or moment in time. Often exploring emotion. Somewhat recently I found a new way to combine my love of music and visual art. I began painting portraits of artists I listen to. I invited them into my world by having them interact with a character I created. For certain aspects of the painting I allowed myself to just trust my subconscious mind and intuitively translate the music I listen to into a visual medium. This recent process has really inspired me. Reflecting on my artistic journey, I think a big lesson I learned along the way is that you really never stop learning. My mom always told me that. Everyone has their own unique experiences and perceptions of the world. In a drawing class, when you’re all circled around a still life, everyone’s drawing the same thing. But we all see it in our own way. From different angles, with different lighting, we all find different things we want to focus on. Knowing this, really understanding it has allowed me to more freely be myself. In my life and in art. In fact it’s what I really love about art. You can’t anticipate how someone will perceive what you do or what you create. I can say what I want to say, and you as the viewer get to decide what you think I’m saying. This creates a dialogue, new ideas get thrown out into the world. Because we all perceive things through our own unique lens.

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?
If I was planning a visit for a friend around New York, I’d definitely take them around to see as many museums as possible. There are so many around New York to see. Recently I visited the MoMA PS1 in Queens with a friend and we really liked it! It would be hard to narrow down to a few, but if you’re visiting, the MET, MoMA, and the Whitney are a must see. As a fun activity, I’d want to give them something they can remember the trip by. There’s this place, BeadKraft, you get to pick out charms and make your own bracelet or necklace. I went with a friend and it was fun to go through the whole process together. I think it would be a cool memory to have.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to everyone in my life who has supported me. Without them I don’t know if I would be where I am right now. My parents have always encouraged me in any interest I had. From acting to painting, they’ve been there cheering me on. Having that knowledge in the back of my mind, that no matter what I do they’ll have my back, has been a huge help. My little brother who supports me endlessly. My friends who have helped me and my work grow. Lastly, the teachers I’ve been lucky enough to learn from, specifically from Curtis High School and the Fashion Institute of Technology. Without this support and encouragement I don’t think I would have had the realization that art is a career I can really pursue. I am forever grateful for everyone who’s believed in me enough that I believe in myself.

Website: https://www.angelinarataj.com

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

Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@illustrangie