Meet Eric Cervantes | Freelance Artist

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

Hi Eric, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The idea for marketing myself and my art initially came out of a very positive response to personal work that I had done. My family was very supportive and instrumental in sharing what I had done with others in my community. That helped grow into opportunities to participate in community art shows and to interface with local business owners to both exhibit my art and create art displays for them.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art story goes way back nearly 30 years when I first discovered a passion for drawing and sketching. I would draw and draw all day. As I got older however and discovered different pursuits and hobbies, drawing fell by the wayside. It wasn’t until around 2018 that my younger sister, Sarah, who is a graphic designer and artist herself, re-introduced me to drawing. She showed me drawing on an iPad with Apple Pencil, and I was pretty hooked. At first I would borrow hers, as well as starting to collect various ink pens and sketchbooks, I fell in love with the art form of Mandala and symmetrical drawing. I’d say what sets me apart is my level of detail and intricate shapes, as well as my style of “creating by subtraction”, where I will create layers of work just to erase and reshape it to combine it with other layers to make something entirely different. Getting to where I am at now has not been easy, with lots of other things competing for my time, but it has been interesting, and it hasn’t discouraged me from continuing to pursue it. Something I’d love for people to know about my art is that if they have the desire to create, they can do it too! I didn’t start drawing at the level I am today, it’s taken hours and hours of practice, trial and error, and failure, but I can see a marked improvement in my execution now.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Definitely have some amazing places here in Aurora that are worth visiting. Tredwell Coffee has amazing selections and atmosphere, and is also the place I had my first ever solo art show. Wyckwood House has awesome boutique shopping and a cocktail bar with specialty drinks and beautiful lounge. French 75 Cocktails and Gallery features premium cocktails, amazing service and equally amazing rotating art displays. Two Brothers Roundhouse offers an extensive drink and food menu, along with unmatched atmosphere in an historical train roundhouse. El Tio’s tacos is our family favorite for authentic Mexican food, and we love to hangout Wednesdays at Tavern on Broadway for pub trivia night. The Paramount Theater is an absolute must visit with award winning Broadway caliber shows. For younger families, I also highly recommend Blackberry Farm. We love Aurora, and we love raising our family here.

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?
I’d like to credit my amazing wife and partner, Missy. She has been my absolute biggest supporter, cheerleader, therapist, business partner, assistant, and manager. My sisters have been very supportive as well, and always know how to encourage and prod me into doing things I might not have done otherwise.

Instagram: Ericcervantes_art