Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiana Rodriguez
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I come from one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico. In Celaya, even hanging out with friends puts your life at risk. It’s not the kind of place where big dreams make it very far. But there was hope for me. My mom gave birth to me in the US, which meant I had an ace up my sleeve: a US Citizenship. That meant I could have the opportunity to pursue my dream; studying art and animation.
With big dreams and my whole life in a suitcase I moved to the Bay Area, where my aunt was kind enough to let me live with her. It was the stepping stone I needed.
Missing home, broke, and unable to speak English very well, I had to play the cards I was given and make do. For the next 4 years, I worked 2 jobs and was a full time student in a community college. After saving up, I transferred to LA to finish my Bachelor’s in animation at Cal State University Northridge .
Breaking into animation was the next step and man, it was challenging. It took a lot of rejection letters and hustle to get an intern position at a small animation company. What I thought was an amazing first step into animation turned out to be…unfortunate. They had me cleaning and organizing files. I had just been offered a full-time position as a Post Production Assistant at that same company when I finally heard back from Sony Pictures Animation and mitu. They liked my portfolio and the story I submitted of a little girl who, with the help of her grandpa, gets to escape her strict mother and go on adventures. Sony wanted me to create an animated short of my own story!. I immediately but respectfully turned down the smaller studio’s job offer so I could direct “Grandpa’s wheelchair” at Sony. The risk paid off—my short film was published and I was offered a full-time position as a storyboard apprentice!
Since then, I’ve worked as a Storyboard artist for productions such as Peanuts, Rick and Morty, and helped develop movies at Hasbro, Sony and Gaumont.
More recently, I’ve been painting while traveling to national parks and other countries. Somehow the stars aligned and I’ve had the opportunity to showcase my paintings in multiple gallery shows. Life works in mysterious ways.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The life of an artist is a life of constant hustle, determination and adaptability. My animation career has been difficult to navigate. There aren’t many Latinos nor women in this field. I’ve faced sexism, discrimination and overwork. Me and my fellow animation artists are currently fighting for better working conditions and regulations against AI.
Since there has been a lot of change in our industry, I started to become very anxious about the future and had an identity crisis. I was so blocked, unable to draw anything. I could fight something physical but I had no idea how to fight something invisible ; my self doubt. Luckily after being in nature more, meditating, reading The Artist’s Way, and finding the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh I rediscovered my creativity.
Despite the bumpy road, I see beauty in the struggle. Every obstacle prepared me for the next challenge. It took me years to realize my creative outlets were a way to mentally distance myself from the violence I encountered in my everyday life. The struggle made me a storyteller, and I’m so thankful for it. I am grateful for the amazing people who have supported me during my journey and I hope to make the path a little bit easier for the next person.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an Illustrator and a Storyboard Artist.
My job is to act out characters, and translate a script to a visual format by coming up with rough shots and sequence ideas.
I’m most proud of working on a movie by Sharon Bridgman at Sony Pictures Animation. A female director is hard to come across, and Sharon absolutely excelled at that role. Her original story was heartfelt, connected with other women and had a beautiful message. I contributed ideas that enhanced her story and brought her characters’ personality to life through my boards. I hope the project gets to see the light of day. Boarding that movie was truly a dream come true, especially since she worked on my favorite animated movie “Spirit: The Stallion of the Cimarron”…and I got to learn from her! Still blows my mind.
I’m fascinated by the world and excited to learn about everything. I don’t limit myself as an artist. Even though learning new skills or taking different paths can be scary, I feel the fear and do it anyway. I’m constantly learning and evolving. The more I experience life and learn how things work, the more creative I become.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I began questioning “the system” at six years old. One day during mass, a priest gave out a sermon saying that “A good woman should stay quiet and simply serve her husband”. I raised my hand and tried to debate with him because I didn’t believe a word of what he was saying.
I grew up to be a curious kid. In third grade I carried around a jar of small dead animals and insects preserved in ethanol alcohol. Pretty normal, right? Needless to say, I didn’t have many friends. I had my sketchbook and national geographic magazines to keep me entertained for hours. I would dream about traveling the world and I’d draw my imaginary adventures.
During high school I truly came out of my shell. I joined the theater club and hung out with musicians. The arts, especially theater, allowed me to experience the thrill of affecting others’ emotions through stories, images, and performance. From then on, I knew I wanted to do just that for the rest of my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tianaaguadoart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiana_art/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO5VdsMmSJ4
