Check out Alejandra Merino’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandra Merino.

Alejandra, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I was born in Chicago, IL by two immigrants from Mexico. Later, I moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota where I’ve done most of my growing up. It was me, my parents and my sisters then sometimes we would have other relatives who will stay with us on and off in our households like uncles or close family friends until I was a teenager then it was just me, my sisters and my parents who were very strict and overprotective with us growing up. We grew up in a very poor ghetto neighborhood called Frogtown, when I was young I didn’t really know I lived in the ghetto until my friend’s parents will drop them off at my house and they would tell me how I lived in a really bad neighborhood but I didn’t think much of it because that was my home. When I got older, I did realize my home wasn’t safe, I was young and naive, I remember I would ask myself why my neighbors are always blowing up fireworks in December, as I got older, I realized it was gunshots. I also remember I would count every time they cops passed by my house it was at least once or twice every hour, I remember always seeing one of my neighbors always getting into fights, arrested, taking from the ambulance or sometimes I would have some random creeps follow me home or asking me if I want a ride.. I would always run to be safe, There was always noise in the middle of the night as well, I’ve seen so many crazy things living in that neighborhood but I also made some great friends, My friends and family are two things I am truly grateful for, but growing up I was never good at dating; I had my worst of luck which was one of the reasons I ended up in Arizona. I came to Arizona for school and well a guy as well, Long story short it didn’t work too well in the end and let’s just say it ended with him being arrested and then eventually him being with another girl, also growing up I was a shy insecure kid which I think played a part on how my life went growing up. Anyways we went our separate ways. At the time I had two options which were to go back home to Minnesota with my family although I wasn’t happy in Minnesota, I felt like in Minnesota I was being restricted from what I am capable of and what I want to do. My 2nd option well was to stay in Arizona and make something of myself, so I took the challenge. It was hard at first, but it was defiantly worth it. I literally had nothing. My first year in Arizona I went through 7 jobs, barely making enough to cover rent or eat. Honestly, I don’t know how I did it that’s why I said I’m so grateful for my friends and family because they believed in me when I doubted myself. But during that time, I was basically trying to make money to survive as well as going to school to just even be somebody. But I remember that I would have this feeling of unfilled and emptiness in my soul and some days it was hard to cope that especially when I only knew maybe 4 people in Arizona at that time and they all lived within a 30 minutes to an hour drive from where I lived and then my close family and friends were clearly in another state. So I turned to what I knew best, which was art. Drawing I knew how to draw all my life, and honestly when I first started it I sucked at it so bad but it was something I always did even though I knew I sucked at it I was happy I did it. Painting, I learned how to oil paint when I took a painting college course in Saint Paul college when I lived in Minnesota, I’ve been painting for probably three years now. Then there’s digital which I’ve recently started learning, digital I learned that on my own just by simply being curious. So, during the days when I felt like crap, I would just simply draw or paint until my mind cleared up and I was free to be able to sleep again. Doing art was a way for me to let my weight off my shoulders, it was a way to attack my inner demons. I eventually got out my shell and started showing off my work on social media, I was surprised at the outcome. I’ve had people liking my work and even had some buying it. But it took me a while to convince myself to sell my work because I was so attached to my work, but I started selling and now things have been going good ever since, I gained confidence, became more social and took more risks. Coming to Arizona was a challenge but worth it.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I do pencil drawings, oil painting, and digital artwork. I mostly like to do portraits or people with a dark theme to it, sometimes I will do something random or out of my style. I like drawing a dark thriller with people or portraits just because I like to see the facial expressions of people. It gave me a challenge to draw people when they are scared, calm, relaxed, happy or whatever because to me it’s not just a face, its emotion as well and I feel like if the person who can view the emotion and also feel what they are seeing then I completed my challenge as an artist and it gives me that satisfaction knowing I targeted more than just the eyes of the viewer but the soul as well. Most of my work is inspired by the idea of fear and strength, I want people to look at my artwork like “whoa that’s intense, that’s crazy, that’s gruesome, that’s dark or whatever BUT its beautiful” and I also want people to look at my art and have their own meaning behind it and actually feel the work regardless of what emotion they are feeling. I just want people to enjoy seeing my work as much as I enjoyed making it.

Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
I feel like its more competitive now but it is taken more seriously especially with the help of social media. More artists are actually being seen and no longer under the “shadow”. But because of this, I feel like we have more competition to be creative and recognized. But I love the fact we are being taken seriously for our creativity especially when kids are having their art and music programs taken away in some states, we need to keep the creative side of our brain alive in order for humans to grow and build for the future. And honestly, with everything going on I am still in shock how fast my artwork is being recognized and how many people want to purchase my work, but I am grateful and to me this just the beginning.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Most of my work right now is on my Instagram: Imso_girlie; there will be a website soon but people can support by following, sharing and/or buying. A little love goes a long way to me in my opinion.

Contact Info:

• Email: alejandramerino411@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imso_girlie

Image Credit:
Photographer: Jolandis Farris

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