Audio By Carbonatix
Phoenix is brimming with creativity. And every other year, we put the spotlight on 100 of the city’s creative forces. Leading up to the release of this year’s Best of Phoenix issue, we’re profiling 100 more. Welcome to the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives. Up today: 34. Yai Cecream.
Yai Cecream’s creative process draws on pop culture.
The Phoenix artist cites Alejandro Jodorowsky and Wes Anderson among her favorite filmmakers and says she often watches Adventure Time while drawing. “I could watch the same episode over and over again and still find new things I like I didn’t notice before,” she says of the Cartoon Network show, “and it also makes me happy and inspires me in many ways.”
See also: Phoenix Artist Jesse Perry: 100 Creatives
The 26-year-old, who was born in Madrid, Spain, is a member of downtown Phoenix’s Palabra Art Collective. And upon viewing her work, those kaleidoscopic, precise, and colorful influences she mentions all start to make sense.
“I watch a lot of documentaries about consciousness, art, artists, mind science, psychedelics, sacred geometry, quantum physics and quantum theory, the intricacies of the universe… But I like anything interesting I can find.”
Those influences should come in handy as the artist works on her upcoming solo show opening at Palabra on First Friday, October 3.
“All [these] things influence me not only while I create but they are always present in me and in my mind at all times,” she says. “Those are the things that make my eyes and my brain get excited so then I can get active with my hands and draw, paint and create in general.”
I came to Phoenix with no idea how my life would be. I was too young to understand what this city meant, but I am really happy I made it here because it made me grow in ways I never expected and I became influenced by the surroundings immediately.
I make art because I was born to do so. It’s my passion and it’s also my safe place. I create when I feel good, and I create when I feel bad. I like to have a sketchbook and pens with me at all times. And if I am not physically creating something, I am always daydreaming about the things I will create when I have the opportunity.
I’m most productive when I don’t have to worry about not being a mess the next day. Having a normal job takes a lot of productivity away because if I didn’t have a particular time when I have to show up somewhere to do something non creative I would be able to stay up and create with no preoccupations. I also enjoy timelines and pressure, since I feel obligated to create with no distractions and to finish quickly.
My inspiration wall is full of a bunch of everything. Sacred geometry, cartoons, nature, fashion, many other artists, colorful things, happy and fun stuff, animals, symmetry, etc. I am a lover of visual candy if that makes any sense… I enjoy looking at everything and selecting the elements I like the most about it. Life in general inspires me.
I’ve learned most from being true to myself.
Good work should always provoke something in you, it should resonate in your brain and it should never leave you neutral.
The Phoenix creative scene could use more variety, female presence, collective opportunities for other emerging artists and more love in general.
See the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives:
100. Bill Dambrova
99. Niki Blaker
98. Jeff Slim
97. Beth May
96. Doug Bell
95. Daniel Langhans
94. Nanibaa Beck
93. Nicole Royse
92. Ib Andersen
91. Casandra Hernandez
90. Chris Reed
89. Shelby Maticic
88. Olivia Timmons
87. Courtney Price
86. Travis Mills
85. Catrina Kahler
84. Angel Castro
83. Cole Reed
82. Lisa Albinger
81. Larry Madrigal
80. Julieta Felix
79. Lauren Strohacker
78. Levi Christiansen
77. Thomas Porter
76. Carrie Leigh Hobson
75. Cody Carpenter
74. Jon Jenkins
73. Aurelie Flores
72. Michelle Ponce
71. Devin Fleenor
70. Noelle Martinez
69. Bucky Miller
68. Liliana Gomez
67. Jake Friedman
66. Clarita Lulić
65. Randy Murray
64. Mo Neuharth
63. Jeremy Hamman
62. La Muñeca
61. Kevin Goldman
60. Emily Costello
59. Kerstin Dale
58. Vara Ayanna
57. Nathaniel Lewis
56. Ruben Gonzales
55. Lisa Poje
54. Bobby Zokaites
53. Frances Smith Cohen
52. Julie Rada
51. David Miller
50. Xanthia Walker
49. Kyllan Maney
48. Cary Truelick
47. Constance McBride
46. James D. Porter
45. Allyson Boggess
44. Abigail Lynch
43. Ashley Cooper
42. Jaclyn Roessel
41. Brandon Boetto
40. Melissa Dunmore
39. Gavin Sisson
38. Rossitza Todorova
37. Monica Robles
36. Josh Kirby
35. Jesse Perry
