Today we’d like to introduce you to April Connors Ramirez.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’m a Mexican American artist currently based in the Los Angeles area; I say currently because I have been known to move around. I’m a freelance illustrator, author, comic artist, and figure drawing instructor. These days the bulk of my time has been invested in sequential fiction, which I guess has been the end-goal for me all along. I’ve been drawing since childhood, having grown up in a creative family. My father is a woodworker and fine furniture maker, and my mom is a multi-talented lady. Growing up she would make all sorts of things for us, whether it was a finely cooked Mexican meal from scratch or a piñata or a handmade costume; she has always been quite crafty. I think that exposure to creativity and creation has essentially defined my entire life; I’ve never known an alternative. As creative as our living environment was it was not without its drawbacks. Unfortunately, my dad was very abusive to my mom, myself, and my little sister so growing up was rather difficult. Looking back on it I realize now that we spent most of every day just trying to survive my father. Honestly, it’s not something I really want to delve too deeply into, and I’ve spent a lot of time trying to erase the first 20 years of my life from my memory. Growing up in a toxic environment took a toll on all of our mental, emotional, and physical well-being, and in hindsight, I realize how much of it my mother absorbed. She tried her best to protect us, and I am forever grateful for having such a strong mother. She came to the U.S with nothing, didn’t speak any English, couldn’t drive, and was very young. I don’t know how she overcame all these obstacles AND my father, but she did. On top of that, she took care of us and tried to help my sister and I as much as possible. We grew up in a relatively poor, working-class, predominantly Latino neighborhood, and I remember playing soccer in the dirt streets behind the house with the neighborhood kids. The happiest memories I have are of my mom, my sister, and I doing random stuff together; hiking in the small mountains behind the neighborhood with my loyal dog; drawing with my cats. I don’t want to be a downer – which is another reason I’d rather not delve into the mental and emotional abuse we went through in detail – but I feel the more unsavory truths of my life must be at least mentioned and acknowledged, as they did shape my personality and, ultimately, my life. I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, and I realize now it must have been an escape, a way to try to find peace in a tempestuous environment. Most of what I drew were monsters, dragons, warriors, illustrations from books I loved. Fiction was incredibly important to me, and being lost in a book was magical. I think that’s why I loved comics and particularly graphic novels. They really were an escape, and they combined everything I loved: writing, fiction, and visual art. Towards the end of high school I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to attend college, as my father had made it very clear to me that he would not help me in any way, so I would drive up to the L.A. area a few times a week to attend classes and workshops instead, using a small scholarship I received from my high school, and some money that my mom would help me with. Hanging out in L.A. I was able to meet other artists and creative people and learn from them, and most importantly I met my boyfriend, who I am still with. Shortly after we met my father had what I would describe best as an “episode” for lack of a better, more scientifically accurate term, and decided to disown me and kick me out of the house. My mother was scared and worried and didn’t know what to do, so we started to consider sending me to my family in Mexico. I still remember texting my boyfriend one night, telling him goodbye, and that if I don’t see him again, it was because I would be out of the country, possibly indefinitely. He decided it would be safer if I went up to stay with him. My mom agreed, since she wanted me safe, and we waited a few days until my father was out on a job to leave. I packed a small suitcase with a bit of clothes, a few essentials, and hastily scribbled out a note that wouldn’t trigger him, and left it on the kitchen table. Because I didn’t have a car, I had my best friend growing up pick me up and drive me to my boyfriend’s house. From there, as they say, the rest is history. The last ten years of my life have not been without their challenges, their ups and downs; obviously being in a relationship is a lot of hard work, and I’ve had to make up for not having gone to art school. But, we’ve been through a lot together, traveled, lived in other countries, and made a lot of artwork. At the risk of sounding hokey, my boyfriend is probably the best thing that ever happened to me; without him, there is a very high probability that I would not be alive right now, and I mean that very seriously and sincerely. I still struggle from depression and severe anxiety, but I am incredibly lucky that someone was there to help me when I most needed it, and I recognize that not everyone gets lucky. He and my mother are the reasons I am able to be an artist today.
Please tell us about your art.
Because of the freelance nature of my particular work, I tend to veer between commercial, academic, and fine art. As a result, the body of my work is pretty broad, ranging from academic life drawings, paintings, and studies; to goofy cartoony comics; to sketch art; to t-shirts; to written works and more. I wear many hats, partly out of necessity, partly out of curiosity and desire to explore different styles and mediums. That being said, most of what I enjoy (as opposed to doing merely for work) tends to run towards the goofy, cartoony side of the stylistic spectrum, particularly in the form of sequential narrative work and comics. I’ve loved comics and graphic novels since childhood, and I finally feel comfortable enough in my abilities to pursue that medium. I like to explore characters and stories based on feelings or experiences I’ve collected throughout the years – which sounds super hokey, I know but is essentially what making art is. It really is a reflection on past experiences, either with situations or with people. I love writing and the challenge it presents, especially since technically speaking I don’t really know what I’m doing (but I’m not about to let that stop me). Writing and drawing fiction is especially challenging and quite the balancing act, and though I have a long way to go with that particular discipline, I’m enjoying the process. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finishing a comic page, and though it may be imperfect and flawed, it still grants a sense of accomplishment in a way that I have not yet found in other mediums. That being said, most of my work is what I like to call “wonky” in some way, or just downright goofy, simply because I don’t believe artists and creators should take themselves too seriously. Yes there is a time and a place to be serious, and some topics must be approached with care and sensitivity, but as soon as one begins to take themselves too seriously they become a bit conceited and egotistical, and it shows in one’s work. I think as an artist it’s important to be able to laugh at yourself. My goal with my own work is to entertain but also engage the reader/viewer in a way that makes them go, “Yeah, same” in some way.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
I think the definition of success is quite broad and entirely subjective. I think most people judge success on finances and popularity, and while those are perfectly acceptable ways to perceive success, they’re quite limited. I think success as an artist does include financial prosperity to some degree, but beyond that, it is based on whether or not one has grown, professionally, creatively, and personally. At some point, you have to stop and ask yourself if your work all looks the same, or if it’s even changed in the last few years, or if you’ve learned anything new in any given period of time. On top of that, you now have to take into consideration mental, emotional, and physical health as well. A lot of artists are sedentary, or we suffer from some kind of mental or emotional condition -which is quite common – and we need to stop periodically and address those issues. Self-care is – in my opinion – one of the largest hallmarks of success: are you able to create and avoid self-destruction? Being an artist is one of the most difficult lifestyles one can choose, it’s never-ending work, and it can be easy to neglect one’s well-being. Furthermore, not all of us get to grow or live in safe environments or situations, which further complicates the artistic condition, so if you’re able to continue to create despite your circumstances, then you are successful, regardless of how much money you make or how popular you are on the internet, etc. Success is expressing yourself regardless of the environment or circumstances you find yourself in. Grit, self-motivation, and discipline are essential to being an artist.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Most of what I’m doing these days can be seen on my website. I haven’t been doing any shows lately, though periodically I’ll throw some work into a group show. I’m also on social media, mostly Instagram, and every once in a while I’ll update my youtube channel. I do teach figure drawing and gesture drawing at different locations as well, and I usually announce public classes on social media.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aprilconnorsart.com
- Email: aprilconnors5@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/aprilconnors/
Image Credit:
April Connors
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