What does feminism mean to you?

What does feminism mean to you?

    NATALIE ROCHA

                                              

 

 

      NATALIE ROCHA 

 

 

One day I realised I have to use the search option on Instagram a lot more, essentially to fall down the rabbit hole and find the art and people I want to connect with. Fighting off the algorithm to find what it is that I really want to discover.

I have realised the problem is not just the algorithm, but also that we just get so use to following the familiar; our friends, our family, our culture, our celebrities and our media and let's not forget all this whilst getting bombarded with the ads, but sometimes we want to see more and we have ultimately gotten too lazy to discover, looking for the connection that is lacking between the physical versus the online virtual (let's just pretend I woke up like this") eyes roll as you scroll.

However we some how forget we have a choice and rather than see the same old same old, I highly recommend you act like Alice in the wonderland on your discovery of what it is you seek to find. What it is really that you want to connect with rather than scroll obliviously into the distance of disconnected that leads you to discontent. It's funny how we say content is everything in today's fashion world, yet I find it is so lacking the essential human connection part. 

If you want to discover and see, feel and connect to something new. Perhaps remember to use the search to find it. This I have realised is the forgotten part of Instagram that let's be honest can sometimes feel like finding a needle in a hay stack but when you find something you connect with and it leaves an impression on you, then I also recommend you to share it! Share the talent as it's not easy for anyone to get through this murky smoke screen of paid ads along with the fact their content doesn't get shown if they don't pay.

For example as well you may type the word artist and you will find plenty of drawings perhaps by someone’s two year old. Hashtags misused are not always the persons fault just a misunderstanding really that let's face it could have been explained a lot better, a long time ago by Instagram. However if you search for example in this case feminist artist you may stumble across more talents than you could ever imagine even existed! There is plenty of talent out there but like it was suppose to happen I typed this in the search on insta, scrolled for a little while until wooow! I fell in love with one of Natalie's extraordinary illustrations. Clicked on her profile and loved everything I discovered there. 

 

Here I ask her, what her views on feminism are, what inspires her and how she started her journey as an illustration artist.

 

What does feminism mean to you? 

Feminism to me means to reconcile with you first. What I mean by that is to truly become a feminist and to fully understand it. I had to forgive myself first and unlearn the very toxic behaviour that as a woman and more precisely as a Latin woman I use to have, regarding in all aspects, such as my looks, my opinion, my social behaviour and even how I saw other women. Feminism now has brought me a better understanding, friendships and a circle of trust, where I feel safe and confident with who I am.

 

What or who inspires you right now?

Many things inspire me: music, films, magazines, fashion books, other female artists and their own journey to fulfil their dream. Mostly I find my inspiration in every moment of my day and in a lot of different disciplines from Botticelli’s art to an instagram artistic photograph or it can even be from a random person I don't know but they inspire an image. I always look for a detail that catches my attention. I love movies and I use this a lot as inspiration. Sometime I use even the feeling that a movie, book or song leaves me at the end and I paint based on this emotion.

 

How long have you been an illustrator artist and how did you start?

I've been working as an illustrator for about three years now, but I always loved to draw since a very young age. Drawing has always been one of my favourite things to do. I studied industrial design and for some time I didn't draw so much because I saw my career as my future but with time I felt there was something missing and in the search for what I missed I started to draw again and I've never stopped since.

 

What is your ultimate ambition for your art?

The thing I look forward to, as an illustrator is to be able to work in the editorial world. I love books and they have always inspired me in my medium. I would love to design books, magazines or signs. I really dream one day to find my art in the shelf of a book store. That's my ultimate dream for my art.

 

What do you enjoy most about illustration art?

I really enjoy the whole process of drawing a new piece, from making my coffee in the morning, being in my studio, looking for my references and having the freedom to draw. I'll often listen to a pod cast or watch a series on Netflix as I'm drawing. Being in my home with my dog, doing what I want is what makes me happy and keeps me going. 

 

We couldn't agree more, really doing what you want in life is the most inspiring thing you can do.

 

You can find this extraordinary artists work linked below.  

Feminist Illustration Artist, based in Colombia. A little bit nerd.

Natalie Rocha Art