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

Hi Azul, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
At first, I wanted to create unique pieces of handmade jewelry for myself. I wasn’t finding colorful artsy and stylish accessories in the market, so I decided to make them. And the process felt amazing. I’m a visual artist, so creating little pieces of art made absolute sense.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been an active visual artist for over 15 years now, I get lost doing Paper cut, watercolor, acrylics, digital art, textile, sculpture, you name it. I lose track of time when I’m creating, and that’s the kind of feeling I want to pursue in life. It’s the most spiritual practice, that creative moment when it’s just my intuition dancing.
I think being an artist is never easy, it’s not the linear path that some professions provide. There are always fears, insecurities, and an infinite list of challenges. The biggest lesson is believing in yourself.

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?
I would definitely take them to nature, to hike, and to surf as much as we can around LA. A perfect local day would include a breakfast burrito at Flake, biking around Venice and surfing in the afternoon. Some live music in the Hollywood bowl, and a dancing session at Funky soul.

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?
So many people have helped lead me to where I am today, but my grandparents were definitely a huge piece of the puzzle. Since I was a kid they took me to every important art exhibition that came to Buenos Aires (my hometown), so see live music, to the theatre. They were deeply invested in the culture and they knew how to share that with me. Forever grateful for how they shaped my life.

Website: www.azulaguamarina.com

Instagram: @azul.aguamarina

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