An Interview with Yoda Navarrete

Please visit Yoda's website and her deviantart page!

_________________________________________

Your full name: Yoda Navarrete

Your age: 29

Your location: México

When did you first become interested in art?

-Art was always a part of my life since I was borned. My dad was a musician (clasical) and my mum is a songwriter and also writes. Was there anything specific that prompted this interest? I wanted to make animations and my dream was to work with Disney or Tim Burton, also I wanted to make comic books. Now I don't do either, just a few stop motion animations.

Do you have formal training in art?

-I studied visual arts at the university, before that I took classes in Mexico City in the schools "La Esmeralda" and "Academia de San Carlos", even before that I studied drawing and painting.

What inspires you to create?

-Dreams, not just mines but others too, movies, stories or books I read, works of other artists, and sometimes even boredome.

Is there are reason for your choice to create your artwork in journals?

-Is something I've been doing for several years. When I was taking therapy it was part of my "homework"; one day I decided to not only write but also make drawings in it. I thought that just writing down wasn't giving me the whole picture of what I was going through. Sometimes images or just words are not enough.

Many of your pieces include writing, as well as pictures. Do you have an interest in writing or typography as well as visual art?

-I write stories and poetry (though I don't like to use such word). Unlike what people think I don't write things for children, so, many of those I've never shown them anywhere.

You designed a CD cover for Elba Rodriguez. Are you interesting in doing more work like this?

-I'd like to, but is not my main goal.

You work in a variety of mediums - do you have a favorite?

-Drawing with pencils and with ink. Colours are very difficult for me to use, still I enjoy using them now and then.

Your artwork has such a personal feel to it. Does creating art for other people change the way you work? 
-I try not to and do things as I normaly do, but is inevitable to feel certain pressure. There's always a big chance that the person won't like some things or even the whole work.

What was it like being published in the premier issue of bluecanvas magazine?

-It was a surrealistic experience.

What message do you hope your art will convey?

-It doesn't matter much what I would like or not with my art. It all deppends of how the audience will take it, see in it and interpretate. In such case perhaps is to keep true to myself.

How does art affect your work life? Your personal life?

-Art touches everything inside and outside me, but in a way that most times I can't see it because is part of my daily life; I only see it when meet people that have never been in touch with it. In that moment I feel like a carnival freak.

Do you have any future goals for your artwork?
-I'd like my work to be published on big editorials, make a movie, or several, but most of all to be a way for living.