Today we’d like to introduce you to Merilyn Hernandez.
Merilyn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It’s funny the way life plays out, I never knew who I would become as I adjusted into adulthood. I certainly did not see myself becoming an “artist.” Art came into my life in a very unpredictable way. I wasn’t ever encouraged to go down the route of the arts, and I tried ascribing to the more traditional trajectories in college but art found its way to me, and I couldn’t step away.
Unlike most painters, I didn’t pick up a paintbrush until I was 19. I was doing an internship in Yosemite and had to keep a field journal of my observations. I sketched a lupine and one of the rangers I was working with ([Shirley Spencer] who is a phenomenal watercolor artist) saw my drawings and immediately encouraged me to buy a set of watercolors and take painting classes.
I was so floored to have someone I admired encourage me to go down this route that it gave me the confidence to give it a try. I immediately became enthralled by the medium, it was cathartic and an outlet I truly needed. I have struggled with depression for most of my life and for the first time I had something that could manifest and release my inner emotions in a positive way. It’s corny, but art really changed my life for the better. I would be miserable without it.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
God, being an artist is never easy. I’ve definitely had my fair share of struggles going down this route. When I was first starting out that was the hardest. I grew up poor, and that didn’t magically change when I got into painting, it got dramatically worse. The “starving artist” image became my life. Art supplies are expensive!
The art world can be a cruel place if you didn’t grow up with inherent privilege. Until you “make it” I don’t think there’s really any glamour about being an artist. It looks great from an outside perspective; Instagram makes artists lives look so much easier and cooler than it often is. Being an artist comes with a ton of mixed emotions of whether your work is actually worthwhile and you end up working long hours trying to produce this thing you hope will resonate with someone.
To be honest, I think you have to be a little crazy to be an artist. You have to be resilient enough to earn the privilege to be able to partake in something so few people are often granted.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
One of the things I struggle most with is the business aspect of art. I never went into this thinking I was going to make money from my art. I know it’s probably the wrong mindset to have, but I don’t want to rely on my art as my sole source of income (at least not while I’m in my 20’s).
That puts way too much pressure on what I view as personal therapy. If I were only to think of the monetary aspect, I think I would lose interest in it because it would become me trying to project what I think others want to see as opposed to what I’m actually feeling.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
The ability to overcome hardships and to not allow yourself to become bitter by life is what I would consider being successful. You could be the wealthiest person in the world but if you are alone, have hate in your heart, and are bitter to the world it is just no way to live. As long as a person can find a way to happiness they are successful in my eyes.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @merilynh
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Merilyn.Hernandez.Art
Image Credit:
Gary Nellis
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