Rising Stars: Meet Monica Moreno

Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Moreno.

Hi Monica, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
I believe I was born to create. From a young age, I couldn’t imagine a purpose in life beyond making things. My favorite childhood activities included filling in coloring pages, painting, drawing, crafting soft sculptures, experimenting with various materials, and daydreaming. I had an extremely active imagination. 

School only reinforced my passion for creating. I found the most joy in school projects that allowed me to transform academic data into art and design assignments. I thrived on the challenge of following parameters while infusing them with artistry, often going above and beyond my classmates. 

My artistic interests have always been vast and ever-expanding. I dabbled in playing the guitar and piano throughout my life and experimented with a toy drum machine, a 4-track cassette recorder, and a karaoke mic in my high school and post-high school days. I also trained in classical ballet, tap, and jazz during middle school and high school. Later on, I briefly performed with a couple of dance companies. My exploration of audio led me to discover a love for experimental sound, even though I initially aimed to become a music artist or studio engineer. 

My insatiable curiosity drives me to learn every available method of creation. Writing, poetry, sewing, costume accessory making, graphic design—my interests are diverse, and I follow where inspiration leads. I avoid limiting myself, embracing a wide range of tools and techniques. Depending on the project, I choose the medium that resonates most with my current feelings and brings the most amount of pleasure. 

As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned that our abilities often exceed our expectations. I never imagined I could work with metal, but after discovering metalsmithing and jewelry-making programs some years ago at community colleges, I overcame my insecurities and dived in. Since taking my first metal-smithing course, I’ve been enamored with the possibilities of metalwork. Nowadays, I craft fine and contemporary art jewelry and sculptures while also devoting time to my other beloved artistic mediums when I can. 

I have had the pleasure of exhibiting my work in both physical and virtual exhibitions, earning awards for some of my pieces. I am returning to teaching as a teaching artist, sharing the craftsmanship knowledge I’ve gained throughout the years. Additionally, I continue to offer my costume accessories and fine jewelry for sale through my websites and at occasional in-person events. 

To put it very plainly, I wouldn’t be where I am today without my ravenous curiosity and the encouragement and support of community college instructors, mentors, and the people closest to me. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey has not been a smooth one, and it’s only recently that I’ve started to feel more stable. I attribute the rough years to a lack of confidence, which left me uncertain about which path to take in life. The people around me and society in general influenced this uncertainty. Many of us are aware that as we grow older, we are urged to sacrifice our creativity and imagination for things deemed “practical.” Feeling pressured to choose an education for a “sensible” career that I’d keep for the rest of my life was overwhelming to me. 

Despite my efforts to keep my creative spirit alive, it often drifted away under the pressures and expectations of adult life. Creating felt as essential as breathing, yet I couldn’t figure out the best way to make a living from it, leaving me feeling suffocated and unhappy. 

I’ve come to realize that if I had been confident in myself and not influenced by advice rooted in fear disguised as practicality, I would have understood that I had many options. I wouldn’t have felt limited and would have seen that the successful artists I admired were once like me. While many variables influence success, knowing my options and having a mentor would have made a world of difference. 

This realization ignited a passion within me for developing and managing my life partner’s non-profit organization, PIECES, which provides opportunities in the arts for young people aged 18-25. This endeavor was deeply personal to me, as I was determined to prevent the stifling of other young people’s creative spirits. 

When I was in elementary school, I experimented with a couple of creative business ventures. Later in life, I tried a few more, determined to find the best fit for me. Now, I finally feel that I’ve found my place, largely due to accepting that my art is my business. This realization led me to learn more about business and develop a more serious entrepreneurial mindset. Many creatives struggle with underselling themselves and not valuing their art enough to be paid for, but embracing this mindset has made a significant difference for me. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As an interdisciplinary artist, I create using various techniques and materials. Primarily, I am a designer and maker of fine art jewelry and contemporary art jewelry. I am also known as a sculptor, and to me my jewelry pieces are small-scale sculptures. My jewelry and studio artwork can be viewed at www.Desviado.com. I take pride in creating everything myself, from start to finish. Most of my pieces are one-of-a-kind or made in small batches, making them meaningful and unique as they are thoughtfully crafted rather than mass-produced. They are wearable pieces of art. 

In addition, I consider myself a performer, poet, and sound artist—a multimedia creator. Beyond my studio work, I also make fashion and costume accessories, which are available at www.Desviado.shop. Many stylists, photographers, and cosplayers have used my creations, and some of my accessories are popular choices for Halloween costumes. 

My fashion and costume accessories show my playful side. My jewelry and studio artwork reveal my serious nature. I explore the human anatomy and delve into themes such as faith, religion, emotions, spirituality, and our interconnection to the natural world. It is a testament to the beauty within the complexities of human experiences. 

One of my goals is to create public art and installation pieces. I’ve been brainstorming and conceptualizing ideas for quite some time now, and these projects will complement my existing body of work. 

After a brief pause, I am returning to teaching as a teaching artist. Sharing my varied knowledge of artmaking is rewarding. I love witnessing the moments of excitement and discovery on people’s faces. They remind me of experiencing those same moments myself. 

How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
I am extremely interested in creating public artwork, encompassing sculpture, performance, and installation pieces. I’d also love to get my foot in the door, having my fine jewelry available for sale at museum stores and art galleries. Additionally, I’ve been actively seeking residencies where I can dedicate myself fully to the creative process without the distractions of everyday life. In the future, I envision developing my first solo exhibition. I’m also open to developing workshops for further teaching artist engagements. 

If anyone has the space and resources to support these endeavors, I’m eager to connect. Additionally, I’m open to collaborating with other artists, particularly performance artists who resonate with my work and would like to collaborate, perhaps by creating costume pieces and props. That’s another thing I’ve been daydreaming of for some time. 

For more ways to support my work, including becoming a patron through Patreon, you can find information on my website under “Patronage.” 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Desviado.com, www.Desviado.shop
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monicathecreator/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desviado/
• Other: https://www.patreon.com/Desviado