Today we’d like to introduce you to Paloma Nicole Diaz
Hi Paloma Nicole, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My childhood was made up of sketchbooks, collages, scrap books, origami, tie-dying, and any craft I could get my hands on. I’m thankful to this day that I had parents who gave me so much creative liberty to the extent that they allowed me to constantly re-arrange our home decor and paint our rental apartment too many times to count. Our living room was yellow at one point… what was 12-year-old-me thinking?
I started taking art seriously in high school, when I realized I could pursue a career out of something I loved. With the help of Steve Ko, my private art teacher, I was able to build a solid portfolio and apply to various art colleges along with University of Texas as my “back up plan”. As a first generation Mexican American with a type-A personaility, I have always had a plan B, while putting all my efforts into making plan A work.
Senior year, the money my parents poured into affording private art classes turned out to be worthwhile when I received a full ride to California College of the Arts. Still very naive to the concept of college and real life, I moved out to the bay area – never having been to California before, to pursue a dream.
My time at art school not only played a huge role in my current artistic practice, but also in who I am today. I had the privilege of rediscovering my identity through a different lens. I was introduced to terms like “microaggression” and “intersectionality”; terms that validated my lived experience and made me realize I wasn’t alone. It was the beginning of the spark that ignited my longing to learn the untold truth about my ancestors.
As a child of color growing up in Irving, Texas, I often looked at my brown skin, curly hair, the color of my eyes, the arch of my nose, and my parents accents, and saw myself as “less than”. I internalized society’s portrayal of Latin@s, equating whiteness to success, beauty, and security. I now understand that this limited perspective was meant to control and condition. Through a range of college diversity, sustainability, film, and history courses along with the initial culture shock that came with living in the bay, I was able critically analyze representations of people who look like me and strip my existence from the shame that I carried as a little girl growing up trying to fit into white spaces.
Today, les doy gracias to all the Latin@s who live(d) their life authentically y con orgullo. Through education and my own search for truth, I have found amazing role models quien no son reconocidos en western media. Por ellos, sé que no estoy sola en esta lucha as I continúe to unlearn the prejudice that had been instilled in me and pour love into mi misma y into mi comunidad.
Every day, mi gente me demuestra how resilient we are. Despite the oppression and exploitation Latin Americans have suffered from, seguimos adelante reconstituyendo nuestros pueblos y celebrando la vida.
Since becoming aware of the power I have through my practice, I’ve centered my work around the lived experience of myself and my community. I aim to use my work as a vehicle to construct a more inclusive reality and authentially represent my heritage.
Que hermoso que es ser latinx. I feel free, inspired, and grounded in my community. Seguimos aprendiendo. Seguimos dando más amor. Que vivan los latin@s!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As a child of immigrants, securing a stable job with a salary, 401(k), and health insurance was always the goal. A month into college at a job fair, I realized self employment was standard for illustration majors… I panicked and packed my schedule with as many internships and gigs as I could attain to gain occupational experience.
Some of the companies I worked for during the course of my undergrad include: the Irving Arts Center, Pentel of America, Kira Kids, BKR, Mi Golondrina, Imani Kids, Uplift Education, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, along with being a Residential Advisor, lifeguard, and hostess.
I built an extensive resume thinking this would set me up as a successful candidate for the job market upon graduation. However, I didn’t get picked up as fast as I thought I would despite all my efforts. I finished up my bachelors online back at my parent’s apartment in Irving during COVID’s shutdown. In my final semester, I applied for design positions in creative hubs like New York, San Francisco, and Austin, eager to return to the hustle and bustle of the city and get back to a space where I wasn’t searching for quiet nooks to take meetings in within the 900 sq ft space my family of 5 shared. For months, I heard no after no, or nothing at all. Nearing burnout, I recalled the “are you sure this is what you want to pursue” criticism. I had an existential crisis questioning all the decisions I had taken up to that point, worried I wouldn’t be able to honor all of my parents’ sacrifices.
Relentlessly, I continued to apply to opportunities, while working to legitimizing my own business: starting an LLC, networking, marketing, and all the ventures that a business entails. Easier said than done. Being an entrepreneur is no easy task. I commend all creatives making a living off of their passion. It takes tenacity, resilience, and often balancing multiple roles.
Thankfully, after six months of outreach, a few job opportunities emerged. Since then, I’ve been balancing a full-time role as Creative Director at Imani Collective, while continuing my personal design endeavors.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work is centered around themes of spirituality, femininilty, and the Latinx experience, expressed through earthy tones with pops of vibrant colors. I typically work in two styles: one with thick minimal stamp-like line work and the other with meticulous detail. Both with a hand made touch and distinguished by a unique blend of Mexican folk art and traditional wood engraving; reminiscent of my teenage graphite drawings. I find it satisfying to create a minimal yet impactful image through the first style. The second is very much a meditative process.
I’m most often creating visuals that represent a brand – logos and brand identities. However projects can vary from the image licensing for a single icon to the application of novelty goods, marketing assets, and murals.
I would say that the most rewarding part of my job is seeing people resonate with the messages my work caries. Getting to collaborate with other Latinx business owners has to be right up there too. I’m proud to be at a point in my career where clients seek me out for my distinct voice. I’m constantly humbled by inquiries I receive from Latinx business owners with shared values and stories. I am grateful to work together to inspire others to embrace the rich identity of the Latinx diaspora.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is following my grandma through her routine spaces like mercados en la Cuidad de Mexico. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, these moments were integral to my outlook on life. From a young age, I was exposed to the fact that we don’t live in a the bubble the suburbs can sometimes trap you into.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.palomanicole.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paloma.nicole.illustration/
- Facebook: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PalomaNicoleDesign
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/palomanic0le/
