Episode #3: Mexican American Illustrator Marisol Muro

Episode Summary:

In this episode, I chat with Mexican-American illustrator Marisol Muro. Marisol is an LA-county-born and raised illustrator who creates 60 & 70s inspired illustrations that just take you back in time into a retro world full of kitschy imagery and nostalgic color palettes. Marisol originally went to school for Fashion Design and worked in the fast-fashion industry for 12 years before ditching her 9-to-5 to freelance as an illustrator in 2020. I had so much fun chatting with Marisol all about her relationship with the term “Mexican-American”, why it took her so long to leave her stable career, and how she landed her collaboration with Pleasing — Harry Styles’ beauty brand.

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Episode Links

🎨 Guest Links: Marisol’s Instagram, TikTok, & Shop

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Episode Notes:

Imagine if you had the chance to create the illustrations and aesthetics for an international pop star like Harry Styles…

In this episode, I get to chat with Mexican-American illustrator Marisol Muro who did just that by collaborating with Harry Styles’ beauty brand Pleasing. Marisol worked with the Pleasing team to illustrate their Shroom Bloom collection, where she developed a 70-inspired mushroom world that is so perfectly her and has now been accepted by Harry Style’s fans worldwide. Although she didn’t anticipate her work taking off the way it did, this collaboration came with both ups and downs as we discuss in the episode.

Aside from her collaboration with a global popstar, we also discuss how and why it took her 12 years to leave her day job in the fashion industry to set out on her own as a freelance illustrator. It’s a really nuanced discussion about fear, money, and the how it’s so normal to negotiate your dreams when you have no safety net.

Tune into this episode to hear Marisol and I talk about growing up struggling with Latinx stereotypes, how she finally left her day job after 12 years, and what it felt like to collaborate with Harry Style’s beauty brand.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or on your favorite podcast platform.

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  00:00:10:04 - 00:00:31:09

  Fabiola Lara

  Hey, friends, you're listening to [Draws in Spanish]. If this is your first time listening, or if you're new here, I'm your host, Fabiola Lara. I'm an illustrator and a podcaster — and on [Draws in Spanish] — I chat with Latinx, visual artists and designers to discuss everything from their identity and culture to their creative process and work. Something new for the show.

  00:00:31:09 - 00:00:50:14

  Fabiola Lara

  This season is that [Draws in Spanish] is now also available on YouTube as a video podcast. So if you want to watch us talk today instead of just listening, be sure to check out my YouTube channel at @fabiolitadraws or search for Draws in Spanish on YouTube for the latest episode. Of course, the link to my YouTube channel is in the show notes.

  00:00:50:14 - 00:01:15:03

  Fabiola Lara

  If you need it. Today I am chatting with Mexican-American artist Marisol Muro. Marisol is an artist from Los Angeles who creates psychedelic, colorful work inspired by the sixties and seventies. Her work is truly adorable and really feels like it's taking you right into the seventies through her use of color and imagery. She also runs her own online shop called Marisol Land and has collaborated with brands like Mod Cloth and Pleasing.

  00:01:15:03 - 00:01:32:03

  Fabiola Lara

  That's Harry Styles, Beauty Brand. Keep on listening to hear Marisol talk about her relationship to Mexican culture, how she ended up quitting her day job after 13 years in the industry, and the pros and cons of collaborating with a huge brand. Okay, let's get into it.

  00:01:37:06 - 00:01:38:14

  Fabiola Lara

  Welcome, Marisol.

  00:01:38:14 - 00:01:50:17

  Fabiola Lara

  To [Draws in Spanish]. I am so happy to have you. And I was so pumped when you agreed to be on the show. So truly. Thank you so much. How are you doing today? What's your vibe?

  00:01:51:03 - 00:02:15:21

  Marisol Muro

  Oh, my God. Well, thank you for having me on. I don't think I've done a podcast like this before, so that's very exciting. I hope that's good. Yeah. Yeah. Especially with, you know, you're talking to artists. I'm really excited about that and I'm doing good. Perfect. See you’re cat there. If anyone's watching on.

  00:02:15:21 - 00:02:21:15

  Fabiola Lara

  YouTube, you can catch Marisol’s cat, Which is just what, omega or no, not omega making.

  00:02:21:15 - 00:02:26:15

  Marisol Muro

  It out. Yeah. You're making a name for this is in my notes.

  00:02:26:15 - 00:02:28:11

  Fabiola Lara

  And that's something that was written in my notes.

  00:02:30:04 - 00:02:42:10

  Marisol Muro

  This is Bonnie. Bonnie. Bonnie is like my. There's Bonnie and Clyde. They both look the same, but Bonnie is, like, the sweeter one. She kind of just, like, wants to be, like, around me at all times.

  00:02:42:19 - 00:02:45:02

  Fabiola Lara

  And doing this one, that's, like, really fluffy.

  00:02:45:16 - 00:02:53:06

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. So that's Clyde. She actually. She's shaved. I don't know. I have no idea. Yeah.

  00:02:53:15 - 00:02:55:14

  Fabiola Lara

  Research has led to makeup pants.

  00:02:56:01 - 00:02:56:09

  Marisol Muro

  Okay.

  00:02:57:04 - 00:02:58:14

  Fabiola Lara

  So Clyde's hiding?

  00:02:59:11 - 00:03:20:08

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, she's hiding. She's. She's kind of like the like, I guess the more dominant cat. So she likes to be up top somewhere by herself or, you know, like. Yeah, like she'll be, like, sunbathing somewhere by herself. But she also gets. She gets cuddly sometimes in private. Yeah. In private, girl.

  00:03:21:12 - 00:03:39:14

  Fabiola Lara

  Okay. So one of the first things I want to like, start talking to you about was just like, give us a little contacts as to where you were born and raised. I like to ask this question. You've probably heard it before. If you've listened to any episodes, just to give a little bit more cultural context, because for us it's like so big.

  00:03:40:08 - 00:04:05:20

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, well, I'm from I'm from Los Angeles County. I was pretty much raised in Downey. So it's like this little suburb town known for like the oldest standing McDonald's. I don't know if you've seen that, but it's like it's really cool. It's like, I think it's like old, like Googie architecture, but it has like the big M's really like cool.

  00:04:05:20 - 00:04:09:14

  Marisol Muro

  And they have like a little museum inside and it's really awesome. Okay.

  00:04:09:14 - 00:04:16:00

  Fabiola Lara

  So the best, the biggest thing your hometown was known for was this McDonald's.

  00:04:16:00 - 00:04:38:04

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, all this McDonald's. And I think also the Carpenters is where I from there. Oh, that's cute. Yeah. So there's like the carpenter house there, and there's other things that it's known for, like looking in the air, like, vaguely. Like, I think there's something. Oh, yeah, someone's. Yeah, someone's.

  00:04:38:04 - 00:04:41:06

  Fabiola Lara

  Going to DM you after when they listen to like you forgot.

  00:04:41:06 - 00:04:42:21

  Marisol Muro

  About this and this.

  00:04:42:22 - 00:05:02:05

  Fabiola Lara

  One of the things that I noticed while I was researching so much about you, I noticed, you know, I know that you're Mexican-American, but it was actually kind of hard for me to confirm that online. Oh, like, I was like I was like, I'm like, I'm almost positive, but like, I am making a slight assumption by reaching out, right?

  00:05:02:23 - 00:05:20:03

  Fabiola Lara

  And I like, I was like Googling. I was like, you know, I'm going to I'm going to reach out. And then you confirmed and I was like, okay, it's all good. But is there any reason is there any reason why that's like hard to confirm. Do you not often share that for any particular reason or was it accidental?

  00:05:20:04 - 00:05:34:12

  Marisol Muro

  I feel like it's pretty obvious in my name. Like I feel like I have like the most like Mexican name. And I like I don't know, I feel like Marisol is kind of equivalent to being named like Madea or something like that.

  00:05:34:16 - 00:05:58:05

  Fabiola Lara

  Know, I feel you. I feel you. Yes, that's what I figured. But I'm also like, you know, I'm just curious because for a long time, like, my name is fabulous. I'm like people. It's obvious, like, but you know, for me, I am from Chile. So it's not that that part is not always obvious, right? So, like, nationality is not always obvious, especially given that I'm so white.

  00:05:59:16 - 00:06:08:21

  Fabiola Lara

  So I was just wondering if there was how you feel about like proudly calling yourself Mexican-American, like, do you have how do you identify with that term?

  00:06:09:04 - 00:06:31:06

  Marisol Muro

  I feel like growing up, I, I was very much like in my in my child brain. I was like, I'm Mexican like that, too. That's my that's my identity. So, like, as, you know, growing up, you have to get dressed up for Halloween for school. And I remember my mom dressed me up one day because she didn't have a chance to make me a costume or whatever.

  00:06:31:16 - 00:06:55:00

  Marisol Muro

  And she put on this like American t shirt on me and she was like, You're an American for Halloween. And I was like, I was so confused. Like, I had I couldn't even I didn't understand this so confusing, like, messed up mess your entire identity of that.

  00:06:55:01 - 00:07:03:09

  Fabiola Lara

  Moment where you like I am, where you confused because you felt like you were American already, or like what was the battle?

  00:07:03:19 - 00:07:29:00

  Marisol Muro

  It was confusing because it's like to to be told that you're as a costume you're wearing like this American identity as American flag with the with the bald eagle on the t shirt. I don't know. She was just slacking. Yeah. And then and then and then, you know, from there it made Amy question so much more. I'm like, what is this really mean?

  00:07:29:00 - 00:07:33:23

  Marisol Muro

  And like, am I an American or like what? I don't know.

  00:07:33:23 - 00:07:46:07

  Fabiola Lara

  Like your your relationship with, quote, being American got even more confusing because before that, you felt only Mexican or did you always think you were also American?

  00:07:46:15 - 00:08:16:05

  Marisol Muro

  No, I felt like I was I was I was basically just Mexican because it's like when you grew up. Yeah, that's what you're surrounded in. Like your whole your whole culture is is Mexican. And and then you you also try to blend in with, like, your American peers by like, you know, seeing kind of like seeing how how other kids are with their families.

  00:08:16:05 - 00:08:40:03

  Marisol Muro

  And, you know, you watch on TV, like what what America what an American household is and what what are white families like the way they live? Yeah. Yeah. Like, I remember talking to a friend and I do because I grew up in Downey. It's kind of it was like very much like the point where I was in school.

  00:08:40:03 - 00:09:05:02

  Marisol Muro

  It was like there was a larger population of white people. And then and then. But it was also like like the Latino people were being more like mixed in there now. And now it's like Downey is like very Latino. Like, if you tell anybody about Downey, they're like, Oh, I think they think it's all Latino people. But but when I was growing up, there was like a lot more white people.

  00:09:05:02 - 00:09:23:09

  Marisol Muro

  So when I would go to their houses and I'd see how they live, I'd be like, wow, you're it's it's like watching some, like an American family and on a TV. So it's just it's like a very much culture shock, right? And then you're like, I grew up in that. But like these two worlds, you know, that exist.

  00:09:23:09 - 00:09:34:12

  Fabiola Lara

  Sitting right between them. Yeah, I think that's really interesting because from my point of view, because I'm from I'm from South Florida just for context, like California to me is like.

  00:09:35:10 - 00:09:36:17

  Marisol Muro

  You know, the most.

  00:09:37:18 - 00:09:58:13

  Fabiola Lara

  The state with the most Mexican culture. Right. So I would think like for you growing up, there must have been beautiful. You were surrounded by like all this Mexican representation and in a way you were right, like integrated within your own home. But there was still back then, like those glimpses of white culture that really like just are shocking.

  00:09:59:16 - 00:09:59:21

  Marisol Muro

  And I.

  00:09:59:21 - 00:10:02:16

  Fabiola Lara

  Think that's hilarious because I think only like.

  00:10:02:16 - 00:10:04:19

  Marisol Muro

  Only like, like it probably.

  00:10:04:19 - 00:10:19:02

  Fabiola Lara

  Goes beyond Latino, but like immigrant kids have that experience of like, my house is not what's on TV and like, what we're doing is not what's on TV. And you can't just like go over to your friend's house for the night or whatever, you know?

  00:10:19:02 - 00:10:19:17

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah.

  00:10:20:00 - 00:10:23:14

  Fabiola Lara

  So it's like these various I think it's so funny that like a kid having to.

  00:10:24:05 - 00:10:27:15

  Marisol Muro

  Think about just being like, what does the parents like.

  00:10:27:15 - 00:10:28:16

  Fabiola Lara

  Understanding exactly what's.

  00:10:28:16 - 00:10:59:01

  Marisol Muro

  Happening? But yeah, yeah, yeah. And then like, even then, like, I feel like my parents, it's my parents. It's like it's still very much like they like they, they still they still mostly speak Spanish and they are Americanized because they are they have lived here since like, I don't know, since like the eighties, like eighties and but they're still very much kind of like in their culture, you know.

  00:10:59:11 - 00:11:01:04

  Fabiola Lara

  Like a little bit more traditional.

  00:11:01:12 - 00:11:20:16

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, very traditional. So like like my brother just moved in with his with his girlfriend and my mom was so upset. She called me up and she's like, Can you believe your brother moved in with this girlfriend without getting married? And I was like, What are you even talking about? Like, how is that even the thing in your brain right now?

  00:11:21:07 - 00:11:43:03

  Marisol Muro

  Like, it's like was like, you know, that was going to be an issue for for her because that's like the normal thing that Americans do as a thing, like where you live with your partner first before you decide to get married or whatever, you know. But in her in her culture, like, it's also to just even leave the home.

  00:11:43:03 - 00:12:06:07

  Marisol Muro

  Your family home is like a big thing. So like I left home like when I was 22 and it was like it was kind of an emotional thing because I was the first one to move out of my household and okay. And I know and I know that for them they probably wanted me to like get married before I moved out.

  00:12:07:03 - 00:12:26:02

  Marisol Muro

  But we also we grew up poor, so it was like my mom. My mom understood that like I need to leave the household to like have my own space and like grow as a person. And so it was kind of like not she wasn't like they didn't hate me about it or anything like that, but it was still like.

  00:12:26:21 - 00:12:28:14

  Fabiola Lara

  It was still breaking the norm.

  00:12:28:18 - 00:12:43:06

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, very much so. So, like, even now, like, my, my brother is like a couple of years younger than me, but she's still, like, in shock. Like, she's still like, I can't believe him. Like, he's like, she's so mad. And I'm like, what is going on?

  00:12:43:06 - 00:12:48:07

  Fabiola Lara

  And the and I can't even imagine what she thinks of of his girlfriend.

  00:12:49:03 - 00:13:12:14

  Marisol Muro

  To take in this right. Yeah. Yeah. I let her on her for sure. Yeah. And then it makes me think like she probably thinks I'm like this crazy person living by myself and, like, paying rent by myself or. I don't know, like, she. It's, it's my, my my parents also never got married, so they've been living in sin, you know.

  00:13:12:14 - 00:13:12:20

  Fabiola Lara

  For.

  00:13:12:20 - 00:13:13:12

  Marisol Muro

  Eternity.

  00:13:13:21 - 00:13:34:21

  Fabiola Lara

  I mean, I really think like there is, I think like parents are weird in my experience. It's been like, yeah, they think one way like, like how your mom think like you should get married before you move in together. But then it's not really in practice, right? Because like your parents are tech, aren't technically living in sin and like you moved out and that was okay.

  00:13:34:21 - 00:13:45:00

  Fabiola Lara

  So like they can rationalize certain things and yeah, at work, but there is still this like deeply ingrained tradition that they're like fighting against time.

  00:13:45:06 - 00:13:52:10

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, exactly. And it's always like they kind of have to, like, pick and choose like what they want to be upset about.

  00:13:52:20 - 00:14:02:03

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah, right, right. And they're like, I'm sure something else will come along. And your brother's, like, living situation will be, you know what? Move past.

  00:14:02:03 - 00:14:34:16

  Marisol Muro

  That. Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, it's just, you know, I don't know. I think it's like like I think my parents understand that, like, they chose to be in this foreign country and like, it comes with, like, different social norms or whatever. And they kind of I guess they've been, I guess they're like more accepting these days. But still, it's like, like you said, it's very much ingrained inside of they're like the way they were raised.

  00:14:34:21 - 00:14:38:17

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. That they fight against that, you know, all the time.

  00:14:38:17 - 00:15:01:20

  Fabiola Lara

  Right. So how do you feel like since you grew up here, you're born here, do you feel like Americanized too much? Do you feel like how do you feel about being connected to Mexican culture, given that you are, you know, in a way so Americanized and you, you know, moved out and, you know, you're bringing so many of the Mexican cultural norms.

  00:15:01:22 - 00:15:49:00

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, I feel like my. It's it's really it's it's difficult to say because I feel like, you know, I was raised in my whole Mexican culture, but I feel like growing up, you know, when you become a teenager and you start like figuring out like who you are as a person, I feel like I, I kind of just like, I don't know, became my like I kind of like not separate in myself from the culture, but it's just like I just followed like, whatever made me happy.

  00:15:49:00 - 00:15:50:21

  Marisol Muro

  And like.

  00:15:50:21 - 00:16:01:06

  Fabiola Lara

  Regardless if that was, like, Mexican enough or American enough for like Mexican enough for your parents and American enough for society, I suppose.

  00:16:01:11 - 00:16:40:23

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. Yeah. And I, I don't know, like, you know, going back to how you kind of figure out if I was really like Mexican or whatever, I don't. I always feel like that that's kind of like this. This like for me, it's like this weird thing where I don't want people to, to, I don't know, I have a hard time talking about myself, and I feel like I, I rather people know me for my work, like the work that I'm putting out then like, I don't know, like my whole background story or something.

  00:16:40:23 - 00:16:44:20

  Marisol Muro

  Like I don't like, I feel like, you know, I get that.

  00:16:44:23 - 00:16:53:17

  Fabiola Lara

  I get that because sometimes for me it's like if I identify as Latina, do you imagine that I have like I don't know, a rosary and like flower crowns and.

  00:16:53:17 - 00:16:54:21

  Marisol Muro

  Exactly.

  00:16:54:21 - 00:16:57:10

  Fabiola Lara

  Fitting into like tokenizing yourself.

  00:16:57:15 - 00:17:25:04

  Marisol Muro

  Yes. Yeah. And that that's pretty much what I feel is why is because like I don't want people to put this like this judgment on me and, and not really look at my work the way it should be without, like, all these other background things attached to it, you know, and, and I feel like being a Latina, there's like so much there, so many stereotypes around that.

  00:17:25:14 - 00:17:46:03

  Marisol Muro

  And I feel like I'm a very I don't know, like I have like a very colorful world. And and I don't, you know, I don't know. I feel like there's like a lot of different stereotypes that, like, isn't it just for us, for camera? Yeah. Okay. Um, but I.

  00:17:46:09 - 00:17:57:16

  Fabiola Lara

  I totally get what you mean. Like, you know, by outwardly labeling because, you know, from what I'm hearing, like, you feel Mexican enough, right? Like, would you agree with that?

  00:17:57:20 - 00:18:00:12

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, for sure. 100%. Like, but.

  00:18:00:12 - 00:18:08:00

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah, but, like, you're not trying to, but you feel a little bit maybe awkward about putting that label on yourself and.

  00:18:08:18 - 00:18:30:20

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, I think labels is like a very difficult thing. Like I honestly, I don't like labels. Like I don't want like, like you when people want me to describe my or like that's another thing I have a hard time talking about because it's like, you know, I like people always ask me for anything. It's like, Oh, what kind of art are you making?

  00:18:30:20 - 00:18:40:05

  Marisol Muro

  And it's always very difficult because I have to put a label on areas people don't understand, like where I'm like a is the, the gist of like people in a.

  00:18:40:15 - 00:18:42:04

  Fabiola Lara

  Place at somewhere like.

  00:18:42:04 - 00:18:43:08

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, people need.

  00:18:43:09 - 00:18:44:15

  Fabiola Lara

  Their needs to know.

  00:18:45:08 - 00:18:45:21

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah.

  00:18:45:23 - 00:18:53:03

  Fabiola Lara

  So essentially so but it's tough because you want to essentially go beyond labels, right? Yeah. But of everything.

  00:18:53:04 - 00:19:00:05

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. Yeah. And I, and I kind of want to have the freedom to do whatever I want to do. Like I don't want to label on something.

  00:19:00:14 - 00:19:19:17

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah. And I'm sure there's a lot of people that feel that way. I mean, for a really long time I also felt that way, but for me it stemmed from a place of not feeling. And I still struggle with this like feeling chilena enough. Like given that I grew up here, like, you know, there's this like am I hitting the mark of whatever that means?

  00:19:19:17 - 00:19:44:11

  Fabiola Lara

  Like, I don't know. And so felt weird to then identify with it. But now that I, now the way I'm thinking about it, which could be you know, something interesting for you is just like I can own that label and make it whatever I want it to be, right? So me being, as you know, quote, White passing, which is a very confusing term, but like as white and American as possible, having an American accent and like.

  00:19:45:00 - 00:19:45:23

  Marisol Muro

  You know, not doing.

  00:19:45:23 - 00:20:05:10

  Fabiola Lara

  A lot of traditional Latina things can be Latina to write, like, because for a long time I felt like being Latina meant, especially in the U.S. Mexican culture, which is mostly represented or like Cuban and Puerto Rican culture. And I was like, I don't really identify with that. Like, I don't identify with rice and beans and like, you know, the stereotypes.

  00:20:05:10 - 00:20:16:05

  Fabiola Lara

  And I felt like I needed to reject it. But now I'm embracing that I can make it my own. It doesn't mean I have to. I am wearing a red lip, but like I don't have to, you know?

  00:20:16:08 - 00:20:17:10

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, yeah.

  00:20:17:10 - 00:20:19:08

  Fabiola Lara

  Which is like sometimes what it feels like.

  00:20:19:20 - 00:20:51:22

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. I mean, it's, yeah, it's definitely like that. It's like you're your own individual person. So it's like you can choose to not like any of those stereotypes or whatever. And like, I don't know, I just feel like as an individual person, like I think we're more than just like whatever, like wherever we come from, you know, like, yeah, I feel like we, we can be like I remember for a, for a while I like, I didn't really like avocados.

  00:20:52:06 - 00:21:02:19

  Marisol Muro

  And then people were like, Oh my God, how could you not like avocados? You're Mexican. Like, what kind of Mexican are you? And I'm just like, What does that even mean? Right, right, right, right, right. Yeah.

  00:21:02:19 - 00:21:33:11

  Fabiola Lara

  I mean, the same could be I mean, it's yeah, I think it just comes down to like breaking stereotypes and really, really rejecting a stereotype makes so much sense. And there are people who really do identify with those stereotypes now that that's like a bad thing, but that easy is an easier path to go down. But I think one of the main reasons I created this podcast, for me it was like, I'm not seeing enough Latino representation in general, but I also want to break the stereotype of what it means to be Latina.

  00:21:33:11 - 00:21:50:15

  Fabiola Lara

  Gray Like for me, I don't feel like, you know, super whatever the stereotype of Latina is, I don't feel that way. So and for a long time, that's why I rejected it. And now I'm like, Oh, with this podcast, I can show like, you know, Marisol, you can be Latina and not, like, avocados and not, you know, like.

  00:21:50:23 - 00:22:07:02

  Marisol Muro

  I like avocados now. Okay? I like I'm okay with avocados. She has grown into avocados, so who knows what could be next for you in a year? You could be extremely Latina. Okay, but I totally get what you mean. And I'm so.

  00:22:07:02 - 00:22:08:20

  Fabiola Lara

  Glad we're having this conversation because.

  00:22:09:12 - 00:22:09:23

  Marisol Muro

  It's.

  00:22:10:11 - 00:22:19:02

  Fabiola Lara

  Not that it's I guess it's rare to hear, but I think it's common to feel like for a lot of people, especially as they go through generations in the US.

  00:22:19:12 - 00:22:41:11

  Marisol Muro

  We yeah. I mean yeah there's I think being from here, I think it's like, yeah, it's definitely one of those things where it's like you also can feel very much like you're not enough of wherever your, your parents come from, you know, even though you grew up around that whole dynamic.

  00:22:41:14 - 00:22:51:21

  Fabiola Lara

  Are there any like specific culture shock things that you can remember where like surprising to you? I feel like everyone has like one thing where they were like, did it now?

  00:22:52:19 - 00:23:14:08

  Marisol Muro

  Oh my God. Well, I didn't know that. Like, I don't know. I guess it's like a Southern thing, but like a lot of people have like, like during the summer, they have like lake houses or like these, like, I don't know, places where people just go and vacation at.

  00:23:14:08 - 00:23:17:09

  Fabiola Lara

  Yes, that would be the rich Southern people. Yes.

  00:23:17:09 - 00:23:18:04

  Marisol Muro

  Okay. Yeah, I can.

  00:23:18:04 - 00:23:33:13

  Fabiola Lara

  Afford to like yeah, they have like big. But I even think they even if you're not that wealthy depending on like how many generations you've been in the U.S., you may have bought property like in the woods or something or but lake houses are amazing.

  00:23:33:13 - 00:24:00:19

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. Like, yeah, like my ex had a, like what? Like a lake house kind of farm situation. And I'm just like, oh, my God. Like what? Like it was like a movie thing, you know, where I'm just like, okay. And I even was at a bar and I was talking to somebody. They're like, Oh yeah, like, you know, it matter where you're from or whatever, everybody goes to the lake or does like some sort of like or know somebody with the lake house and you go there and that's how you spend your time.

  00:24:01:01 - 00:24:16:09

  Fabiola Lara

  It's a real thing. It's a real I realize once I moved to like New York and was like, you know, working with other people who came from money or had just like had been here a long time, that it's like common, super common. But, you know, growing up, I didn't know anyone.

  00:24:16:20 - 00:24:26:06

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, I know. I didn't know anybody personally until my ex showed me that. And I was like, Whoa, that's super cool. Like.

  00:24:26:18 - 00:24:29:12

  Fabiola Lara

  Okay, casual, casual, extra house.

  00:24:29:12 - 00:24:57:02

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. I'm like, Wow, okay. But yeah, I've also taken them to like an actual, like, family party and he's just like, okay, like I can tell he's like very overwhelmed. And then even just ordering for, you know, there's usually a taco guy, so it's like, okay, how do you know? Like he's like at Chipotle. He's like, Well, yeah, I want to bowl.

  00:24:57:21 - 00:25:00:23

  Marisol Muro

  Oh, okay. Okay. I love that. Yeah, I think, you know.

  00:25:01:18 - 00:25:02:09

  Fabiola Lara

  I think something.

  00:25:02:09 - 00:25:03:07

  Marisol Muro

  That's key.

  00:25:04:01 - 00:25:30:00

  Fabiola Lara

  That I think about in terms of like the key differentiation is just having generational wealth, right? Like because when you immigrate here and your family like just is you're starting this is level zero, right? And other people are like at level five or six of being in the US like generationally they're the fifth generation, a lot higher odds of having accrued a lake house than when you are just moved here, you know.

  00:25:30:17 - 00:25:35:01

  Fabiola Lara

  So I always think that's crazy, just unfair.

  00:25:35:01 - 00:25:57:18

  Marisol Muro

  But yeah, it's it's really crazy. But yeah, like I grew up, I grew up poor, so we grew up in a one bedroom house and like we, I mean, there was like literally like no, there was no boundaries in my house. There was like we all just shared. We were just like all on top of each other. And that's very much like the culture that we live in that I was brought up in.

  00:25:57:18 - 00:26:19:16

  Marisol Muro

  It's like, okay, my aunt's coming from Mexico. Like, Let's bring her in. And it's like, okay, we don't have any space, but that's fine. And like, it's just like you, you, you may have like the smallest little house, but you use the heck out of that little house and and yeah. So like growing up, I didn't have a room or anything.

  00:26:19:16 - 00:26:40:03

  Marisol Muro

  So that was like my main goal. It's like that was like my American dream is like, I'm going to, I'm going to move out and I'm going to like have my own space and I'm going to decorate it however I want. And I feel like maybe that's why I don't know if maybe that was just in me, but I'm very much like I like to surround myself with like things that are very inspiring.

  00:26:40:16 - 00:26:51:11

  Fabiola Lara

  So yes. Ooh, that definitely could be like a key connection, right? Like if you felt like before you had to share everything now. Yeah. Like precious things that are your own.

  00:26:51:11 - 00:27:10:17

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. And, and also it's like you get to decorate a space to be exactly how you want it. And I don't know, like, I don't know if you have like a space in your home where it's like you get home and you just look at the space and you're just like, Oh my God. And like, it's just so, like, cozy.

  00:27:10:17 - 00:27:16:17

  Marisol Muro

  And it just makes you feel really warm inside. And it's just like, your own little, like, special place, you know?

  00:27:16:18 - 00:27:22:21

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah. I feel like personally I have areas like that, but I also don't feel, I think, as passionate about.

  00:27:23:22 - 00:27:24:08

  Marisol Muro

  Like the.

  00:27:24:15 - 00:27:31:07

  Fabiola Lara

  Like decor, I guess in design only to me I get overwhelmed. I get overwhelmed by the choices. I'm like.

  00:27:31:21 - 00:27:40:12

  Marisol Muro

  That's real stressful. And then and then owning it and then I'm like, Where do I put it? And Yeah, what am I going to.

  00:27:40:12 - 00:27:47:05

  Fabiola Lara

  Do with it? But I think I have some other traumas in the sense that I moved around a lot. So to me, like getting things.

  00:27:47:05 - 00:27:48:14

  Marisol Muro

  Right, you feel like.

  00:27:48:21 - 00:27:48:23

  Fabiola Lara

  You're.

  00:27:49:00 - 00:27:49:23

  Marisol Muro

  Going to have to get rid of.

  00:27:49:23 - 00:28:09:10

  Fabiola Lara

  It. I have like a yeah, I feel like a debt to it. Yeah. Like it weighs heavy on me to have the items when they're, like, bigger than something and put in my pocket or something or in a backpack. But I adore your style and the world that you've created, and it's one of the main reasons I wanted to, you know, talk to you.

  00:28:09:10 - 00:28:36:23

  Fabiola Lara

  You've, like, gone beyond just illustration, right? Like you create your own world, but you also curate your own world in real life through fashion and just like objects and everything. And I'm so impressed by that because like I said to me, it feels very like overwhelming to think about. Where do you think your like fascination with seventies and sixties imagery and style and vibe comes from?

  00:28:37:16 - 00:28:57:11

  Fabiola Lara

  Okay, before we keep going with this amazing conversation, I just wanted to interrupt to let you know about something totally new I'm doing with this season of Draws in Spanish. This season, I decided to launch a Patreon in case you don't know what Patreon is, Patreon is a way you can support creators and gain access to exclusive content.

  00:28:57:14 - 00:29:26:16

  Fabiola Lara

  So on the new draws in Spanish Patreon, you can access exclusive rewards, like joining our Discord community, listening to extended episodes, getting a monthly print and stickers mailed right to you if you want to be a part of all of this and so much more, become a patron of drawers in Spanish by heading to Patreon dot com slash draws in Spanish That's P80 Oriol and Tor.com slash drawers in Spanish.

  00:29:26:21 - 00:29:28:14

  Fabiola Lara

  Thank you. And I'll see you over there.

  00:29:30:00 - 00:30:01:06

  Marisol Muro

  I think it's just like the way I really am drawn to color. And I feel like the sixties and seventies was a very colorful time. Like they were not afraid of. Like, in the 1970s, everything was really big and, like, very grand. And, like, the sixties was like, you know, very experimental. And they pretty much just went like, crazy and like, they just there's so many different designs that came out.

  00:30:01:06 - 00:30:33:09

  Marisol Muro

  Like, so many concepts and ideas. Like everybody's, like, throwing things out there. It was like, Yeah, it's just like a very inspiring time, I think for me. And I, somebody who, who loves working with color, like, I don't know if you look at the fashions, I mean, you can get there's there's two different worlds, I guess there's like there's kind of the more muted sixties, you know, and then there's like the very colorful and like the seventies, like The Brady Bunch or whatever, right.

  00:30:33:16 - 00:30:42:03

  Marisol Muro

  You know, very colorful and extravagant. And just like a big like, I don't know, like, wow. You know?

  00:30:42:04 - 00:31:03:18

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah, I think I think I remember reading somewhere like that in the sixties of the seventies was like a time where they were, like fabricating all types of new material. So I think that like that like contributed to experimentation, right? And why we got like funky designs and now we're like in a, in an efficiency like fabrication mindset.

  00:31:03:18 - 00:31:06:17

  Fabiola Lara

  So everything's kind of like the same because it's for Amazon.

  00:31:07:00 - 00:31:10:16

  Marisol Muro

  It was like fashion for Amazon to do that. Yeah.

  00:31:10:16 - 00:31:16:16

  Fabiola Lara

  So I bet it has something to do with that. The reason that that era is like so, you know, just cool and different.

  00:31:17:01 - 00:31:17:07

  Marisol Muro

  Um.

  00:31:17:17 - 00:31:25:04

  Fabiola Lara

  Did you happen to see that study that came out? I don't know who did it, so I'll leave it in linked somewhere, but like about how the world is getting less colorful.

  00:31:26:00 - 00:31:41:08

  Marisol Muro

  You know I've been on I same like really obsessive tick tock right now and I there was a tick tock where somebody was talking about how there's like less color in the world or something. And I was like, What is like that? No. But like, it's.

  00:31:41:09 - 00:31:43:00

  Fabiola Lara

  Singlehandedly combating that.

  00:31:43:05 - 00:32:08:21

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah. And I don't like, I honestly like I understand why people just like very minimalist things like, you know, like how you were saying how it's very overwhelming, like color can be very overwhelming because there is, you know, every I feel like every color makes you feel something different. And I feel like maybe that's why people want some sort of calm, you know, calmness.

  00:32:08:21 - 00:32:12:05

  Marisol Muro

  So you take away all this color. But we're also.

  00:32:12:05 - 00:32:18:17

  Fabiola Lara

  Like being hit by media all the time. So maybe that also I mean, there's so much like psychologically happening.

  00:32:18:21 - 00:32:37:15

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, yeah. But like, yeah, like I know that there's this there's been there's been this big white in grayish kind of trend that's been happening, especially like interior, interior decorating or whatever. Like a lot of like everybody's painting their walls gray.

  00:32:38:10 - 00:32:44:16

  Fabiola Lara

  And and, and, like, giving kids toys that have, like, no colors. They're just like, yeah, trolls.

  00:32:44:16 - 00:33:09:20

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. Like, to me, that, to me, that's crazy. Okay? Like, because I remember, I remember I don't know where I, where I got this piece of information, but it was like in prisons, they, they don't put any color on the wall. So it's basically like gray or white because they don't want the inmates to have any sort of joy or any sort of like pleasure and color, you know?

  00:33:09:21 - 00:33:11:16

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah, they wanted to feel bleak.

  00:33:11:17 - 00:33:28:00

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. And it's like, why are people painting their houses? Prison colors, you know? So it's like, what is going on? But, you know, like, I, it's just when a trend happens, the trend happens and like, everybody just latches on to that or no.

  00:33:28:00 - 00:33:47:09

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah, no, I totally feel you. I think it's definitely like in trend to I wanted to ask you like this is just my interpretation so I could be wrong but like I feel like there's only so much seventies references that you can find these days, right? Like because it already happened and it maybe is not super while archived.

  00:33:47:09 - 00:33:57:19

  Fabiola Lara

  How do you keep like finding new seventies inspiration or sixties inspiration for your work given that you're dealing with like a very specific era?

  00:33:57:19 - 00:34:05:03

  Marisol Muro

  Um, yeah. I don't know. I feel like the sixties and seventies. Such a vast world.

  00:34:05:10 - 00:34:05:20

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah.

  00:34:05:22 - 00:34:38:19

  Marisol Muro

  So I'm always finding new inspiration. Like, I used to go to flea markets, like, all the time, and I used to go thrifting a ton. And I'm the type of person that, like, takes photos, takes a lot of notes, any little thing that, like, I find inspiring or even just a phrase that I have in my mind, like I'm writing it down, but even like, I don't know, like what?

  00:34:38:23 - 00:34:48:19

  Marisol Muro

  Like stuff that I've seen like maybe a couple of months ago. I'll look at it again and then I'll get, like, a whole different idea from it, you know?

  00:34:49:04 - 00:35:09:02

  Fabiola Lara

  Yes. Yes, I totally I totally get what you mean. You are really posting a lot and sharing a lot of illustrations all the time. And even like with your with your shop money. So land like you have a lot of prints available. So I'm just curious like what is your creative process for like that much output? I'm really impressed.

  00:35:09:02 - 00:35:16:02

  Fabiola Lara

  And I'm just curious like how you're managing like to take these sources of inspiration and then remakes like new imagery.

  00:35:16:02 - 00:35:40:11

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. I mean, yeah, I am. I guess I am kind of crazy in a way where I feel like I am putting out a lot of work and honestly, it's it has to do a lot with, I think because of Instagram. Instagram is the reason I am here, you know, like doing what I'm doing because without Instagram I wouldn't have known I can even become an artist.

  00:35:40:11 - 00:35:45:19

  Marisol Muro

  Like I wouldn't have known anybody would want to pay me for like creative anything, you know?

  00:35:45:19 - 00:36:03:21

  Fabiola Lara

  Yes. I think that's beautiful. Like, you know, everyone hates on Instagram and I, I get it. You know, there's a lot of negative, negative parts to it. But like you're saying, like it made you realize that not only do people like your work, they're willing to pay you for your work. And other people have done similar things with their work.

  00:36:03:21 - 00:36:23:12

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, like I grew with Mexican parents that don't they're not they're not like art people. Like they they're they're very much like factory worker kind of people like they just clock day and clock out. Like their main thing is like, I got to have a job, you know, like somebody that gives me a check and that's what I need to survive.

  00:36:23:21 - 00:36:45:01

  Marisol Muro

  So my, like even going to college, like I went to fashion school and my dad was very much like, you're not going to be a nurse. Like, what's wrong with you? And I'm like a nurse, like how I've never even I never even pretend operated on like any anybody or anyone. Or did you.

  00:36:45:01 - 00:36:46:13

  Fabiola Lara

  Ever did you read the cues.

  00:36:46:13 - 00:36:48:18

  Marisol Muro

  Like, oh, were you.

  00:36:48:18 - 00:36:50:01

  Fabiola Lara

  Watching? Cause I never.

  00:36:50:01 - 00:37:15:11

  Marisol Muro

  Did. Yeah. And, and, and I also, I put it together later, but I notice a lot of, like, Latino women become nurses or become or join like some sort of health care bro. Because yeah, yeah, yeah. Because it like it's more of a higher paying maybe. I don't know. Yeah, yeah. And so I think that's where that came from.

  00:37:15:11 - 00:37:34:09

  Marisol Muro

  But like I remember telling my mom that I wanted to be a fashion designer and, but my first thing that I really wish I could have done was I could be if I if I could be an artist. But to me, that was like something you just see, like that's that's somebody else's thing like that. I that's like a myth.

  00:37:34:14 - 00:37:46:20

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. It's pretty much like it's or it's like a white people saying, you know, like, they can do this because they have probably connections or, I don't know, like they're born into artistic family and they got connections, you know, like.

  00:37:47:00 - 00:37:50:13

  Fabiola Lara

  They have the money to sit and experiment with their paintings for years.

  00:37:50:13 - 00:38:10:23

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, exactly. And like, yeah, my mom was like, she, she's less, um, I guess discouraging, but she was very much like, you know, fashion design is very competitive and like there is going to be a lot of people that are going to be trying to get your job and that it and and she's like, it's going to be very hard.

  00:38:10:23 - 00:38:23:09

  Marisol Muro

  And I'm like, I know like I know all these things, but I believed in myself where I'm like, I'm such a creative person. Like, I feel crazy not to do this thing, you know? Like, I don't know what else I would be doing.

  00:38:23:19 - 00:38:46:13

  Fabiola Lara

  I think it's so, like, strange and like just curious. Like, could you also that you can totally believe in yourself in like, I can do fashion design like I could, but you didn't have that feeling enough towards like being an artist. Like, that was like two too far right? But like, you limited yourself to fashion design and you were like, Oh, I can totally do that.

  00:38:46:20 - 00:38:58:16

  Fabiola Lara

  And I totally 100% relate to that. But and I know a lot of people have done similar things. I think that was a safer choice. Yeah. Negotiating like what you could do.

  00:38:58:17 - 00:39:16:16

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, for sure. Because of fashion design. Like I can work a company and I can do I know this trade so I know how to design clothes, I know how to make patterns, I know how to make patterns for clothes like, I can do all of that for a company so I can clock in and go for a company.

  00:39:16:16 - 00:39:29:00

  Marisol Muro

  You know, there's so many fashion brands out there, I can work for them. Like, that was like my most like, like the job where I can, I could see myself making a living off of, you.

  00:39:29:00 - 00:39:33:13

  Fabiola Lara

  Know, and like marrying the two realities of like, I want to be creative, but I also need stability.

  00:39:33:15 - 00:40:00:20

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, exactly. And, and like, so, so yeah, I went to I went through the whole fashion thing and I worked in the industry for a long time and but because of Instagram, like I was on Instagram, like probably the very beginning of the beginnings of Instagram. Like I remember when I first got on Instagram, it wasn't because like I thought it was like some social thing where we would be sharing pictures to strangers.

  00:40:00:20 - 00:40:23:05

  Marisol Muro

  It was more of like, I wanted to find some cute filters for my photos and like they gave, there was like seven filters on there at the time. Yeah, I just wanted cute photos for myself. Like, that was another thing I like. I like photography, so I, I wanted to especially like, I think my first Instagram photo is of my cat body and it's like, oh.

  00:40:23:19 - 00:40:25:08

  Fabiola Lara

  I have stayed true to that.

  00:40:26:05 - 00:40:30:00

  Marisol Muro

  All these years later. Yeah. For anyone listening.

  00:40:30:00 - 00:40:33:08

  Fabiola Lara

  Instagram started in 2010 just to give a little context.

  00:40:33:08 - 00:40:56:11

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. Yeah. So at that time I really just wanted cute filters for my just home photos or whatever, just for me. And then Instagram became this thing where it's like more people joined. And then I started discovering artists and I was like, Oh my God. Like, these people are like kind of the same age. They look the same age as me, and they're, they're selling their artwork and people are buying it.

  00:40:56:11 - 00:41:09:01

  Marisol Muro

  And I'm like, whoa, like, I never I just, I just wasn't in there with that, just in my brain, like, just something that I knew that people could do. It wasn't like it didn't happen until Instagram happened.

  00:41:09:01 - 00:41:17:22

  Fabiola Lara

  You know, like things didn't line up until Instagram was on the scene. So I know you were in fashion. I think you're like, I think I read somewhere like 13 years.

  00:41:17:23 - 00:41:21:01

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, it was like it was 12 years.

  00:41:21:05 - 00:41:34:07

  Fabiola Lara

  Okay, so that's a really long time. So what kind of made you, you know, decide to take that leap? Because that it sounds to me like maybe it took a while from even learning about it on Instagram that people could make a living off of it.

  00:41:34:11 - 00:41:52:00

  Marisol Muro

  I've always kind of made out on the side, but it was just for me like it was it it was like it was kind of a therapeutic kind of thing, you know, like I was feeling very overwhelmed and I would just draw and I draw whatever, you know, and I like. So it was because it was like a therapeutic thing.

  00:41:52:00 - 00:42:16:21

  Marisol Muro

  I felt very naked about sharing my work and and even just to my friend, you know, I'd be like, No, don't look at that. You know, like, don't, don't open that, you know, just leave it alone. And so I didn't share my work on Instagram until, like later, like years later. And so I don't know if you've gone back through my whole Instagram life, but it's.

  00:42:17:00 - 00:42:17:14

  Fabiola Lara

  Pretty far.

  00:42:17:14 - 00:42:32:18

  Marisol Muro

  Back. All the way back there. Pretty far. Okay. Yeah. So it was basically me just sharing like the things that I that I like. So like the cute things I'd collect the the outfits I would style.

  00:42:34:12 - 00:42:46:23

  Fabiola Lara

  Very early life style influencer. Yes, I may say. Right. Like before that what had an official term, right? Yes. Like sharing about you and your life and and with a very specific taste.

  00:42:46:23 - 00:43:08:11

  Marisol Muro

  Yes. So it was it was a lot of that lifestyle thing. It's just like things that I really liked and I really like just thought were very inspiring. And to like that's what I would share online. And from that, people really started following me and I thought that was really cool. Like, I to me, I was like, Oh, I got a thousand followers.

  00:43:08:11 - 00:43:33:21

  Marisol Muro

  That's so crazy, you know, like, I don't even have a thousand friends, you know? It's just like, who are these people? But yeah, like from there I realized that people really liked my style, so I, I like, I liked my style, but, you know, not everybody's going to like it. So I never really thought anybody was going to be into it like me.

  00:43:33:21 - 00:43:51:17

  Marisol Muro

  But people really liked like, like my so this, like the esthetic term is like something that I learned through social media too. It's like, oh my God, your esthetic is so blah blah blah. And I'm just like, I don't even know what that is. So I had to look up what that even was. And like.

  00:43:51:18 - 00:43:53:09

  Fabiola Lara

  What was it, I'm curious.

  00:43:53:16 - 00:43:54:23

  Marisol Muro

  Esthetic.

  00:43:54:23 - 00:43:56:20

  Fabiola Lara

  Oh, the word esthetic itself.

  00:43:56:21 - 00:43:58:17

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, the word esthetic. And so.

  00:43:59:02 - 00:44:02:13

  Fabiola Lara

  I thought there was like a a type of esthetic you were talking about.

  00:44:02:13 - 00:44:03:09

  Marisol Muro

  Specifically.

  00:44:03:16 - 00:44:06:22

  Fabiola Lara

  Just the term. Yeah. Because now on the Internet people use that word.

  00:44:06:22 - 00:44:16:05

  Marisol Muro

  For everything freely. Yeah. Yeah. And that was like when people are like, oh my God, your esthetic is so this and that. And I'm just like, what's it? Because I was sharing just you're like.

  00:44:16:05 - 00:44:17:08

  Fabiola Lara

  This is just what I like.

  00:44:17:08 - 00:44:37:19

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, I wasn't sharing stuff that I like. And then what was the other term? Oh, yeah. People kept calling me a brand and people were like, Oh my God, this is so on brand. And I'm like, What does that even mean? Like then it's like. Then like social media became like this thing where it's like, everybody's a brand.

  00:44:38:02 - 00:44:43:21

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, like everybody is like, I don't know, like you. Like, you're.

  00:44:43:21 - 00:44:45:14

  Fabiola Lara

  Everyone's representing themselves.

  00:44:45:17 - 00:44:57:01

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, but, but it's also like you're kind of stuck in this brand, you know, like, oh, like when I would wear a black outfit, like, nobody would like it, you know.

  00:44:57:07 - 00:44:57:18

  Fabiola Lara

  Brand.

  00:44:57:23 - 00:45:11:06

  Marisol Muro

  Very off brands, you know, people like, oh my God. Like, do you even wear black and I'm like, Yes, I do. But honestly, whenever I was sure, nobody would care. So you guys don't care. Yeah. So it's like. But but it's because you.

  00:45:11:06 - 00:45:17:03

  Fabiola Lara

  Built an audience on the colorful seventies brand and so off brand, that audience isn't going to.

  00:45:17:03 - 00:45:39:19

  Marisol Muro

  Engage. Right. Which is annoying. Yeah. And so that also going back to me just sharing my life so, so, so I would throw in little like in like little like illustrations that I would do and nobody really cared about it, but I really liked it. And I was like, You know what? Like it. I think it goes really well with my whole brand.

  00:45:40:05 - 00:46:03:05

  Marisol Muro

  So I'm just going to keep like my little bits of, like, art that I put in there, you know, because I want people to know that I like I can put cute outfits together and I can, I don't know, have a very cute home, but I can also draw and like I also have all these other talents and then like, like I made this top and people are like, oh my God, oh my God, you can so.

  00:46:03:05 - 00:46:03:16

  Marisol Muro

  And I was like.

  00:46:03:16 - 00:46:05:09

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah, because you're a fashion girl.

  00:46:05:18 - 00:46:15:17

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. Like, I mean that in a positive way. I use the term ironically, but it's positive. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. That's amazing. Yeah.

  00:46:15:17 - 00:46:17:03

  Fabiola Lara

  Like you're more than just.

  00:46:17:13 - 00:46:17:20

  Marisol Muro

  You're.

  00:46:17:20 - 00:46:18:22

  Fabiola Lara

  More than just like.

  00:46:19:05 - 00:46:19:20

  Marisol Muro

  You know.

  00:46:20:07 - 00:46:24:13

  Fabiola Lara

  Your vision. You. Right. Actual talents that you want to showcase.

  00:46:24:14 - 00:46:42:16

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. And I like, yeah, like I don't think people knew that like I'm a fashion designer on the, on, like, that's my main thing. And for a long time, people are like, What do you even do for a living? You know? But I also kept that separate because in the corporate fashion world, it's not very creative and it's not very like.

  00:46:42:16 - 00:46:52:07

  Marisol Muro

  And I also wasn't very proud of where I was working because most of the jobs in fashion are all fast fashion kind of jobs. Yeah, thankfully I was able to quit.

  00:46:52:16 - 00:47:08:23

  Fabiola Lara

  How did you decide to do that? Because I think a lot of people listening can be in a similar position where they're at a job they don't care for because they have to pay the bills and they dream of being able to like take their art career and make that their primary thing. So how did you decide to do that?

  00:47:09:12 - 00:47:33:23

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. So like I said, like I would throw in little bits of my artwork and just because I wanted to show people more of like what more what things, what talents that I can bring to the table that aren't just a beautiful photo or whatever. Nobody really cared about it in the beginning and in it was fine because it's like so like Instagram wasn't the way that I made my money.

  00:47:33:23 - 00:47:55:23

  Marisol Muro

  So it was just like, I'm just doing this, you know, like low pressure. I, I was working towards figuring out how I can make this my job or like, how I can eventually quit my job. Like, my main goal is to quit my job. Like the job that I had. I've had it for, for 12 years and two years in like I wanted to quit so bad.

  00:47:55:23 - 00:48:21:23

  Marisol Muro

  Like, I was just like I, I hated it so much because like I said, I wasn't very proud of it. Like, I worked there 12 years, which is way too long. But it also it also comes with the, the the fear the fear of like being poor. So it's like giving up that safety net. What I did in those years is that I continue to do Instagram stuff.

  00:48:21:23 - 00:48:40:13

  Marisol Muro

  Like I would sometimes even be late for work just because like I had to make sure I took a photo of my outfit, you know, I would do that before work and then I would do like I do my art after work. So I was just like I was working so much, but I was working towards my goal of like quitting my job.

  00:48:40:23 - 00:48:59:00

  Marisol Muro

  And so I, I pushed myself to really like save an X amount of money that I felt comfortable with. I can quit. And also like eventually people really liked my work like a lot where I'm like really blown away with the support from people.

  00:48:59:05 - 00:49:21:05

  Fabiola Lara

  Yes, yes. You've definitely been able to carve out a name for yourself. Yeah. And even though, like, maybe it took longer than you wanted it to or you didn't commit to it, maybe you could have committed to it faster. But you didn't know at the time, right? Yeah. You've definitely made a huge name for yourself. I wanted to talk about actually one of your collections, but maybe I'll let you finish first.

  00:49:21:05 - 00:49:25:07

  Fabiola Lara

  Like how you how you finally left, you know? Yeah, I think that's amazing.

  00:49:25:07 - 00:49:53:04

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. When I, when I finally left, it was because I had already like I had given myself like, okay, once I get 20,000 followers, I'll quit my job. And then that happened and I'm like, No, I'm not ready yet. I'm not ready yet. And like, okay, once, like I hit maybe 60,000, I'll it, you know. Yeah. And then I'm like, no, like, I don't know, like, this is scary and it is so.

  00:49:53:04 - 00:50:24:12

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. So I made sure I had like a certain amount of money saved up because I know this is like starting my own business, like, you know, figuring out how to even freelance. Like, that's a whole different thing. It's like, you know, it's a whole new career. So, yeah, that is, like, very scary. But I'm like, you know, I'm never going to get there unless I just dove in and I'm just make all the mistakes because I'm like one of those people that like, I guess it's kind of like a perfectionist personality where like, I want everything.

  00:50:24:12 - 00:50:31:08

  Marisol Muro

  I want to know exactly how it's going to happen, want it before I even commit to this thing and like.

  00:50:31:08 - 00:50:38:08

  Fabiola Lara

  Which is like, impossible. Yeah. It's like a control. Yeah, I have the same. Yeah I speak for myself, but I feel the same way. Yeah.

  00:50:38:08 - 00:50:57:08

  Marisol Muro

  I just feel because, like, I've been taken advantage and then like it still happens. Like you get taken advantage of because you're not educated in whatever thing. And like I always want to make sure that nobody is going to do this to me or like or nobody's going to like. I don't know. I'm just like, very much like I want to protect myself in any way that I can.

  00:50:57:16 - 00:51:15:06

  Marisol Muro

  So I want to make sure I have all these things in place so that I am ready, you know? And like I'm already in my thirties, so I'm like, there is no way I'm going to be more ready than now. And like, I just got if I can do it, like, oh, sorry. I don't know, can we get some your for sure.

  00:51:15:06 - 00:51:41:22

  Marisol Muro

  Okay. But yeah, so like thankfully yeah. When I finally quit that was my quit my job. It was really crazy because they were very much in shock and they begged me to stay on. Thankfully that like that month that I quit, which I believe was like October, like officially I was done with them like in October of 2020.

  00:51:42:01 - 00:52:06:16

  Marisol Muro

  Thankfully, I had like a really successful l like month where I was like very overwhelmed with orders and all that. And I was like, Oh my God. Like, I am so glad. Like, I'm, I'm here, you know, and then that's when like all these other collaboration started rolling in. And I feel like I don't know if the universe just knew that, like, I had quit my job, and like, I'm like out there in the world as an illustrator now.

  00:52:06:16 - 00:52:15:08

  Marisol Muro

  And like, opportunities were coming to me and I was just like, Oh, my God. Like, this is like, amazing. Like, it just seems like out of a dream.

  00:52:16:07 - 00:52:34:17

  Fabiola Lara

  I think a lot of the times it's like we hold. You're like, we're so scared to take the lead. And then once we finally do it, you kind of come out guns blazing, right? You're like, I'm ready, I'm going. Because it's all risk. Like there is no failure is not an option, essentially, right? Like you're on your own, you have to make it.

  00:52:34:23 - 00:52:58:17

  Fabiola Lara

  And that, like compels you to put yourself out there even more. And people notice that and brands noticed that. And our directors who are hiring noticed that and the stars start like aligning. But I think a lot of it is just like your newfound commitment, right? Like and your newfound confidence and being like owning that you're an illustrator or owning that you're a brand finally, like owning all of these things that helped put you out there.

  00:52:59:08 - 00:53:18:17

  Fabiola Lara

  And then I know you landed your collaboration, the one I want to talk. I know you are. You have one with mod cloth and I know you have one with pleasing, which is Harry Sells Beauty brand. I wanted to talk about that one because it's more recent, but you collaborated with Pleasing for their Shroom Blur, collaborated with Pleasing for their.

  00:53:18:17 - 00:53:22:02

  Marisol Muro

  Shroom Bloom collection. And it's beautiful.

  00:53:22:02 - 00:53:43:10

  Fabiola Lara

  There are so many assets involved. I think you only posted one Instagram post about it, but there are a lot of assets involved in actual packaging and in just like, well, the packaging and in the imagery for the collection. So I'm just like, tell me about it. And how did it feel to go from two to like get that essentially?

  00:53:43:10 - 00:54:12:01

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, it's pretty wild. I, I don't know. It's like, how do I say it's a, it's a very like crazy thing like to say like I did pleasing Shroom Bloom Collection, like the art for it. Like it just seems like it's not real. But when they first approached me, like, pleasing wasn't even like a brand that was out yet.

  00:54:12:01 - 00:54:35:15

  Marisol Muro

  So, like, I didn't and like, I didn't know. And I'm not like a huge, like, Harry Styles, like fanatic. Like, I like his music and I think he's super cute and adorable and he's very like a love it, like a lovable character, you know? But like, I don't follow him like his celebrity stuff, you know, like I don't know anything about his personal life.

  00:54:36:17 - 00:55:06:13

  Marisol Muro

  So when they approached me about making the artwork for it, I was, I was like, I've never heard of pleasing. So I was like trying to Google what pleasing was and like nothing would come up. But I saw like a photo of Harry Styles wearing some pleasing thing, but also I was like, I don't know if this is brand like, I was not ready for the fandom to come and like be all up in my world, you know?

  00:55:06:13 - 00:55:07:16

  Marisol Muro

  Oh yeah.

  00:55:07:16 - 00:55:11:20

  Fabiola Lara

  They're I feel it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like the fandom is very supportive of your work.

  00:55:11:20 - 00:55:35:23

  Marisol Muro

  Yes, yes, yes. They're they're very intense people, but they're very, very sweet. They're very like they just want to spread love, you know? But the part that I don't like about that is that because it's like this pleasing is such a big brand. And Harry, you know, Harry Styles is like this. Yeah, he's like a superstar. So, so many.

  00:55:35:23 - 00:55:57:23

  Marisol Muro

  Like, I guess I don't know what you call these brands, but they're like pirate pirate brands. Yeah. That like, latch on to like, just not. Yeah, yeah. Like they, like they latch on to anything. So there's been like way more people knocking me off. So it's like they'll knock off the pleasing artwork and then they'll take, they'll mesh together.

  00:55:57:23 - 00:56:05:10

  Marisol Muro

  My art or, you know, because the pleasing artwork is very much like my vibe. Like, that's like my whole world is here. Yeah.

  00:56:05:18 - 00:56:06:20

  Fabiola Lara

  It's your world, for sure.

  00:56:06:20 - 00:56:21:10

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. And like, I, it went perfectly with the whole collection and everything. And so I feel like it. It's like people take my personal work and the pleasing work and it's like all over everything and it's like, hard to.

  00:56:21:13 - 00:56:22:06

  Fabiola Lara

  Kind of sloppy.

  00:56:22:07 - 00:56:26:16

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, it's like all over the place. So that's like, another thing that wasn't cool about it.

  00:56:27:00 - 00:56:36:07

  Fabiola Lara

  I think that tends to happen though. The more your work is that the more your artwork is out there on the Internet, the more likely you are to just get ripped off.

  00:56:36:07 - 00:56:36:21

  Marisol Muro

  Yes.

  00:56:36:22 - 00:56:39:17

  Fabiola Lara

  Yes, it's almost inevitable in from my point.

  00:56:39:17 - 00:57:15:06

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, for sure. And I and also it's like because it's like this whole fandom that knows nothing about you and also people that there's people that are just they're like because they love Harry Styles so much. And some people aren't really like art followers, I guess, or like, you know, know anything about the art world. And I would get messages from people that like, I never really cared much for art, but your art, like, made me like I like I never got into art until I saw your work.

  00:57:15:06 - 00:57:29:22

  Marisol Muro

  And I was just like, wow, that's really weird, but that's awesome that like, I expose people to this, like, I don't know, really fun style of illustration and they like really like they get like it really resonates with them.

  00:57:30:07 - 00:57:32:19

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah, I think that just goes to show like the power of.

  00:57:32:19 - 00:57:33:12

  Marisol Muro

  Working.

  00:57:34:17 - 00:57:53:18

  Fabiola Lara

  When collaborating with like such a big like there are people obviously you had already a dedicated following before this that people who just care for your work but now you exposed your work to a bunch of other people who like Harry Styles and Harry Styles as a brand. So there is some mutual benefit. Yeah.

  00:57:53:18 - 00:58:27:05

  Marisol Muro

  And from that it's like I, I also feel a bit of like I need to educate like these group of people that don't understand the etiquette of like sharing people's work or like don't get, like, just don't like. One thing that I notice is that people think that because they buy a print from a store that they can then pay somebody to like customize, I don't know, like a laptop cover with that art on it, you know what I mean, right?

  00:58:27:05 - 00:58:32:07

  Marisol Muro

  Like they think like, oh, I've supported the artist in this way, so now I can put it in, print it on is.

  00:58:32:07 - 00:58:33:16

  Fabiola Lara

  Permission for everything.

  00:58:33:17 - 00:58:59:07

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. Or like they have permission to like put which they can. That's theft. Yeah. Exactly. Like I feel like I don't really, I don't like talking about like art theft because it's very awkward for me. Like, yeah, I also I feel like I'm a very I'm a person that like believes a lot about energy and like the energy put out into the world comes back to you.

  00:58:59:07 - 00:59:09:08

  Marisol Muro

  And like I have, I'm very hesitant about talking about people copying my work because I feel like the more I talk about it, the more it's going to happen to me.

  00:59:09:19 - 00:59:29:10

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah, there is. I think that there is just a part of it. It's like so far out of your control that it's hard to even address. Yeah, right. Because it's like how to how to address it productively feels almost impossible. My perspective these days is like someone really solid can try and rip you off, but they don't have your next idea.

  00:59:29:17 - 00:59:36:04

  Fabiola Lara

  They don't know your next collaboration. Like, you know, they're always going to be a step behind you. That's the nature of copying.

  00:59:36:15 - 00:59:36:21

  Marisol Muro

  Like.

  00:59:37:07 - 00:59:46:00

  Fabiola Lara

  So. So, you know, it's like how much energy do you want to spend on that? But it does like really just cheapen what you're doing.

  00:59:46:00 - 00:59:59:14

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah, yeah. Especially when people are like or send me like a cell phone cover and like, oh, my God, that's so cute. Did you did you collab with them and? It's like really ugly. And I'm like, Yeah, yeah. Like, no, I hate it.

  01:00:00:02 - 01:00:05:01

  Fabiola Lara

  Would you say it's still worthwhile to share your work, or are you feeling like you want to not share anything? Ever again?

  01:00:06:19 - 01:00:36:04

  Marisol Muro

  I, I think it's so worth it. Like, I like I feel satisfaction and I feel good about like sharing what I'm making. And I'm proud of what I'm making. And I like knowing that it makes people feel happy or like, makes somebody's day better. Like, I get so many messages from people that are just like, don't even want to say much, but other than, like, keep, you know, keep doing what you're doing, you're like doing an amazing job.

  01:00:36:04 - 01:01:00:20

  Marisol Muro

  Like, yeah, just random strangers. Or I'm like, even, like on hard days. Like, I love opening up my messages and just seeing some nice messages like that because it's like it is hard working for yourself and being freelance and owning your own business. And it's just like being an artist and it's very overwhelming. So it's some days it's like you're very defeated and you're just like, I never want to share anything again.

  01:01:01:19 - 01:01:36:04

  Marisol Muro

  But at the end of the day, like, that's this is what I love to do and I don't want to let like those negative things, like, take away the things that I like to do. But yeah, I'm so very happy to be doing what I'm doing and I'm so very new to this whole like world. So I'm still learning a lot and I'm so like right now, I'm trying to balance my, my social life and my life business art.

  01:01:37:11 - 01:01:55:14

  Fabiola Lara

  Yeah, because it is a lot of work to work for yourself. Like you have to do the art and the business and the shop and the social and you're wearing a million different hats. And I, I think I've had a lot of artists say the same thing on the show. It's just like it's a lot of work. So, but unless you love it, like if you don't love it, you wouldn't do it.

  01:01:55:14 - 01:02:01:04

  Fabiola Lara

  But clearly you love it and it's like worth the effort. It's just like a tricky realization.

  01:02:01:21 - 01:02:35:09

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. I mean, yeah, it's it's pretty much like who I am. And that's like, I feel like it's, it's a lot of like, I think from because I worked so long in a field that wasn't fulfilling. Like, I work extra hard in this and pursuing my dream. So with the outfit, like, yeah, very fulfilling, you know. But yeah, yeah, I'm, I'm still working through how to have a social life and like, do all of this, you know?

  01:02:35:15 - 01:02:36:09

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah.

  01:02:36:19 - 01:02:45:03

  Fabiola Lara

  That's a good question. Maybe we'll have to do a part too some time with your update. And like in like a year when you have.

  01:02:45:03 - 01:02:47:05

  Marisol Muro

  It all figured out. Yeah.

  01:02:47:17 - 01:02:49:02

  Fabiola Lara

  Just see here, just a year.

  01:02:49:18 - 01:02:51:05

  Marisol Muro

  Marissa, how.

  01:02:51:05 - 01:03:01:07

  Fabiola Lara

  Can listeners support your work as my last question, just so that everyone who falls in love with you throughout this episode knows where to find you and how to support you.

  01:03:01:11 - 01:03:16:20

  Marisol Muro

  I think like the easiest way is to Instagram. So it's just it's my first and last name. So Madison Mural and through there you can find my shop and if you want to buy prints and stickers or like merchandise.

  01:03:16:20 - 01:03:18:01

  Fabiola Lara

  Official merchandise.

  01:03:18:06 - 01:03:44:04

  Marisol Muro

  Official merchandise. And right now I currently I have so like my next thing that I want to do is I eventually want to my clothing line with like my own prints and everything. So right now in my shop, I have tights that I illustrated the artwork for and I don't know if people know, but I'm like, I love tights a lot.

  01:03:44:04 - 01:04:04:01

  Marisol Muro

  Like tights is like a big like styling tool that I use in a lot of my outfits. So my main priority was to come out with like my own tights, and I finally did that. So you can find that in my shop. And hopefully by next year I'll be able to have like cut and so garments.

  01:04:05:13 - 01:04:14:16

  Fabiola Lara

  I mean you have so much experience only makes sense for you to like explore that for yourself given it's such a big interest for you.

  01:04:14:23 - 01:04:24:08

  Marisol Muro

  Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you have a lot of experience in that, so that's definitely something that I want to get into in the future.

  01:04:24:11 - 01:04:44:05

  Fabiola Lara

  Maricel, thank you so much for sharing your story and your perspective and your highs and your lows. With me here on the show, I can't tell you how much it means to me and I'm just so excited to see where your career goes. I know that you're going to do even more amazing things, so thank you so much for sharing your time with me.

  01:04:44:18 - 01:04:56:14

  Marisol Muro

  Thank you so much. And I'm very happy to be talking to you about all this. I don't think anybody's ever wanted to ask me this type of stuff, so I'm really happy to have this conversation with you guys.

  01:04:57:01 - 01:05:20:19

  Fabiola Lara

  So I'm so glad. All right, everyone, that's all I have for you today. I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Mexican-American artist Marisol Mauro. Be sure to follow her work on Instagram at Marisol Moro or click the link in the show notes to find her work on every other social platform. Now, before you go, I have to remind you to please, please subscribe to drawers in Spanish if you like.

  01:05:20:19 - 01:05:40:07

  Fabiola Lara

  This episode subscribing is free and really helps me out and helps me keep making the show for you. Now if you want to connect with other Latin artists in our drawers in Spanish community, head over to my Patreon for the show so you can join our Discord Channel and access a ton. Other perks. That's all for now, Hasta la Proxima, Amigos.

  01:05:40:07 - 01:05:52:07

  Fabiola Lara

  see you next Tuesday. Bye, guys.