Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Flores.
Vanessa, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I grew up in Santa Ana with a passion for animation. I dreamed of getting into the industry ever since I saw “Fantasia 2000” when I was in the fourth grade and never stopped since.
I went to the Art Institute of Orange County and earned a BS degree. I also had the pleasure of being mentored by Stephen Silver, character designer of notable animated TV shows such as “Kim Possible” and “Danny Phantom”.
Currently, I am looking for work in Burbank in an animation studio, hopeful that I’ll work my way up the ladder to work on my own stories someday.
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 a character designer and I’m very passionate about my craft. My main influences throughout my life have always been Glen Keane, Stephen Silver, John Kricfalusi, Eric Goldberg, Tom Oreb, Lauren Faust, etc. My drawing style has been pretty much a combination of all of these. Most of all, I’m very influenced by the 50s googie/mid-century modern/UPA/1955 Tomorrowland styles. It’s a stylistic aesthetic that I always thought was so appealing, expressive and optimistic. And the cartoon style is very fun to emulate.
The world today is very pessimistic and cynical. I’d love to just make something someday that gives people optimism and encouragement. Stories that give people to think about. Not to lecture them on how to think, but to merely tell stories with my characters, relate to them, and feel, like them, they things will be okay if they keep persisting in their lives.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
I find it’s a bit of both. It’s easier for artists to share their work now with the blessing of the internet, but where there’s more artists getting exposure, a lot of them, really tend to undersell themselves and makes it difficult for clients to understand what industry prices are nowadays. Believe it or not, some people believe to pay artists in exposure. We develop a skill from hard work and time, and we deserve more than that.
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 try to be everywhere as much as I can. My main website is jazzdafunk.com. I’m also in Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and Facebook under the handle @missjazzdafunk.
Merely following and liking my work is a good way to support. I also have a Ko-Fi if anyone feels inclined to send me a tip, and a Patreon, which I’m still trying to polish up. I usually send updates of all that’s going on in my twitter!
Contact Info:
- Website: jazzdafunk.com
- Phone: 7149046618
- Email: vanejazmine@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/missjazzdafunk
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/missjazzdafunk
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/missjazzdafunk
- Other: www.tumblr.com/missjazzdafunk
Image Credit:
Vanessa Flores
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