Meet Celeste Rodriguez: Artist

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

Hi Celeste, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I have always communicated better through art. It gives me a way to express my truth and make an impression on the audience with my messages. It is also my secret little world, in where I can add symbols or secret messages just for me in my pieces. Creating also gives me such a great sense of accomplishment. Art is pretty magical when you think about it. Artist create forms, images, and ideas from thin air and gives it existence in the world. I know that I will never be able to stray from creating for long, so I am making it into a career so it can fulfill all aspects in my life. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
On this side of the country, I don’t come across a lot of Mexican or Latinx artists. It is a bit of a newer genre here, but I find that I can be a part of this new movement of art here. I want to start conversations and expose the struggles about what it means to be Mexican-American. It isn’t easy, because it leaves me vulnerable and it sometimes brings up challenges from others to what my experiences have been, but silence will not be an option for me anymore. I graduated with a BA from GSCU, and I learned not just how to be a better artist, but how to think like one too. How to give and get critiqued, and how to portray your message unapologetically through paint. I would say, the biggest favor you could do to yourself as an artist, is to paint anything and everything all day everyday. Do you have a weird memory from your childhood that has always stuck with you? Paint it. Do you have a tool you use in your everyday life? Paint it. Is there a moment in your life that has given you joy, shame, horror, loneliness, or pride? Paint it.

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 am gonna be geeky and say the first thing that came to mind was the High Museum. I have been there a handful of times for some art shows and I always have a wonderful time. I also love checking into what The Bakery Atlanta is up to. They always have art shows, live music, workshops, or community events going on. The people who run it are lovely and it is great to find talent there. The Flying Biscuit has great breakfast food, while Hodgepodge Coffeehouse always has yummy drinks and baked goods. My favorite place for burgers is Grindhouse Killer Burgers, and the best green curry I’ve had is from Little Bangkok. I also like the natural trails in ATL, my favorite is the Vickery Creek Trail at Roswell Mill.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give the biggest shoutout to my parents. They have sacrificed so much for me and my brothers by crossing into a country with nothing in their pockets. It is because of them I have been able to pursue art. I also want to give a huge thanks to my mentor Valerie Aranda from GCSU for being the most encouraging and insightful professor, and for connecting with me on a personal level. And last, but definitely not least, my best friend Laine Gay, who is also a bomb artist and has kept me from overthinking myself into the ground and encouraging me to look past insecurities.

Website: celesterodriguezcreations.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celeste.rguez.creations/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CelesteRguez_