Meet Elisa Galvan | Illustrator & Comic Author

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

Hi Elisa, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I’ve dedicated the last couple of years to creating social comics that represent the impact of toxic masculinity in Mexico. Due to the increase in violence against women, I wanted to dive into the male perspective to understand why they commit abuse. So, I was awarded a government sponsorship to develop a graphic novel about this issue and portray the types of violence that make our society a broken one. I want people to look at the problem in the eye through my illustrations and comic strips, and somehow make them take the first step to have an open conversation about this with their community.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It is a neverending path of learning. Working in animation as a character designer, I always was left with an unsatisfied hunger to develop my own stories. I wanted to create characters that could emphasize human emotions as well as the complexity that came with them. It was daunting to create a story that centered a male character in the whole toxic masculinity conflict, but after showing a couple of panels it resonated with so many people. I think that art should create an open dialogue with the audience, and that is what is happening with my graphic novel “The Mist”. People are opening up about their vulnerabilities, past mistakes, and how they can be better for the community.
As long as I have watercolors and ink, I want to keep making stories through illustrations and characters that have universal emotions.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I tend to be a very quiet and private person. Whenever I want to meet with a friend, I want the place to be relaxing, surrounded by trees, and to offer a wide variety of tea. I love long strolls through a park or forest to escape the urban sounds of Mexico City. And it’s always exciting and refreshing to go to some cabins in the woods to spend long hours in front of a bonfire and tell horror stories.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The Ink Society (Sociedad de Tinta in Spanish), a Mexican women’s artists’ organization.

Website: www.elygalvar.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elygalvar/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elygalvar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elygalvar/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXeBUI7LwURbpzOzTKunIgw

Image Credits
Elisa Galvan