Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Flores.
Hi Vanessa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
During my career as a graphic artist for the Scholastic Book Fairs marketing department, I spent time in and outside of my job honing my skills to achieve my dream of becoming a children’s books illustrator. By attending workshops and online classes, working on personal art projects and building my portfolio, I slowly developed my storytelling and drawing craft. Feeling ready to make a change in August 2019, I took a leap of faith and left my job as a graphic artist to pursue my career in children’s books. Shortly after, I signed on with my agent and now I’m illustrating books for kids! I’m also currently working on writing and illustrating my first graphic novel.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of my biggest challenges was my own fear of failure. Having a full-time job was safe and, in a way, allowed me to explore the possibility of my dream without the risk of financial trouble. But I was constantly getting in my own way— wanting everything to be perfect, afraid of critique, scared I couldn’t support myself financially if I left the full-time job. I finally realized that if I was ever to be happy, I had to focus on how much I loved the practice of art over how terrified I felt if I couldn’t “make it.” So with money saved up, I put it in God’s hands and chose to leave the comfort of the full-time paycheck in pursuit of this dream that never left my heart.
And so my personal mantra is: “Let your passion be greater than your fear of failure!”
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a children’s book illustrator and author. Since I began this career two years ago, I have illustrated (or am currently illustrating) the following books: EAT BUGS: PROJECT STARTUP and EAT BUGS: PITCH PARTNERS (Penguin Workshop) and the TWINS VS TRIPLETS series (HarperKids). I am a contributing artist for IN THE SPIRIT OF A DREAM (Orchard, November 2021). Additionally, I’m working on writing and illustrating my first graphic novel MORIVIVÍ (Dial), projected to be published in 2023.
Prior to being a full-time kidlit artist and author, I painted a mural for the Milk District (the electrical box at the corner of Primrose and Central), participated in several art pop-ups pre-COVID, and wrote and illustrated a zine called MANTRAS. I also sell many of my prints through my Etsy shop.
Everything I’ve worked on is a new and different challenge, and I’m proud of all of it. I’d say what I’m most proud of is the fact that I took the chances on all these projects, even when there was doubt in my mind about any of them. I’ve grown as an artist because of it. At the same time, I’ve also become more confident about saying “no” to projects that might not serve me.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t consider luck at all when it comes to my life and business. The way certain things have lined up may have seemed “lucky” or the way certain things haven’t worked out may have seemed “unlucky”— but I try to live my life in faith in God that if something doesn’t work out, something bigger is in store. I’ve seen this in how my own life and career has unfolded.
For example, in 2016, I took a break from pursuing children’s book illustration when I felt unhappy with my work and hadn’t yet made a great impression upon any art directors. I decided to work on personal art and get involved in the Orlando art community (painting that mural, doing art pop-ups, etc.). When I came back to working on my portfolio in 2018, my style had developed into something that I was both proud of and captured the attention of my agent and art directors. Setbacks are just moments of growth.
Contact Info:
- Email: vanieflores@gmail.com
- Website: vanessafloresart.com
- Instagram: @vanessafloresart
- Twitter: @vanieflores
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VanessaFloresArt
