Meet Miranda Batista | Illustrator, Graphic Designer

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

Hi Miranda, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Though being a visual artist entails creative freedom, risk taking and self-discovery through our craft, it’s troubling that one of the most saturated industries lacks heavily in inclusivity. So much of the art industry is network based and often, the right people make the wrong connections. Along with this, accessibility to equipment is difficult, mainly due to extremely high costs and rising costs for already very expensive programs. Many upcoming and already established artists aren’t granted the opportunity to meet those who would actually help them progress in the industry. This is sometimes due of the lack of proper equipment, and other times because they were never given the chance to move forward. Addressing and working on these issues could start a whole new wave of art representation and appreciation, by artists and consumers.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a self-taught illustrator and current graphic design student. I’d say the type of art I make is a mixture of surreal portraiture and light-horror. I absolutely love creating characters and sometimes animating them as well. Aside from my illustrations I also pursue design. I really love creating posters and making graphics in Adobe Illustrator. My goal is to continue finding ways to merge illustration and design as well as find new ways to spread art throughout communities.

I hope to one day work as a designer and illustrator in the film industry. I get so much fulfillment from being able to story-tell through my art. I think getting into moving image and animation will allow me to share my work in an impactful way. It wasn’t particularly easy getting to this point, sometimes, I had others discouraging me from pursuing art professionally. Some people think there’s no money in it, no stability either. It’s kind of always been “That’s nice. But, what do you actually wanna do?” Art. I want to do art.

Art is what I’m proud to do, and I’ve accomplished a lot after over a decade of working on my craft. I’m proud in having made over one hundred pieces and I’m even happier that they all look like they were made by the same artist. I don’t think that there’s anything that could replace the feeling of knowing that you have truly created your own image and your own work. The hardest part is getting the proper exposure, but that takes patience too. I want people to see how dedicated I am to art and how much I put into my work.

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?
If I had to choose a place I’d want someone to visit in Baltimore, it would be the Walter’s Art Museum. I went there when I was much younger, and the art they have in there is stunning. Graffiti Alley is another place that can also be a great art experience and chance to appreciate the spray paint medium. As far as food goes, I would definitely recommend Golden West Cafe if you’re looking for New Mexican dishes. I’ve never been to The PaperMoon Diner, but several people have recommended me this place as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Since I’ve been granted the opportunity to dedicate my shoutout to someone, I would like to thank the three artists I am most currently influenced by. An active artist in the design and illustration community and previous professor of mine Erik Miller for his kindness, dedication to his students, and the encouragement he’s given me in pursuing design and the visual arts. My significant other Jihaad McDonald for teaching me about audible art, and showing me all the emotion that goes into creating music. And lastly, my best friend Ayanna Graham, for growing with me as an artist and creating art by my side. These people have tremendously changed how I perceive art daily.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ar.disy