Today we’d like to introduce you to Abbey Arechiga.
Abbey, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I have always been drawn to art, whether it was painting and crafting in elementary school, makeup classes and set design in high school, or costume and prop making in college. Using different mediums to express myself has always been a way of creating my own world. I was a theatre major in college. After attending California State University, Long Beach, I returned home after graduation and started costume designing for community theatre in San Diego. I transitioned out of costuming and took a job in the legal industry. This was not the career shift that I expected, and I needed a creative outlet. I decided to start making resin coasters. I had seen tutorials online and had a box of epoxy resin sitting around waiting for me to find inspiration. I bought myself silicone molds and alcohol ink and started experimenting. I immediately fell in love with this medium. The resin I used had a 24 hour setting time, which means that I didn’t actually get to see my designs for a full day after I had created them. The art was surprising and beautiful, droplets of color frozen in time. The fact that this art was also functional was the best part. I was simultaneously creating abstract paintings as well, but my canvases were tile coasters and wooden cheese boards. I loved the colors and combinations I had created and enjoyed seeing how friends and eventually strangers seemed to enjoy my art I am nowhere near the end of this journey, but for now, I am enjoying the process and excited to see where it takes me.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am an abstract artist. I use coasters and cutting boards ( and sometimes serving trays and bowls) as my canvases. It depends on what I am creating, sometimes I use acrylic paint with different mixing mediums, and then seal this in resin. Sometimes I color the resin using different mixing pigments and combine the colors to create my art.
What I love seeing is how much people appreciate the functionality of the art. My art is to be admired and to be useful in the home.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
I think the biggest challenge is the downfalls of comparison and imposter syndrome. It is so easy to see what everyone else is doing, the internet is such a wonderful way for us to expose our art and who we are, but it is also a trap for seeing others “do more” or ‘be better at” whatever they are doing. It is so easy to feel inadequate.
I think all artists should remember that even if there are a million people doing the same thing as you, they are not you. We all have our own personal touch and our own personal message. People will gravitate toward that, or they will steer clear, we are not in control of that. What we are in control of is creating what we were put here to do, and sharing that with those who are ready.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I attend local markets all around San Diego. I usually post them on my Facebook and Instagram. I also post my artwork and videos of me creating different pieces on my Instagram @abbeyrodeart.
Contact Info:
- Email: arechiga.a5@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/abbeyrodeart
- Facebook: fb.me/abbeyrodeart
Image Credit:
@abbeyrodeart- I have taken all of the photos of my artwork. My headshot was done by Samantha Jeet (information below)
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