Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Charro.
Mia, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I began to draw when I was a little girl. I especially loved creating stories in my mind and then writing them on paper and illustrating them. I had a teacher who really encouraged me to write, oh how valuable good teachers are! Being able to create worlds in my imagination and then, being able to capture them on paper to transmit them fascinated me.
I also had the luck of growing up in an environment full of nature and mystery. I spent my childhood running among trees, sunflowers, chickens, cats and mysterious ramshackle houses.
Then, I graduated in Advertising and Public Relations. But I didn’t like the job perspective much so I did a web design course and I started working at an online courses design company, where I made hundreds of drawings.
There, I rediscovered my passion for drawing and improved my digital illustration technique (Photoshop, Illustrator…)
Later, with the crisis, I decided it was time to step up and bet on myself. So, I became a freelancer.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I always try to create inspiring art, making it positive so it empowers people. Years ago, I had very strong anxiety crises and I knew that if I wanted to get out of that situation, I needed to make some big changes. I started practicing yoga, meditation, changed my diet and drastically slowed down on my work. I learned to live a slower life, to recover my concentration, to focus on the smaller details, to flee from the hustle and bustle… I also realized how important it is to feed the mind with the right thoughts, to plant seeds that make you grow. I usually accompany my illustrations with positive phrases, because I want to make these type of seeds grow in the minds of people, so we can recover our positivity and peace at a social level.
I feed off from my contact with nature, as it sets my soul on fire, calms me and makes me drink from the fountains of inspiration. It’s the origin of everything, something without which we cannot live. We need that symbiosis with the forests, the meadows, the beaches, the mountains. The Japanese practice the shinrin-yoku, which means “forest bath.” Every tradition has sought balance and health in nature and I believe that it’s a vital pillar for the individual and modern society.
When you’re in the forest, stress levels decrease and your mind becomes much more creative. It’s in nature, barefoot, where I’ve had my best ideas: Frida Cathlo, my jungle of animals with flowers on their heads, Starry Night…
What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
I think that the artist’s role has always been to communicate, in fact, the word “art” originally means “to communicate”. It’s an internal need, we need to express ideas that help or that we believe may help society.
I’ve always believed that the artist’s role is to give hope, to create a space of positivity without falling into vanity, from a service point of view, to try and make our contribution to keep moving forward.
For me, artists aren’t necessarily painters, musicians. The teachers who encourage their students also make art, scientists like Nikola Tesla, whose discoveries revolutionize society also make art. Anyone who seeks to spread the grandeur of the human soul is an artist.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I have the great fortune of working with a Jewel Branding Licensing Agency, so I’ve collaborated with companies such as Anthropologie, Dr. Oz the Good Life, Better Homes, and Gardens, Studio Oh… and I also have an Etsy store and a Society6 store where you can find my prints, mugs, pillows…
You can visit my website www.miacharro.com to see the links.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.miacharro.com
- Email: miacharro@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miacharro/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miacharrocreations/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaCharro
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MiaCharro
Image Credit:
Mia Charro
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