This Weeks Member Spotlight / Artist Edition: Miguel Molina
Tell us a little about yourself and what you do?
I am a plastic artist and sound engineer from Caracas Venezuela. I have been working on two collections of paintings inspired by original músic. The collections are named “ghetto women” or “mujeres de barrio” and “polimorphs”. The “GHETTO WOMEN” collection is a tribute to women especially those that survive everyday in one of the worst living sceneries ever, the third world ghettos, or barrios, or favelas. With this collection, I hope to create awareness about the reality of the third world countries by showing the poor and difficult way of living of must of the third world citizens. On the other hand, the collection “POLIMORPHS” is a critique against the transgenic food. By showing possible mutants that can be generated by the bad use of transgenics in food.
What has been the most challenging moment in your career?
I’m facing the most challenging moment of my career right now because I’m trying to live from my art in a place where most people are facing extreme poverty or are taking big strives to simply buy toilet paper. It has been very difficult for me to keep working on these two collections since people here don’t understand very much the message and are always looking for a painter to work in what they want instead of appreciate the work that the artist is trying to express. In a way this is a good thing too because that forced me to learn other languages and other ways of communication in order to reach other places and people.
What was your most braggable moment?
My most glorious moment was my daughter Samantha’s birth. She has changed my life forever. She brought the color to my life. Literally, her arrival made me understand the meaning of color and the thousands of ways we face them everyday and how they affect our mood. Color is sound and vice versa…and it has the power to affect the psyche, and create sensations. By being exposed to my little girls toys, books, movies, etc. I started to feel good using pure colors in my compositions.
What do you feel most challenged by?
I feel challenged by time. That’s why I use mixed techniques to create my works faster everyday like giclee, serigraphy, digital prints, fabric prints, oil, acrylics, glow inks, and much more that I’m learning more about every single day.
What are your greatest strengths?
My greatest strengths are my family and my mind. My family because they made me understand the value of many things and my mind because I’ve been able to adapt to many different situations that makes me the man I am today. I feel capable to face most difficult pictures of our reality today because I believe in myself, and also believe that the only thing that can’t be avoided is death.
What was the greatest lesson you’ve learned from a mistake?
The greatest lesson I’ve learned from a mistake is that there aren’t many honest people out there and “WORD” these days doesn’t mean anything. Deals involving money must be made with signed documents that protect both sides. Also I don’t have too much faith in the word “mistake” because everything bad that happens to us is an opportunity to learn and grow…which is why we need to face our problems with a positive mind and know that your better know having learned from your mistake.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love that what I do allows for me to have my own schedule. I can be always there for my wife and daughter. Also, I love the power that every person has to express meaningful opinions through art, and giving meaning to my work is the most satisfying feeling that I’m feeling right now because thanks to technology I can share my work in real time to the entire world and create instant reactions that can help bring peace to those who see it.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of advice that I have ever received was from my mother and it is to keep myself honest and helpful, because being kind with yourself and with others doesn’t make you weak. Instead, it makes you have a clearer way of living and it always helps to reach your goals with no negative repercussions that being a bad person can bring. Be good and treat others the way you like to be treated.
How do you define happiness?
Happiness for me is to know yourself. To know your taste in food, clothes, places, countries, moments…and to be able to appreciate those little details in life. The ones that make you feel good. Happiness is a state of mind that we need to practice everyday because by knowing your place in the universe is the best way to be able to create big changes.
What’s a personal habit that you believe contributes to your success?
A personal habit that contributes to my success is the good use of time. Having a schedule is always good but being perseverant, dedicated and constant is more fun and brings the success without having to search for it . So I believe that everybody can reach their goals if they just make good use of their time.
What book are you currently reading?
I’m reading a book right now named “The ancient secret of the flower of life” by Drunvalo Melchizedek. It’s a very interesting; one I recommend to everyone.