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

Hi Mario, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I pursued a creative career because I genuinely love art and it’s many forms. I want to be able to connect with people on a deeper level than verbally. I want the energy I put into my craft to gravitate towards people as well as other people’s work gravitate to me.

With this career pathway , I am able to generate income by doing what I love to do . Another reasonI chose this route is because I don’t see myself working for corporate companies when I get older. I want to work for myself and alongside other people.

My father taught me that creating with a plan is better than creating without a plan . If you’re re doing what you love to do without a plan or an idea of where you want to be and how you are going to get there , your love will continue to be a hobby rather than turn into a career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As far as my art goes , I am most proud of being able to create clothes for a fashion show alongside my girlfriend , @eternallymeraki , this past May .

To get to where I’m at today , I had to overcome many challenges . One of the main challenges was feeling unmotivated. I would look at other people who were doing better than me and compare myself , so I had to develop the mindset to continue on my own journey and not worry about another persons’ . There have been times where I’d have a million and one ideas but have no motivation to go through with the idea . In order to pull myself out of those droughts, I had to take initiative and not only say i’m going to do something but ACTUALLY do it !

One lesson that I learned from the most is to not care about what other people say. In this life you will receive a lot of hate and negativity, but it’s up to you to not let it get the best of you. You have to be unapologetically yourself all the times and not let anyone break that out of you .

World , I want you to know that I’m going to have a positive and memorable impact on everyone I come across and every boundary I overstep .

KRYPTIC WILL BE A HOUSEHOLD NAME !

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting , I would bring them to Sweetwater Creek State Park . I have a spot that I always go to where you can sit and chill on the rocks and enjoy the view the water .

For the eats, we can go to Cinnaholic ! It’s like Cinnabon, but vegan .They have a wide range selection of vegan cinnamon rolls .

After a day of fun , Sparkles Family Fun Center would be the way to go . Saturday and Sunday skate sessions be a vibe !

Honestly , I’m still exploring the city myself . But , one thing I do enjoy , is going to an underground event . The music and fashion is crazy in the underground scene . I would 100% recommend going to an underground event .

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give credit to my older sister , Kharlis . Without her , I would not have picked up a pencil to draw or be able to put together an outfit . She influenced the way I dress and my confidence levels .

I would also like to give credit to my father for not only giving me creative freedom, but teaching me how to run a business .

My girlfriend deserves credit for being by my side for the last year boosting my creative energy and critiquing me .

Lastly, I can’t forget about my friends, family and former teachers who supported me even when times were hard . They helped mold me into the creative I am today .

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kryptic__?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Other: Tattoo Page : https://instagram.com/kryptic.inkk?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Image Credits
Muhammad Khaerisman

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.