Snapshot! Aurora Armijo

Aurora Armijo is a visual artist with winsome way of capturing women, pop culture, and teenage longings. Her work has been described as having a “loopy glee…whimsical yet sweetly erotic."

Aurora graduated from Fresno State University with a B.A. in 2004, which included an Artist in Residence internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts and Sciences. She’s been featured in numerous group shows and media outlets, and has enjoyed two successful solo shows to date. Ms. Armijo is available for commissions, ideas, and projects of heartwrenching proportions. And if you're based in southern California, she'll be hosting her third solo show at Downtown Darling in Long Beach this May.

Plug yourself into Aurora Armijo's virtual world, online at AuroraArmijo.com + on Twitter at @Aurocka.

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

I really loved a piece in my 2009 show--a large portrait of two women, embraced, painted in watercolor on a baby's wooden headboard from the 1960's. It really brought together all of the elements I am absolutely over the moon about and still regularly integrate into my personal work: particularly reused materials that have been locally sourced. It also provided a genesis for strong female-centric content. I knew then that I was in the right space for what I needed to say.

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

To "be practical". I know what that's code for, and the closest I want to be to being in a cube is watching "The Office" on my computer while I'm drawing.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

I worked in an office at one point that had provided a ton of internal anguish--I had felt horrible about wasting my passion and energy on something that did not forward my dreams. At one point my supervisor called me in and told me that I wasn't excelling at data entry, and she'd hate to be me, because my performance had me under evaluation from the higher ups. Her words were, "I'd hate to be at the end of an unemployment line." Her bravado disgusted me, and the reality of my insular little office job hit me like a ton of bricks. I wasn't afraid, because I didn't need that job. I saw opportunity. I was let go the next day. I took my severance, moved to Los Angeles, fell in love with a man who inspires and supports my efforts, and am now living my dream of being an artist.

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

Jennifer Emerling is a supremely talented photographer. Her photo stories take me to a different place and make me feel like I'm part of a hyper-active, beautiful environment. Her work is thoughtful and concise. Sometimes I dream in Jenn Vision. Those are the dreams I want to last forever.

I adore Elsie Flannigan! She always seems to have 14 different projects going at once, but they all tie together into her gorgeous brick-and-mortar store. She is a diligent, visionary worker and probably the sole reason I'd like to go to Missouri.

Caitlin Shearer is someone I've watched grow up on the internet. She might be young, but she's got her aesthetic down to a science. Her illustrations of fair, aquiline women seem so wise and delicate.

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

I remember getting my business cards in the mail and being so overjoyed! I showed them to an aquainance, Michael, at a bar, and he said with a huge smile, "seeing you excited makes me excited!" I loved that this man I barely knew shared this moment with me, and it made me realize that if you work on what you love, your energy is contagious and makes other people feel good too! People remember those who make them feel good; so smile, ask questions, and don't brush off an opportunity to show your enthusiasm! Talk about what you are working on. Talk about what you love.  And use that to connect with other people and their projects. Just keep up the momentum, follow up, connect, and exchange that positive energy and interest! The love that is returned back to you goes so much further than that initial 10-minute exchange.

Interview by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

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