Today we’d like to introduce you to Violet Soleil.
Violet, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I took an interest in art since I could remember, from watching an immense amount of Disney movies to the OG Cartoon Network shows. When I was in middle school I read Mangas and watched Anime, which inspired me to do quick 5 pages of comic using line paper. Growing up with Asian parents, my dad was never fond of art. I would get in trouble because homework was always unfinished but there was a lot of loose papers of doodles. I don’t think he ever supported the idea that artists can be just as successful. When I lost my dad to cancer, a local art gallery, called Nucleus, opened. I would always check out the gallery because they always had different types of art styles that were not traditional. While grieving for four years in high school art was my only escape but I never took it so seriously.
My colleagues would tell me to look into art because they thought I was very talented. After high school, I went to art school to go into illustration. I was originally looking into being a comic book artist, but shortly after two and half years of being in school, I dropped out because I didn’t enjoy the competitive atmosphere that I was surrounded, which brings me here today. I work on my own. It is a struggle but I’m learning on my own.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’m an illustrator for the most part. I occasionally do acrylic paintings.
There’s a repetitive theme of women, bodies, and nature because I feel like as a woman, everything that Mother Earth creates resembles to what women create. I’m inspired by powerful and beautiful women around me. I’m also inspired by philosophy and religions because of my past curiosities with faith, life, and death. Everything I’ve learned in the past I’ve questioned. I want to connect with women, due to past disconnection with women. I never felt like I was welcomed with my own kind, yet we all relate so well with what we’re feeling, what we’ve experienced, what we deal with, etc. I guess in a way my art is feminist and spiritual, and I want people to feel that when they see my art.
And for fun I do fan art! Hehehe.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
Each time I do an art show, I feel like I’ve succeeded. Each time someone takes an interest and want a piece of my art, I feel like I’ve succeeded. But there’s a hunger for more than what I’m doing to be successful and it’s driving me insane! My aunt used to tell me to never give up, like all the time, especially that one time when I went skiing and hurt myself. She’d yell, “DON’T GIVE UP. You’re not going anywhere if you give up!” When I’d cry on the phone because art school sucked, she’d tell me to hang in there and not give up. And when I left art school for good, she’d always encourage me to seek alternatives and there are many ways to succeed as an artist. In short, persistence, determination, and motivation is key, in my opinion, to be successful in ANYTHING you do.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can see my art on social media like Instagram, or go to art shows when I announce the next show I’ll be in.
Contact Info:
- Website: violetsoleil.weebly.com
- Email: violetsoleil.art@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/violetsoleil
- Facebook: facebook.com/artofvioletsoleil
Image Credit:
All images by Violet Soleil.
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