Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Elizarraras.
Laura, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am a QTPOC (queer trans person of color) and first-generation, Xicanx artist, born and raised in San Diego, CA. My parents immigrated to the U.S in the ’90s from Michoacán, Mexico when my older sister was only 8 months old, making me the first born here. We had planted roots in the Downtown/Barrio Logan area but were later displaced due to gentrification, forcing us to relocate to City Heights. We have been here ever since.
I always knew I had a creative bone in my body as I grew up watching my mom make all kinds of arts and crafts. I also spent quite a lot of time drawing and painting as a kid. However, I didn’t really see it as a career choice hence my family’s traditional views. Many Latinx know how challenging it is to pursue a career outside the Medical, Law, or STEM fields. Additionally, as a low-income family, it is also very difficult to step out of the 9-5 role in fear of not making ends meet, especially when my dad was the sole provider for my family of 7. Consequently, I became very studious and actually excelled in Calculus, Chemistry, and Engineering. I also had to travel hours away from home since Elementary, for the best programs and education that I could advance at. After High School, I still had plans to study within the STEM field, but the universe had a different plan.
During my first year at Mills College in Oakland, CA, a friend asked me to join her in a Video/Film class. I was hesitant but intrigued at the same time. I believe joining this class was a pivotal point for me as I completely fell in love with filming videos and documentaries. This opened a whole new world to me and I immediately switched from STEM to Intermedia Art despite my parents’ concerns. For the rest of my college career, I studied Video, Photography, and Sound Art. I also minored in Ethnic Studies which was such an eye-opening experience as it taught me about racial and systematic oppression, much of which applied to my own experiences. Combining both fields (Intermedia Art and Ethnic Studies) was truly a blessing. I used art as my voice and the voice of others to open dialogues around race, gender, sexuality, social class, and the intersectionality of them all. By my Junior year, I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in India. Through that program and with the help of staff, film students, and translators, I was able to direct, film, and edit a documentary on trans women living in Pune, Maharashtra. For my Senior year, I curated an art gallery alongside classmates, as our Senior Thesis Exhibition at the Mills College Art Museum. My project consisted of 4 different mediums: a 24 portrait photography series, a sound installation, a handmade book, and takeaway zines. The purpose of this installation was to inform and educate the audience on the preferred term “Latinx” over “Hispanic”, “Spanish”, or even “Latino/a” and how language to identify certain groups can change and has changed over time.
After graduating college in 2017, I had a hard time finding work in my field as many artists do. I resorted to the typical 9-5 job working at a non-profit as the Office Coordinator but still maintained some creativity by doubling as the mural painting and photography teacher. I had many doubts about the field I had studied or what I wanted to do with it, but my love for art was undeniable, magnetic even. All I knew was that that was my passion and that I was going to pursue art no matter what. Spoiler!!! What started as a hobby is now my full-time job. While still working part-time at the non-profit, I began to take portrait commissions on a pay-what-you-can rate. I was actually up for a promotion to a full-time position, but took a giant leap of faith and did a 180. I moved to O’ahu, Hawai’i with my partner (who is Native Hawaiian) and took this as a time to fully start over after living in Oakland for 6 years to take my art to the next level.
Of course, I still had part-time jobs to fund and invest in my art business on top of living expenses. However, I dedicated more and more time each day to my business and it started to grow exponentially. A year later, the pandemic hit. Although tons of businesses were impacted negatively from it, I was fortunate enough to receive the opposite end of that. The world around me was closing down, even my part-time job, but I was determined to not let that stop me. So, I quit that part-time job and instead, created a job for myself with my art. Thanks to social media, specifically TikTok (@lime_bby), my business actually grew almost overnight. I opened up my services from just portraiture to business logos, merchandise designs, marketing materials, and now fan art. I also launched my own website and sold merchandise I created using my art. And to top it off, I became an official Content Creator for sharing tons of process videos of my art pieces. After a year passed and I had gained some stability with my business, I decided to move back to San Diego to be close to my family after being away for 8 years. To this day, I continue to do the same services and now have over 250+ clients and continue to receive new inquiries. I’ve obtained over 100K followers collectively from both my social media platforms and appreciate every single one of them. One of my biggest accomplishments so far has been working with Warner Music Group to design tour merchandise for a new upcoming artist. I feel incredibly proud of myself for coming so far with still so much room to grow. Being persistent, truly believing in myself, and a tight-knit support system is what has gotten me to where I am today. But above all, art has helped me heal in so many ways I would’ve never thought possible; this alone continues to be my main motivation every day.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
My artistic journey has definitely not been a smooth road. It is actually extremely difficult to be a multifaceted artist, graphic designer, business owner, and content creator simultaneously. From the legality of establishing a business to creating actual content and products, advertising, obtaining and maintaining clients, I do everything myself. This whole experience has been self-taught, and although there are tons of resources, every business is different and a matter of trial and error. One of the biggest challenges is finding time and balance to do it all. The art pieces themselves take a long time to do. Although I don’t do this for every piece, I have learned how to simultaneously record the process of me drawing, to later edit and post on social platforms. With many of my personal artwork, I have to brainstorm and go through a whole process of deciding how I can further elevate the design by turning it into a product. Once I have that product in mind, finding manufacturers is another process on its own. I then receive the products, photograph them to add to my website/platforms, and finally execute creative marketing to sell them. In the midst of creating my own art and products, I’m also still doing one-on-one client commissions. That requires answering inquiries, scheduling time slots, collecting payments, fulfilling the actual commission, going through an editing phase, and providing all the required files.
There is a ton of constant work to do, but the biggest struggle would be in regards to how inconsistent this field can be. There are many times where I am completely booked for months or receive a lot of orders to fulfill and there are times where I hit a bit of a dead-end. Not only is this financially concerning at times, but it’s also mentally draining. Especially because of my upbringing, there is a huge sense of pressure to uphold my parent’s expectations of the type of career I should have. Additionally, as a child of immigrant parents, there is a constant need to obtain financial wealth to get my family out of poverty. With that, comes guilt in wanting to pursue my own dreams. There is a strong sense of perseverance and determination one has to overcome. You have to be your biggest cheerleader to push through and prove that you are talented enough. This has taught me a lot about myself over time and would still encourage everyone to chase their dreams despite the hardships. In fact, it’s the bumps in the road that will build character and often shape what is destined for you.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At the beginning of my art career, I mostly dabbled in videography, photography, and painting. It was very social-justice-oriented and used as an educational platform. For the past few years since starting my business, I have transitioned more towards digital art and graphic design. Although my current artwork doesn’t seem to be as related to social issues, there is still an underlying message. I’ve been working directly with community members such as QTPOC/POC individuals and small business owners. Majority of my clients are other POC-owned small businesses who are starting their journeys in following their own dreams. So, coincidentally enough, in chasing after my ambitions, I now help others with similar backgrounds as me, to accomplish their own. For example, some of the things I do are business logos, business cards, loyalty and thank you cards, merchandise designs (such as t-shirts, sweaters, eyeshadow palettes, lash boxes, lip gloss tubes, totes, and handbags, etc) packaging, banners, flyers, and stickers. These are just a few services I offer but am always open to new ideas and projects.
Some of my own products that I sell on my website include: art prints, stickers, blankets, tapestries, compact mirrors, press-on nails, t-shirts, smoking accessories, calendars, stationery, and coloring books. As mentioned before, I use my own art to design my products. My style itself reflects that of growing up in the 90s-2000s with a hint of cultural references. I specialize in the Y2K aesthetic, airbrushed work, and nostalgic cartoon styles. Something that my social media followers love to see are my cartoon crossovers. This is when I take cartoon characters, cartoon styles, and even celebrities that I grew up watching as a kid (such as Bratz, The Powerpuff Girls, Danny Phantom, Total Drama Island, Selena Quintanilla, Jenni Rivera, etc) and mix them in ways we haven’t seen before. There is something very nostalgic about the process and final product that truly helps heal my inner child. This style specifically, is very reminiscent of the times where my parents couldn’t afford to buy us the newest toys, gadgets, or clothing. Meanwhile, a lot of kids had the opportunity to just be kids, I had to grow up at a very young age. So, I am now 27 and can finally reconnect with that inner child through my art.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The biggest lesson I have learned throughout this journey is to know yourself worth. As marginalized people, we are often taught that we are not worthy of or deserve what we truly want. We are taught to not chase our dreams in the name of capitalism. We are taught that we will not escape the social cycles embedded upon us for generations to come. But that is not true. As cliche as it is, you CAN accomplish what you set your mind to. Do what makes you happy and everything else will fall into place. Believe that you WILL accomplish all your goals and reach your highest self. Immerse yourself in a genuine support system that wants to see you win. When you truly believe in your talent, nothing can stop you.
Pricing:
- Personal Portraits: $50-80+
- Business Logos: $60-100+
- Merchandise Designs: Start at $100+
Contact Info:
- Website: limebby.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lime_bby
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lime_bby
