Daily Inspiration: Meet Rocio G. Montiel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rocio G. Montiel. 

Hi Rocio, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Thank you, Voyage LA, I’m so happy and grateful to be part of this. I’m Rocio Montiel “RGM”, I was born in Mexico, currently living in Los Angeles, CA, and I’m an artist.

I started my art career on May 2020 during the COVID lockdown. For many years, I’ve been painting and drawing but back then, it was more of a “hobby” and something I enjoyed doing for myself. I always kept my artwork in the “dark” because I felt it was something so personal and intimate. I believe art is a form of expression, a way to express your thoughts and feelings without words, so the idea of sharing my art was something I didn’t consider, until one day I submitted my art to an open call I saw on social media from an art gallery in Hermosa Beach, Shockboxx. Without any expectation, the gallery accepted my artwork, and both of my submissions got sold before the show. I was so surprised and excited, it was a very welcoming, encouraging, and fulfilling experience; having the opportunity to share my art, be appreciated, and have the opportunity of meeting such amazing artists and gallery members, made me feel so motivated to pursue a career as an artist.

The idea of sharing my art with everyone was pretty scary at first, but that’s the best decision I’ve ever made. Also, I began my art studies and enrolled in art school at Otis College of Art and Design in the Fine Arts Specialization, which has been an experience that has allowed me to improve my artistic skills, has guided me to find my voice in a wide range of mediums but, also, how to articulate my ideas through images that can speak to people.

Since the beginning of my artistic journey, I can highlight many great events. I became a member of the Los Angeles Art Association (LAAA), have been part of more than 20 art exhibitions in Arizona, California, New York, London, Greece, and Germany; received an award has the Grand Prize at the NY International Art Competition; been in different international art publications; meeting and collaborating with different artists and art organizations and more. Definitely, I’m proud of these accomplishments, but it hasn’t been easy at all. Making the decision of becoming an artist is a big challenge. It can be scary, but it has made me grow as a person in ways I didn’t imagine. By getting your art out there, for the world to see, you feel exposed in many ways. All of your thoughts, emotions, and ideas are reflected in your work so everyone can see them; it is challenging but it has been one of the best decisions I had made in my life.

Every step taken is a step further toward the life that I envisioned for myself. Must say, I’m still learning and building my path which I know will have many opportunities and challenges ahead, but every step is a step closer to where I want to be, small or big, but they are steps.

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?
It has been a journey of learning, and learning leads to challenging ourselves in different ways. Since I started my career, my experiences have been diverse, I cannot deny that from the beginning most of them have developed in a very natural and positive way, but it has not been easy either. My creative process has gone through ups and downs, I’ve hit the known “artist block”, I hesitated and let some art opportunities pass by, and I have been rejected from different exhibitions and other opportunities, but the point is for you to learn that all of this is part of the process. Is not a smooth process most of the time, but it’s always enriching.

Everything has been a learning experience with some difficult challenges but, in the end, you will always have the opportunity to grow from each experience. It is important to recognize that even in our difficult moments you will learn something; if one door doesn’t open, there will be others that will and give you more than expected.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a visual artist with experience in drawing, painting, illustration, and digital art. My artworks translate stories, feelings, and emotions using multiple patterns and organic movements full texture, and detail. In almost all of my artworks, I excel the use of color configurations and the art of transforming geometric and curvilinear forms. Depending on the art project, the use of shapes and color can variate but most of my projects have a geometric abstraction representation. What distinguishes my portfolio is that my paintings and drawings are full of intricate details and color mixing. Each art piece, in its own different way, carries these elements.

My techniques include acrylic paints, oils, pencils, colored pencils, charcoal, and ink. I’m always experimenting and trying new styles, techniques, and mediums to add to my art; therefore, my portfolio always evolves. This past year, I began to experiment with digital art and creating figurative art pieces. Recently I created a digital series titled “A REAL BODY”, a 2-volume digital painting that speaks about inner beauty and self-love—a project to put us beyond the eye and see further the exterior of ourselves.

This project is so meaningful for me is about self-love and body positivity. I wanted to explore that side of me and dig deep into my insecurities about how I conceive my body. I had shamed my physical aspect, drawn myself by negative thoughts creating such deep pressure on how I see myself. The constant narrative of “You have to be and look PERFECT in every sense and every way” attacks your self-esteem making it a draining and painful situation.

All this was a huge process for me, I wanted to translate my thoughts and feelings on these paintings. If there is something I like to do with my art collections is to create a story from them, especially sharing people’s stories, making each project something more than just my story to tell. This is a collective feeling and I wanted to express it by adding the stories of 13 random people and their portraits. This collection is one of my favorites and one of the most I’m proud of, it took me out of my comfort zone and challenged my practice, they are my first digital and figurative artworks. Also, this project has been so welcomed in many places, it has been in different publications like Altibä9 Magazine, Artist Talk Magazine, Slevin Magazine (coming soon), and others and in different exhibitions with The Holy Art Gallery in London and Cre8 Gallery in Los Angeles.

My goal is to keep evolving my artistic process, trying to add and use different styles and mediums in each project making my portfolio diverse.

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
A long time ago, I was considering studying Theater. Not many of my family members or friends know that I had a passion for acting or knew that I was considering studying Theater. When I was a kid, I wanted to be an actress, it was my dream. I had a passion for Performing Arts, took acting classes, besides my drawing classes in high school, and even had presentations around my city back in Baja California, it was very exciting and fun, but as I grow older, I realize my goals and dreams were directed towards other creative areas.

Since that time, I haven’t gotten into acting at all, now I enjoy going and appreciating a play instead of the idea of being part of it. I like acting cause I feel is liberating, is a form of art where you create and tell a story through a character, it’s amazing to accomplish this; plus, is fun to play being someone else once in a while.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rgmartist.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rgmartist/

Image Credits
Tess Burns