Meet Maiana Rose | Artist & Author

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

Hi Maiana, what role has risk played in your life or career?
There are two primary types of risk taking that I generally think about. One is about making bold statements artistically and the other is about taking risks in pursuit of passion. Pursuing anything for the sake of passion (as opposed to money i.e. security) requires stepping out of one’s comfort zone and is inherently “risky”. Navigating risk taking is an art in and of itself. There has been a natural eb and flow to my career as an artist, author, and entrepreneur. While I found ways to maintain a sense of security, I have also found myself leaning further into risk-taking, and getting more and more comfortable with it.

When it comes to taking risks, there are a few mantras, or sayings I have kept in mind. I bring them up, because I feel they address some significant themes that come up in regards to risk-taking. The first, “You miss all the shots you don’t take” What this means to me, is building a strong mentality around fear of failure and rejection. There is no risk taking without first confronting these fears. Of course, failure and rejection, for good reason, are something most people would like to avoid at all costs. It can be painful and disheartening. However, if your passion requires you to take risks, by “reframing” failure and rejection as not something to fear, but lessons and blessings. You can begin to learn from such experiences, and use them to constructively critique your work, or idea, for improvement , a more clarified, refined vision, and gaining personal resilience.

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is another one I find very applicable for the evolution of my brand Drawlaland, and my work as an artist/author. To me these words of wisdom are really addressing the necessity for diversification, i.e. expanding potential outcomes and managing my expectations. When my first book came out, “Oh, The Pics That You’ll Post!”, there were so many moments my efforts really felt like “throwing spaghetti at a wall” and if I was lucky, one or two noodles stuck. Unpacking these words of wisdom is really about understanding that attachment to one outcome is more detrimental than anything; the ability to pivot and adjust to keep the energy moving is essential.

You won’t always have control over “which noodle” sticks to the wall…if any! Personally, in addition to expanding efforts I have also had to make time and space to dedicate to other facets of my career, such as producing more stable streams of revenue. Yes, it means I can’t give my full attention to my creative pursuits all the time, but energetically it allows me the freedom and creativity to continue to invest in it. I always have to remind myself It’s a marathon, not a sprint, so there are times where I have had to make a major push, and other times it works in my favor to turn my attention elsewhere. There are always risks to be taken, but you can do it from a space of non-attachment to the outcome, by not being reliant on that outcome. Whether your creative inspiration involves acting, visual arts, writing, a business or another worthy pursuit, It’s one giant balancing act. Instead of giving up, and telling yourself something isn’t working, because it feels too risky, find ways to make space in your life to safely disperse your eggs in many baskets. And If your arm gets tired from “throwing spaghetti”, take a break LOL!

As I move forward with my next pursuits: Presenting my work in an art show (I have been building a body of Acrylic Paintings…stepping beyond my digital artwork), putting up a Mural this summer in a small soon to be “art town” in New Mexico, for my friend Matty Mo @themostfamousartist, and two foreseeable books in my near future, the Sequel to “Oh The Pics That You’ll Post!”, called “Oh, The Dudes That You’ll Date!” (Which for me is a bit more of a creative risk…but I feel very much something I have earned…for all the *interesting experiences I have had dating in my twenties). And another, in collaboration with an Expert Psychologist/ Author… in addition to other creative pursuits, I continue to confront risks I will have to take. However, when following something that you have built yourself, there is nothing more rewarding than having it come to fruition… I encourage anyone who is inspired to create to continue to persevere and take risks, with an understanding of the challenges, lessons and satisfaction in the process itself. Isn’t that what life is about?

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My work as an artist and author, all very much lends itself to a larger commentary upon social media, and the digital era we are living in (or “Sliving” in as coined by Paris Hilton). Drawlaland is an artist handle, and “brand” I began, and represents somewhat of a “caricature of LA”. It is a lens through which the voice and tone of my artwork and writing can come through. It’s humorous, hyper-realistic, a little surreal, and inspired by pop-culture. I am a huge fan of pink, especially HOT, and pastels – how I would imagine the world, and LA, to look through the illusive “rose colored glasses”. Originally from the east coast and growing up in Santa Fe, I’m not exactly an LA native. However, having lived here for most of my 20’s I have very much participated in the glossy culture, while always taking it with a grain of salt. Ultimately looking at the world through this artistic vantage point means not taking the culture in LA, nor social media, nor myself for that matter, too seriously…which I’d like to think comes through in my work. The body of work I am building now, is a series of Pop Art Acrylics, (I included an image here of one of my recent works of a Marlboro Carton which reads instagram, inspired a reference of the parallels between facebook, and early tobacco companies, pre-surgeon general warning). I am also preparing to do my first mural of this piece, and hopefully not my last!. My hope is to continue to build my career as an artist, and produce more art for both physical and Web3 virtual spaces.

How did I get where I am today?…Well, if there is an end goal, I haven’t gotten there yet. (Haha, but when I do, you’ll know! LOL). As of right now, I am on a journey of really discovering who my authentic self is. By clearing out blockages, like self doubt, and self-defeating habits and distractions that have taken me away from my purpose, I have noticed things have begun to manifest in a really organic way. It’s really all about aligning again and again with who I am and what I want, and identifying what exactly I can share with the world. I remind myself of the adage, “you can’t get what you want until you know what you want.”

Finding my distinct authentic voice and perspective has really made me realize there is no such thing as competition when it comes to creativity. It’s easy to fall into a trap of telling yourself you “aren’t enough”, feel lesser than, or comparing ourselves to others. Social media can certainly precipitate that mentality. I always remind myself that yes, there are a million people, talented artists, doing amazing work out there, with so much talent, and success. It doesn’t mean there aren’t others out there in your lane…but within that lane, you can still find a way to carve your own path.

Salvador Dali, one of my all-time fave artists, has a quote I love: “Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.” No one is creating in a vacuum, that’s just not how art works. By shifting your focus to really tapping into authentic self and artwork, you can trust that the right opportunities, community, and support will align when you’re ready for them.

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 of the things I like most about LA is the accessibility to nature in a big city. I am a huge fan of the beach – and when I go, its usually either to Malibu or Laguna beach if I have time. (lots of secret coves there…not giving too much away ; ). I am also a big hiker as well. Some of my favorites include Will Rogers State Park, Franklin Canyon, hikes in Topanga/ Malibu, Griffith park are all really fun ways to spend the day. Food-wise, I am a huge fan of sushi, especially handrolls at Kazu Nori, Erewhon obvi! (white bean Kale avo salad), Gjusta, Scopa are some of my favorites on the west Side, I also love The Little Door – West Hollywood Adjacent, All-time, and Night market on the east side. These are just a few which come to mind, but there are many more amazing places to eat in this city. During the summer, there’s a lot of music going on, so I would definitely advise to check that out! If you can see a concert at the Greek Theater, it’s my all time favorite venue, it’s outside, with all the fun of the Hollywood Bowl, just a little smaller, and cozier. A few other places I love, are the Rooftop pool at Petit Ermitage, it is members only, but if you stay there one night it’s a pretty magical little haven. Also on the east side, as I mentioned I had my book signing at The Friend Bar, which is adorable aesthetically, (very Parisian and pink, decorated with André Saraiva’s graffiti stick figures) and a great place for dancing with great drinks! There’s also a lot of great art exhibits, and museums like The Broad, the Geffen Moca, and many galleries worth checking out! I could go on..,.

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 have many people to shout out in my journey! And more to come. But would never have been able to publish my first book “Oh The Pics That You’ll Post!”
without the guidance of Nicola Kraus, – My book Coach, Author of NYT Best Seller “The Nanny Diaries”

Bethany Marshall – My very entrepreneurial, amazing, badass publisher, who was very hands on with my whole process, and my friend Bill Swano, for being instrumental in that introduction.

I also, have to give shoutouts to the amazing establishments who Kindly hosted my book-signing events: The Bruce Lurie Gallery, The Petite Hermitage, The Friend Bar, all amazing businesses I hope to do more with in the future, and made it possible for me to host some very memorable book-signing events/ celebrations.

My friends and family of course! And my dog Roo B Tuesday

Website: https://drawlaland.com

Instagram: @drawlaland / @maiyonce_

Image Credits
I have the rights to all images other than the one titled Michael Allen Photo Credit – he has approved the use of this photo and goes by Michael Allen the others were taken by me, One is taken by my photographer friend Gettiny – Who I nominated (the one of me in front of my art in the pink attire) More of a casual photo as opposed to her professional work! @Gettiny @Michaelallencreative