Today we’d like to introduce you to Fafa Aguilera.
Hi fafa, 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?
I have lived in the United States since 2001.
I graduated as an architect in my home country Argentina, in 1986.
I come from a time when architects with a pencil in hand, we communicated what we imagined through sketches and drawings. That language grew within me as a way of expression.
Both my training and my passion for art led me down the path of exploring painting.
For one reason or another, playing around with art mattered more to me than the outcome of what I was creating, and that’s how one day art became my lifeline.
My passion for painting also extends to teaching, my classes are about playfulness! My goal is to transmit and facilitates creating art as a resource for community and personal enrichment.
A painting class is a mini-lesson in self-discovery, where you learn many things about yourself amidst brushes, paint, scraps of paper, glue, jumbled ideas in your head, and sticky fingers.
In 2016, I founded Tree of Art LLC. Since then, I’ve been sowing seeds of art, whether by selling my paintings or teaching classes. And I must say, some seeds have given some sprouts, while others have taken root, branched out, and flourished.
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?
When I moved to the United States I spoke very little English, and I had to learn not only the language, but also the culture.
Learning a culture goes far beyond just words.
It took me several years. My English is today still considered as “broken English”, a term that some consider impolite to use, but I find it very funny because I can’t help but imagine words coming out of my mouth all broken, with the letters scattered all over the floor.
In this questionnaire, I’ll probably be read as having proficient English. Thanks to Google Translate and AI, but my spoken English, with all its mistakes, is much more entertaining than my written one.
Technology is a huge challenge for me too. It’s also a language I had to learn, and I find it quite difficult for a lady my age.
It’s not just about practical learning; it’s also about managing the deluge of information that floods in, where everything is there and nothing seems entirely genuine. Just think of the smallest idea, we Google it, and there it is. So, many times i am dealing with “imposter syndrome.” I think there are more than me feeling that way.. which from what I read is very common nowadays. The world of ideas and images, I think (and I dare say) no longer belongs to anyone. They are there as ingredients to be combined so that all artists and creators can use them according to their skill, sensitivity, and potential.
Every artist has the ability to interpret reality in their own way. Everything we read online is a big part of today’s reality. Learning to overcome my insecurities also helps me understand others and their doubts when I teach art.
Like any undertaking, there are always more obstacles and challenges than moments of triumph. But learning to navigate them is undoubtedly the only way humankind left the cave, and the drawings they left behind before leaving the caves are clear proof that art served them to communicate, record, and visualize their achievements and realities.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Visual Artist:
While mixed media is my form of expression in most of my work, I do not limit myself to a particular technique, style, or method.
Art Teacher:
I provide not only the technical tools and materials but also how to navigate creativity, embracing achievements and overcoming the obstacles imposed by self-criticism.In my classes,
I paint alongside the participants, guiding them through the stages of the creative process and sharing the same technical and emotional obstacles they encounter.
In my workshops, I empower everyone to unleash their individual abilities, regardless of their skill level or experience.
I foster teamwork where empathy plays a key role in breaking down the prejudices of “I don’t know” or “I can’t.”
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I have good group management skills where empathy and humor take the lead.
I consider myself an enthusiast, with an enthusiasm that is very contagious!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fafaaguilera.net
- Instagram: @fafaaguilera
