Interviewee: Tiffany Barrios .
Today, I had the chance to interview a fellow art student that I’ve come to know over the past year, and given that she was the first person to respond to my instagram story where I made an open invite for people that were interested in being interviewed for my Artist Interview Artist series. I realized that maybe instead of just interviewing artists, that I would interview people that I know and highlight who they are and what drives them in their pursuits and craft. So to kick off the Artist Interview 2019 Summer Series, Tiffany Barrios is the first guest of this series! This interview was conducted in person at Laguardia Community College.
Q1. Hello Tiffany, Thank you for joining me in the latest iteration of this series. Its been Two years since I started this specific blog so I figured why not start off with the first question. Who are your inspirations?
TB: Well I guess I could say the creator of Naruto. When it comes down to it, I guess you could say that since I was little I've seen things and heard things. So I get my inspiration from that stuff. Anime in general, is my inspiration. Whatever you grow up with that's what your inspired by. It might sound very negative but after watching a movie based on Jim Carroll, and they movie called The Basketball Diaries with Leonardo Dicaprio. Im very inspired by people who've had a history of drug use and overcame it , being rehabilitated and inform.others about the dangers of drugs and staying away from them. So I put drugs in my work to highlight those topics.
Q2. How did you get into art?
TB: Well I guess after my dad died, I started to learn more about colors and animation. Even though I stick to traditional, I have fun with experimentations. Plus, who doesn't like praise? Haha.
Q3. What drives you in your daily life?
TB: To be able to draw? It's practically been a month since I've drawn anything. But I sorta want to get back into it, plus I've left my art department, so I should probably pick it back up.
Q4. What made you the person that you are today?
TB: Well as a kid I was sheltered but over the years I struggled with social anxiety, but thanks to therapy I was able to manage. But I'm looking to find something to put my all into. I still love art but I do not miss carrying art bags and tripping people.
Q5. If you could speak to any living creator or inspiration, who would it be, why, and what would talk to them about?
TB: haha I would speak to the creator of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Like, I would want to ask him where he gets his inspiration from? He creates cool characters that are awesome, like he made a character based on David Bowie. Who would've thought that a David Bowie is a character would be a serial killer? that's just dope.
Q6. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
TB: if I could back pack anywhere to any continent, I would definitely go to Japan.
Q7. If there were any deceased creators , actors, singers, writers, etc that you would want to speak to, who would it be, and why?
TB: the creator of Highschool of the Dead. Hmm, I'm gonna think of a reason haha. Mostly because I love stuff that has something to do with zombies. And I wanted a second season, but unfortunately the creator died and it was all over social media. But I would speak to him.
Q8. What is one thing that you fear?
TB: I guess waking up one day and realizing that I have no one. How can people live without friends? That's the one thing that I wonder.
Q9. What's one thing that you're proud of?
TB: I guess that I made it this far. In the past I didn't think I would have inspirations, but after graduating, I started to think about things, that I actually wanted to do and realized that there is so much that I want to do. So maybe talking too much, but it's something that I really want to achieve.
Q 10. If you had a superpower what would it be and why?
TB: Flying. I love things that have something to do with zodiac signs. Since I'm a Sagittarius, i feel that were so influenced by a lot of media that we don't get to think about who we want to be. It's important to be what you want to be, so playing games like Poptropica, I would always fly and imagine the freedom of flying. If I could, I would fly all over Central Park just to get inspiration.
Q11. What catches your attention when you meet people?
TB: I guess their facial expressions. We as people are very unique, but when it comes down to it..hahahaha that's it, I don't know what else to say haha.
Q12. What is one word of advice that you would impart to your younger self?
TB: I guess, ask for help. Umm, I guess, work on your time management skills. Because when I went to see that one artist Rashka, he told me one time that he is more prone to do things earlier than later. I'm jealous but it's what it is.
Q13. What are three books that you always remember or return to, and why? How did they shape you?
TB: this one book on Nazi's , it was called The Book Thief. I wasn't a big fan of the books because I felt that novels with just words doesn't give me enough information beyond just the words sometimes. But I liked that books because it was about a little girl who would write books in the darkness, with very little food, trying to survive her conditions.
Maybe the manga Oyasumi Punpun. He's like this little bird creature but it turns out that's how he sees himself. The creator of the manga is a strange man, but of course everyone has their quirks. But it's about a young boy who gets exposed to the world, and meets a girl that he falls for but then over time she returns and she isn't who he recognized once before. And he doesn't like that, so he falls under peer pressure, and feels that he won't amount to anything in life and that's very relatable.
And for my third book, the first chapter of Naruto. His words "never give up" is very inspirational to me.
Q14. Who In this life, has motivated you to stay true to what makes you who are?
TB: other than the negative people that I never speak to again, but mostly it's the people I interact with in my life. I think the lesson that I learned is to be careful of other people.
Q15. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?
TB: I guess in an office with a really nice graphic computer, being surrounded by the people I like.
Q16. What are three albums or songs currently, that you listen to on repeat? And why?
TB: Alright, I know this. I listen to music everyday. I wouldn't say albums but I have certain songs. Umm, well there's this one song that my brother recommended to me by the band called A Perfect Circle's " Rose". I also like listening to lo fi, so anything lo fi, I have a playlist. I'm looking for more songs.
*Scrolls through her phone.
TB: The vaporwave mix of Foster the People "Pumped Up Kicks".
Q17. What color speaks to you the most and why?
TB: Galaxy. Galaxy colors. You tell me to draw fireworks , I don't know what to do. It's very liberating, I'd love to go into space and be an astronaut. Like, I don't want to be an astronaut per say, but I would like to experience going into space. There are people who pay millions to go into space and they don't know what they're doing. So Galaxy colors do that for me.
Q18. What is a mantra that you tell yourself?
TB: Today will be a good day, don't let others words get you. You can do this.
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