Illustration Inspiration
También puedes leer este artículo en español, Ilustración Inspiración
“My dream character for a book cover or animation would be a young Latina — curious and perseverant — a symbol of inspiration and representation,” says Andrea Carrillo, a Mexican artist and illustrator based in Bentonville, who has turned her passion into a creative bridge between communities.
Carrillo immigrated to the United States at 14 from Aguascalientes, Mexico. Adjusting to a new language and school system in Bentonville wasn’t easy.
“I didn’t know English. … I learned over time,” she recalls. The cultural and academic shift was overwhelming, but with the support of her family and teachers, she eventually found her place.
Carrillo grew up in a creative environment, nurtured by her mother — a visual artist who helped awaken her passion for art — and although drawing was a form of expression for her from a young age, she didn’t consider it a serious career path until high school.
In high school, Carrillo won her first art competition, which solidified her interest in drawing and animation. She also faced one of the most common challenges for emerging artists: social skepticism about whether art could be a viable career path.
“A lot of people told me it wouldn’t bring me money,” she says. But her mother and teachers believed in her talent and encouraged her to keep going.
Carrillo studied animation at the Kansas City Art Institute and has worked on notable projects, including two murals for Walmart and the Walton Foundation, thanks to her representation by ArtVentures gallery. One mural is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas; the other in Manassas, Virginia.
While today she primarily illustrates digitally, she still keeps her sketchbooks close. “Working traditionally helps me experiment,” she says.
Carrillo also reproduces her artwork on T-shirts, postcards and stickers, and regularly participates in local art fairs, like First Friday and Little Craft Fair.
As an educator at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Carrillo designs hands-on workshops for students from kindergarten through 12th grade, combining art with science, history and more. “I want to show them that you don’t have to be an artist to be creative,” she says.
For those who can’t pursue formal fine arts education, Carrillo recommends taking advantage of local libraries, galleries, festivals and cultural spaces.
“There’s no single path to becoming an artist,” she says. “If I could do it, so can they.”
