Ilyana Martinez

Artist

Brooklyn, NY

Favorite musical artists of all time?

1. PRINCE (All caps because it’s necessary)

2. Frank Ocean

3. Anderson Paak

4. Erykah Badu

5. J.Cole

How do you keep your creative drip going? 

I talk to a lot of strangers. The main thing about me is that I want to tell a story. So when I can sit an talk to someone I’ve never met before and get a sneak peak into their lives, it always fills me with so many ideas. I’ve talked to amputees, homeless people, a drug dealer, a divorcee, a millionaire. It’s crazy how different and similar everyone’s life is. Oh, and I read...a lot.

If you could talk to your favorite creative for an hour, who would it be and why? 

I would talk to PRINCE hands down. The man was an absolute genius, but not just that, a master. He knew how to play just about any instrument, he danced, he SANG, he was an amazing person, and a diva. A lot of his talents fell into some version of musicology (please get that reference) but it’s still really impressive to me when someone has mastered so many things at once. That’s something I really aspire to. I just wonder how he did it, you know?

What is the last thing you learned?

As of late, I’ve been on this really tumultuous artistic journey. I struggle with thoughts that say “Maybe art isn’t a plausible way to make a living” and I often feel this intense shame when I see my peers succeeding in their endeavors. With all that said, what I learned last wasn’t necessarily artistic. I learned that there’s a very real difference between guilt and complacency. You can go through this world void of any confidence or security of self, and you can go through life not caring about yourself or the legacy you leave behind. It’s easy to fall into either extreme, especially when you’re scared about the future. But finding that middle ground—A place of self confidence and love, a place where you know that your legacy matters. That’s the place I’m striving to go, and I feel like it helps to have that mindset when it comes to creating.

What advice would you give to your younger self? 

We’re all afraid that we don’t have enough time, that we’re not moving quickly enough. But time, managed well, is abundant and overflowing. You can learn anything, go anywhere, and be anything—but only in your own time. Patience and a work ethic are two virtues you would do well to have a handle on.

What advice would you give to creatives of color looking to pursue their passion full-time?

I wish I knew the answers Sway. But from the things I’ve observed, because I certainly haven’t made it yet, perseverance is the key to any kind of success. You never hear about the people who gave up, because they gave up. But everyone who succeeds talks about all the time they’ve dedicated.

What are you working on right now?

Right now I’m working on a comic series, a YouTube channel, and growing my art instagram. Both my comic and my channel are still in production, but I just recently started posting to my art instagram. It’s been a slow process, and it’s discouraging at times, knowing that I have so much to learn. But I’m learning to be patient and keep on going.

What inspires you?

People. It’s always been people for me. I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can remember and every story I’ve ever told has been influenced by some interaction I had, or an observation I made about a person. Whether it’s a person’s peace, their pain, or their joy, there’s this mundane beauty that rises up from it and I always want to capture it in a way it can be remembered. Sometimes that means a drawing, sometimes that means a poem or a story. But, people, that’s my muse 100% of the time.

Describe your dream job. 

My dream job huh? Well, my dream job would to be to combine all my passions into one place. That’s: Writing, drawing, poetry, fashion, and storytelling. I haven’t really decided in what medium, but I would love to work with other creatives who work other genres, and just have this continuous stream of collaborations coming out back to back. It’d be so fun to have—say, a painter and a baker work together and just see what happens. The possibilities are freaking endless.

What skill(s) would you develop if you had more time?

What skill wouldn’t I develop?! Real talk though, I have a lot of skills I would really like to hone. Though, if I had to pick two that I’m not working on right now, I think I would learn Spanish and start playing my guitar. My family is Afro-Latino, but when my grandmother moved to America she decided not to teach my mother the language. Ironically, I also have Spanish on my Dad’s side as well and the same thing happened. It’s just always been apart of me that’s felt...lost. As for the guitar, I think I would look sexy playing it.

What industry blogs/websites/podcasts do you enjoy?

Lately I’ve been really into comedy, so I’ve been listening to Nicole Byer’s podcast called “Why Won’t You Date Me”. Other than that, I mainly follow any creatives I like on Instagram, YouTube, or WEBTOON

What do you think the future holds for people of color in creative industries? 

I think the future for us is looking pretty rosy. Haha, I wish I knew what to say beyond that. But it’s so inspiring to me to see more people of color coming forth and claiming a creative space. I remember when I would go to Barnes and Noble and it was borderline IMPOSSIBLE to find a story about black people written by a black person. Don’t even get me started about Black Fantasy (We’ll be here for hours) but now you see a lot of people springing forward and lending our voices to the narrative. It’s amazing and I can’t wait for more.