Episode 056 - Sandy Rodriguez

In today's episode, I welcome Sandy Rodriguez! Sandy's day job is as a court interpreter, but her artistic experience goes way beyond one job title. She is also a painter, author, amatuer winemaker, and more, and she shares about the power of the arts in her own life and in the lives of those she's witnessed experience art. (Fun fact: the cover image is of Sandy's award-winning acrylic pour painting, "Lavender Fields.")

 

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Episode 56 - Sandy Rodriguez

Lindsey Dinneen: Hello, and welcome to Artfully Told, where we share true stories about meaningful encounters with art.

[00:00:06] Krista: I think artists help people have different perspectives on every aspect of life.

[00:00:12]Roman:  All I can do is put my part in to the world.

[00:00:15] Elizabeth: It doesn't have to be perfect the first time. It doesn't have to be perfect ever really. I mean, as long as you, and you're enjoying doing it and you're trying your best, that can be good enough.

[00:00:23] Elna: Art is something that you can experience with your senses and that you just experiences as so beautiful. 

[00:00:31] Lindsey Dinneen: Hello, and welcome back to Artfully Told. I'm your host Lindsey and I am so excited to have as my guest today, Sandy Rodriguez. She is a communications expert and an artist, and has a really cool story to share with us today-- probably many stories to share with us today. So thank you so very much for being here, Sandy. I really appreciate it.

[00:00:54] Sandy Rodriguez: Thank you so much, Lindsey. I'm a big fan of your show and it's such an honor to be here.

[00:01:01] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh, thank you. Well, I would just love if you would share just maybe a little bit about your background and how you got involved with art and also, just a little bit more about you and what you're up to.

[00:01:14] Sandy Rodriguez: Absolutely. Well, I think that I have always, always been very much drawn to arts. But I got into it a little bit more seriously in very recent years that was a function, I think, of having made a big career because for many years, I used to work as an editorial coordinator for one of the formal newspapers in Latin America. I was living in Mexico City at the time. And while that career is very fascinating and I was very passionate about that, it's also all consuming. You're really never off the clock. So at a certain point in time, I decided to make a shift, and I moved to Los Angeles where I currently live. And here I began working in a totally different field, which is court interpreting.

[00:02:04] And although there's, you know, a very high barrier to entry and it's, it's, to be honest, a very grueling job. It is a situation where you're home by six, it's a normal eight to five job. So that gives me time to engage in other activities. So I was able to become an amateur winemaker, I would say. Well, to do a little bit more writing, I wrote a book of my own, recently published, and I got into art a little bit more seriously, and that was fabulous. It's been a very life-changing. So something that used to be a hobby somehow has become more of a-- well, without saying that I'm fully professional, that's not necessarily the case because I'm not necessarily, you know, marketing my, my paintings and such, but I'm doing it in a, in a much more-- let's say structured --way. And I'm very happy about that, Lindsey.

[00:02:58] Lindsey Dinneen: That's fantastic. Yeah. And, oh my goodness, what an interesting career you've had. I mean, just both, you know, positions are so interesting and yeah, it does sound like, like you mentioned, it might be grueling at times, but again, at least it allows you to do other things on the side. And I, I love your realness with that because I think there are a lot of artists who might feel like, "Oh, I'm not legitimate or something if it's not my full-time gig." And I think, I don't think there's any truth behind that. And so I really like that you've done both!

[00:03:33] Sandy Rodriguez: Absolutely. And I think there's something interesting. I do agree with what you're saying that some people feel that unless it is your, your absolute only activity, you might not be like you say "legit" in, in some way. But on the other hand, I do find that many creative people in many creative fields-- and by that, I mean, acting, music, art, all kinds of things, filmmaking-- normally they have these titles that include a lot of hyphens or slashes because people actually do... Creative people sometimes do a lot of things. For instance, I remember one of your recent guests that was a writer and a Broadway actress, and she was also a tour guide. I also remember another person you had on the show that did podcasts and they were also into acting and writing. So a lot of people do a lot of things, and I think that that is also something that, that can happen. It's not only the person that says "I only am in school, so we need to devote myself to this." There's this other style of person that is interested in a lot of things. And they have, we have, our hands up in a lot of different projects and fields.

[00:04:44] And I think that is on the one hand-- it's, it's very interesting people that are into many fields. Some that do many things. Firstly, they have more places or sources to draw from when they actually do engage in a creative process, by which I mean maybe if you're a painter, but you're also a doctor and you're also a dancer, you might have more sources of inspiration than if you're not. So that's, it's interesting like that. And also the thing is that creative people bring their creativity into whatever line of work they're in, no matter what it is, even if you think well, "That doesn't really make sense. It doesn't sound, you know, within the realm of art or creativity to me." Maybe the person is, I don't know-- well, for instance, a tour guide-- maybe you might say, "Well, that's something that you need to, you know, base yourself on, on history. And there's not much margin for creativity." But you know, they're kind of fazed because a person might have a, a gift for storytelling or it's interesting, I think that, that you have both types of personality in the art community: the one, the person that wants to be  only focused on art, and the person that is, that spreads their creativity across a number of different fields. So there's a little bit of both, I think.

[00:06:02] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, I absolutely agree. And I think you're absolutely right. Sort of I've noticed that creativity seems to beget creativity, in a way. So when you are exercising that muscle, then it, it becomes stronger and might go into many different avenues, like you were saying, instead of necessarily --you know, I think there are times when it's important to focus on one path, you know, and really go after that one thing, hone those skills-- but like you said, it's so much fun because you can dabble in all sorts of things and learn the joy from each one, you know? So I love that. Yeah. Well, okay. Something you said earlier totally caught my attention and I was like, "Wait a second. We can't just skim over that." Okay. So you make wine?

[00:06:48] Sandy Rodriguez: Yeah. Well, I think that's also a creative thing. Yes. So a couple of years ago, I started making wine and let's say in a serious matter, although it's an amateur only, I made a good Merlot, and then I made an excellent Zinfandel deal the following year. And when I say excellent, I'm not even making it up. I actually won a bronze medal for, for the Zinfandel, which I made alongside of a former boyfriend. We got into that and it was fantastic. I bought grapes from vineyard in the Paso Robles region. And we just went for it and we, we made a very, very good wine. It's also a very interesting field for, for creative people and just in general. So it's a hobby that very few people might engage in because you might think, "Oh, you need to own your own vineyard. Or it might be extremely expensive or very difficult." And, well, that's not really the case. I mean, you can actually source the grapes from existing vineyards. You don't really need to own one.

[00:07:49]And as for the process, interestingly enough, the winemaking community is very welcoming, even to newcomers or people that are just hobbyists, they're, they're very nice people overall, and they're very open to giving you tips and, and their secret techniques. So it's a lot of fun. And in more recent months, I've been trying to do something that I don't know if you could even call it wine. But I've been using wine-making techniques, not with grapes, but with just random fruit juices. I've tried it with a cherry juice, cranberry, apple. And the result is, well, I don't know if you could call it wine per se, but it's, it's just a very fun activity. And once you're, you're done, I don't have a commercial permit, but I can give samples out to friends or I can drink it myself. So it's, it's just very fun. Very, very fun.

[00:08:42] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh, that is so cool. Well, and I love the fact that you were talking about how sometimes it might seem like something, an activity, that has some barriers to it, but-- and I would have thought the same thing honestly, it would never have crossed my mind to, to try it-- but now I'm kinda like, "Ooh, maybe I will."

[00:08:59] Sandy Rodriguez: I think you should! And well, let me tell you, here's the thing-- it's very hard to scale up, but it's very easy to just start small. For example, the smallest you can go is making wine from a kit, which is still wine. I mean, it's not really like making brownies from a brownie mix. It's more like, like making a meal from a meal kit. You really do have to put in some labor and it's, it's interesting. And you can buy a kit from many wine-making sources online or in person, and you can make maybe like, five bottles of wine. I think that's the smallest amount that you can make. Now, if you want to scale up a little, the next possible step is what I did with the Zinfandel. You can purchase at least a hundred pounds of grapes from existing vineyards and that will yield about 30 bottles of wine. So it's a big leap and I wouldn't necessarily recommend scaling up once you've done that, because then you would probably need to go commercial and invest way more time and money into, you know, getting a license and such. But I think the 100 pound amount is, is great. I mean, that's, that's impressive enough to dazzle your friends.  It's just very fun. I would recommend that to anybody that's interested in, in an unusual hobby.

[00:10:22] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh, how fun and also, oh my goodness, congratulations on the bronze metal or a bronze award. How cool is that? Did you submit it to like a... I don't even know how that process works. That's so cool.

[00:10:36]Sandy Rodriguez:  It was actually a little surprise for me. I was-- so most of the bottles from that particular batch, my ex-boyfriend kept them and he kindly entered the, the wine into this contest, but I wasn't even aware until we won. So that was a very pleasant surprise. Yeah. But I wasn't really all that surprised because I mean, modesty aside, it was really great quality and that's not only because-- I mean, the technique we followed was, was fantastic-- but because the grapes themselves lend themselves to making a wonderful wine. Wine, for the most part, is dependent on, on the grapes you select initially. And these were great. So, I mean, it was, it was surely going to come out very well in the end.

[00:11:21]Lindsey Dinneen: Oh, that's so cool. Okay. Well, I know you've recently written a book, and I would love to hear more about the process of that, because I know that's an undertaking, but also just maybe more about what it's about and, and that's a whole art form in itself.

[00:11:37] Sandy Rodriguez: Absolutely. Well, this is a book that is described by many as a conversation between the reader and the very supportive friend, and the conversation leads to the reader feeling more at peace and more confident. So it's a book that really has those two goals in mind. It's a book that is meant to leave the reader feeling more at peace and more confident in many ways, self confident and confident in the fact that things will always turn out alright. And this is a book that I wrote, it's called "Choose to Prevail," subtitle is "Unexpected Insights to Help You Overcome Challenges," and it's meant to help the reader overcome challenges big and small. When I say big, I mean, things such as, for instance, the death of a loved one, for example, or smaller things, which could be a difficulty when expressing oneself in public or maybe physical insecurities, that kind of thing.

[00:12:35] And in fact, it's a book that has been it's being gifted to people that join this company called Heart of Hollywood as members. This is a company that encompasses actors, dancers, models, et cetera. And the CEO and owner felt that the book offered value to people in the creative fields, in an entertainment, because I mean, this is a field where rejection is, you know, it's part of the very nature. So people do need to develop more confidence, rock-solid confidence, more faith in the fact that things can and will turn out fine. So it was very flattering for me to see that this company that deals with people in entertainment and the arts is now kindly giving its, its members this school. So that was, that was something that was very, very nice for me. And also I think that the  book allowed me to express myself in, in ways that go beyond writing.

[00:13:39]I was mentioning to you that recently I got a little bit more serious into, into arts. Let me backtrack a little. When I was a little girl, I had a tremendous passion for drawing, sketching. I would always have scrap paper at the ready and the pen or pencils or colored pencils or anything, markers, anything, because it was a tremendous compulsion that I had. So much so, Lindsey, that there was a time that I broke my right arm-- and I'm right-handed-- and instead of saying, "Okay, I'll just wait until I heal so that I can continue." No, I trained myself to draw with my left hand because I simply could not go a day without drawing or sketching. It was just a passion for me. I simply could not stop. So strangely, even though I was so, so passionate about this, I think when I became like maybe a, an older teenager and then a young adult, that kind of stopped being as interesting or important to me. I don't know why.

[00:14:41] I don't think that there was a specific incident. Maybe I just got too busy with life. I don't know, but it was something that I kind of stopped doing. And then in recent years, I would say maybe three years ago, I kind of got back into it, but this time around, it was not only drawing that I was interested in, but I wanted to explore painting. My mom is an architect and also an artist, much more serious and rigorous than me. And I think seeing her recent paintings was really something that inspired me. So I started experimenting with acrylics and I started painting, and the same compulsion that, that I had felt-- this little girl-- when it came to drawing, I felt the same thing. I had to go out and buy just a bunch of canvases and paintbrushes and paint and everything had to be ready because maybe I was in bed, and I was like, "Nope, I need to get up. I need to paint this thing that I'm thinking of." And that's, that's something that happened to me recently.

[00:15:41] And because it was kind of new to me, I was not used to acrylics or painting per se, drawing and painting are not-- not at least in my mind-- not quite the same thing. They don't even use the same part of the brain, is what I feel. But the compulsion was very similar and I did want to experiment as much as I could. And I also discovered this technique or style called acrylic pouring, which is a fluid, fluid style of painting that has its roots in something called "accidental painting" or "fluid arch" that was developed by a Mexican muralist by the name of David Alfaro Siqueiros who actually taught and also influenced Jackson Pollock at some point. Now modern day, acrylic  pouring is mostly considered a craft rather than art, because there are very specific techniques that people can pick up on, on YouTube and whatnot. Not to say that that doesn't have value because it does. I mean, of course, it's interesting that people can, can just start off their journey through tutorials, of course. But I wanted to, to explore that technique in ways that were not like accidental but rather more planned, and I also wanted to do it in ways that were not in line with existing techniques, but rather just experiment. And I did, and one of my acrylic pours actually ended up being the cover for the book, so that it was very cool.

[00:17:13] Lindsey Dinneen: Wow. Yeah. Well, and I love the fact that this was such a passion for you that-- oh, well, first of all, that you taught yourself to do that with your left hand, I mean, that is so impressive, I can't even draw with my right hand.  I mean, I can, but I can't do what you do. It's not like a fine art thing. I can, you know, play around. But anyway, so that is super impressive. But also I just love that you've picked it back up, and it was fun to hear you talk about how you just want to be at the ready so that, you know, when inspiration strikes per se, you can respond. And that's so cool. Well, I, you know, I have a little bit of an advantage here at knowing you had mentioned before, about a specific thing that happened where you entered a contest as a kid. Do you want to tell that story?

[00:18:06] Sandy Rodriguez: Absolutely. Yes. So when I was little, I mean, it was an obsession. I would say that maybe it was a little bit crazy, but I also like to, to draw not only things that came from my imagination or for watching the world around me. But I also like to draw or try to replicate characters. Like for instance, I would like to read, say Archie comics and I would draw the Archie characters or people that looked vaguely like the Archie characters, but in different situations with different clothing, different storylines. I made my own comments. And I think that that's also something that maybe some parents will say, "No, I don't want my kids to, to be reading comic books and let alone, you know, copying things that they might see elsewhere," because that doesn't sound glamorous or, or, you know. But in reality, it's a, it's a good segue. I think it doesn't matter what the entry way into art or reading is, I mean, I think that's, it also has value.

[00:19:06] In any case, I was very used to doing that and I heard about this contest that was going to be sponsored by Kellogg's where you had to draw you know, the Kellogg's characters doing different things for different situations. And I submitted a couple of, of drawings of Tony the Tiger and Snap, Crackle, and Pop making cereal or, you know, just doing the things of that, of that sort. And I actually won this gigantic adult sized 10 speed bicycle. So that was fantastic. That was so, so cool. And I do love entering contests. In fact, last year I also entered an acrylic paint pouring contest. This was online. And I also won a first place. This was not something that was selected by judges, but rather through votes. And a lot of people voted for it, for my painting. It was something called "Lavender Fields" where I tried to use a cooling techniques to replicate a lavender field in France that I had once visited. So it's, it's really very interesting. I would encourage people of all ages to enter contests because it's just very motivating. It's fun. It's a fun activity. I think it's, it's, it's something that-- I mean, if you don't win, that's fine-- but if you do win, it's just like a fun story.

[00:20:23] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, it is. Well, congratulations for both of those things, because that's so fun.

[00:20:30] Sandy Rodriguez: Thank you.

[00:20:30] Lindsey Dinneen: And I'll definitely have to see a picture of that painting as it sounds gorgeous.

[00:20:36] Sandy Rodriguez: Well, thank you so much. Well, it's actually interesting because again, as I was telling you, acrylic pouring normally as taught in tutorials or in classes is really very techniquey, but I didn't want to go with things that everybody does, and everybody knows how to do, when everybody knows how, how to replicate. I wanted to do something that was more-- not, not a hundred percent accidental, but rather with a certain degree of planning. So I thought, "Okay, what do I need to do? How do I need to tilt the canvas?" The way this is done is pretty interesting. You use acrylic paints that are either pre-liquified or that you yourself make more liquid by the use of something called the pouring medium. So you have these-- let's say sort of liquid acrylic paints that you place on a canvas, and you tilt the canvas to and fro to the sides, et cetera, in order to make the paint move, and you can achieve very specific effects. It can look like marble. It can look abstract. You can look like a seascape depending on the color zone and the way you're moving the canvas or how you're tilting it, or certain other factors you might add to the paint.

[00:21:48] But I wanted to do something a little bit different. So I really gave it a lot of thought, like, "What would happen if I do this? If I do that?" And I ended up using a liquid acrylic paint. And even though the technique I used was that tilting the canvas, moving the canvas, I was able to guide the painting into looking the way that I had previously planned it to go. So it was, it was pretty fun. It was, it was an interesting experiment and I'm really glad that people liked it. I also think that this pouring technique is very satisfying. I mean, it feels so relaxing when you're doing that. And that's also something that I mentioned in the book. I mentioned how art can truly modify your moods in, in very dramatic ways.

[00:22:36] For example, if you're feeling a dip in your self-confidence or you're feeling a lack of energy, I can certainly say, and I've proven it myself, bring out your canvas and you provide yourself with paints in reds and burgundies and all of these exciting colors. And you turn up, you know, very intense music and you start painting. I mean, you feel very replenished and very confident by the time you're done. And by the same token, if you're feeling a little bit stressed or frazzled, and that happened to many people during the beginnings of COVID, and actually when COVID started, I went out and I got myself all the supplies that I needed. I started painting seascapes, another very tranquility- inducing landscapes, and blues and teals and grays. And, and it really is very soothing. I mean, just the type of brushstroke soft and it's, it's very therapeutic, I think.

[00:23:33] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Well, that is really inspiring. And I, I love the fact that you have taken this opportunity, you know, taking something that is a challenging time, but used it for creativity and as an outlet. And I couldn't agree with you more about how art has the power to really impact your mood in a great way, and your outlook on life, and like you said, even self-confidence through it. So it's a powerful thing. And yeah, I, yes. I always encourage everyone, I know everyone has creativity in them and it's just a matter of finding the type of art that speaks to you, you know? Well, I would love, I'm sure you have probably many of these thoughts, but is there any particular memories that sort of stand out as moments that matter when either you watched somebody experience your art, or you experienced somebody else's art, and you just thought, "I've got to remember this moment."

[00:24:36] Sandy Rodriguez: I think there are several. I mean, as I was telling you, my mom is, is an artist, far more accomplished than, than myself. And sometimes I see things that she has made, or I see things during the process of them being completed. And it's just very exciting. I mean, it's, you know how  Tom Sawyer, when he's white washing a fence and all of his friends think, "Oh, that looks super fun!" And it's really not. But the friends think that, well, in this case, I feel it's the same compulsion. You see somebody wielding a paintbrush and you say, "Oh, I want to do that." Luckily, unlike in the Tom Sawyer story, it really is fun. It's not unpleasant. It's really fascinating. But that's the thing. Just seeing somebody as they're painting, at least to me, it feels like I want to do that myself. It's just very tempting. It's one of those things that, that really speak to me. So I think whenever I see her or other artists in front of their easel or doing the things that they're doing when they're in the middle of adding a little tree or painting a, an eye or adding something to the sky, you know, I really want to do it myself.

[00:25:45] It's just something that's, that's very tempting to me. And also, as to the other situation, moments that I feel that I've remembered very clearly where people have liked what I've done. Yeah. Like for instance, I started painting this series of wine bottles recently, I guess also inspired by my wine taking things. But I, I think that wine bottles are very fun to paint because firstly, depending on the colors you choose on the placement, they can look very festive or very depressing, and both are interesting things to express. You can, you can express despair and anguish through a wine bottle, an empty wine bottle or half full one. And likewise, you can express a feeling of celebration. So they're, they're interesting. It's the same object, but it can give off two very different vibes depending on how you choose to paint them. And I made that series. And surprisingly, I think it's one, one of the series that I've made that people respond to the most.

[00:26:47]I've sold a few, and a lot of people have reached out in regards to those. I think that's interesting. I think that's something that, for whatever reason, spoke to people, so that was nice. And also there was another thing that, that happened.  So during COVID, the very first day that I heard the expression, "social distancing," I thought, "That is so interesting." And that very day, I came home. Because of my type of work, I really didn't have, you know, much time to, to spend at home. I was not in lockdown myself for, I mean, maybe just a couple of months, but not, not throughout the year, like many other people. But those months, the very first day that I was, let's say "sent home" and that I also heard the expression, "social distancing," I thought that would make a fascinating painting or drawing. So what I did is I made a set. It was two separate small illustrations. One of them showed a woman seen from behind at home. She's reading. And she's just in her home. She has a little dog, and it's like a scene where she's home basically.

[00:27:57] And then there's a separate illustration where there's a guy also seen from behind. And he's also you know, at home, also kind of doing his own thing, but he's thinking. There's a thought bubble where he's thinking about the woman, and what the thought bubble shows is the exact same image that you see in painting number one. So this set is called "Social Distancing" because I felt that that was a good reflection of what was going on, that people were going to have to be separate, each one in their own homes, but they might be missing or longing for being with somebody else, being with the other person that they were missing-- a partner or a girlfriend or a friend, maybe a sister. So I thought that that was an interesting thing. And what I found fantastic was that the Los Angeles Public Library agreed that it was interesting. And now those two paintings are part of its digital collection as part of the COVID archive.

[00:28:54]Lindsey Dinneen: Sandy, you are so amazing. You've done so many cool things. I love that. Congratulations for that too. Oh, that's yeah, just, that is really cool. And I love the fact that you were able to express that so beautifully through art and, and capture a moment in time that does matter. That's really neat. So yeah. Kudos to you. Well, I'm sure that there are listeners who would love to connect with you, maybe see some of your artwork if it's available online, just maybe purchase your book, follow you in your future endeavors. Is there a way for them to?

[00:29:33] Sandy Rodriguez: Yes, absolutely. I have an Instagram that is at @chooseprevail. That is an Instagram through which I share my, my journey as a writer. And occasionally I also share art, new things that I've been painting, new things that I'm doing. It's more focused on the book than on the art part, but you do find a little bit of both, and I think that's the easiest way to, to connect. If anybody cares to send me a direct message, that's also possible through Instagram, and as for the book, it's available pretty much everywhere. It's on Amazon. That might be the easiest venue, but it's also on personable.com, target.com, or Walmart e-books. I've even seen it on E-bay Australia. So I think that if somebody cares to get the book, they should be able to get the book. And I would be very happy if they did.

[00:30:26] Lindsey Dinneen: Of course. Perfect. Well, fantastic. I have three questions that I always like to ask my guests if you're okay with that.

[00:30:35] Sandy Rodriguez: Absolutely.

[00:30:37]Lindsey Dinneen:  Okay, good. So first of all, how do you personally define art or what is art to you?

[00:30:43] Sandy Rodriguez: Well, I think that the dictionary definition would be simply something like, "the expression of human creativity and imagination to something such as a painting or a sculpture." Normally it's in visual form, but, personally, I think that it doesn't necessarily have to be in visual form. I think, for example, poetry can be a form of art. Certainly music can be a form of art as well. So I think it goes beyond, it goes beyond the visual. It's basically the application of creativity and imagination into something that speaks to others. I believe that would be the definition.

[00:31:23] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, absolutely. Okay. And then what do you think is the most important role of an artist?

[00:31:30] Sandy Rodriguez: I think that they're --okay-- it has two types of importance. One would be important for oneself. I think that as an artist, the importance of art to yourself would be allowing you to express feelings and modify them, so it's something that is both a source of expression and also a source of comfort to yourself as an artist, I think. But as to society or more as a whole, I think that, firstly, it can make society better by adding more beauty to everyday lives, but it can also shine a light on things that might be social ills or social problems. So it's simply another way of communicating. As a journalist, as a former newspaper editor, I would say that the role of art is not entirely different from the role of any other form of media. You can either shine a light on problems or spread the word on something that is beautiful, spread the word about something that is fascinating, bring more beauty to the world.

[00:32:37] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, absolutely. That's fantastic. Okay. And then my final question, and I'll define my terms a little bit, but do you think that art should be inclusive or exclusive? And inclusive referring to an artist who puts their work out into the world and include some context behind that, whether it's a title or program notes or the inspiration, versus exclusive referring to an artist who puts their work out but doesn't include context behind it. So it's kind of left entirely up to the viewer to interpret it the way that they will?

[00:33:12] Sandy Rodriguez: Ah, that's a very intriguing question. And I will always question that. Myself, for example, when going to museums that are not art museums, but rather museums of history. Sometimes you see artifacts from cultures that are long gone and you see the interpretation of modern day historians like saying, "Okay, this was a ceremonial goblet." How do we know it was a ceremonial goblet? Maybe it was somebody's everyday coffee mug. I mean, you don't know for sure. And it's kind of difficult also when it comes to, to arts, because I think for my fun and entertainment, I might choose not to give an explanation and just see how people respond to it, seeing what it triggers in other people, what a piece that I've made my may, you know, inspire or trigger within the viewer.

[00:34:04] But in reality, I think I'm more of a person that doesn't like to give explanations. So normally when I, when I create something, I do normally either give it a title or give a little backstory. I like to do that. I personally, I see value in both. In the way I do it, obviously the value is that there's no misinterpreting first for sure. But I think that the other style would have a lot of value and I would be curious to try it someday, see what happens if I give no explanation and just wait and see what people might say. So that's a fascinating question. I hadn't thought about that, but yes, definitely. I do the explaining part, but I'm going to try not doing these explanations, and see what, what what happens.

[00:34:51] Lindsey Dinneen: Perfect. "Do I like that?" It'll be an interesting social experiment.

[00:34:57]Sandy Rodriguez: Absolutely.

[00:34:57]Lindsey Dinneen: Well, that's fantastic. Well, Sandy, I have enjoyed our conversation so much. You are so multitalented and I love how much you like to dabble in all sorts of different things, and still enter contests, and are actively creating. Thank you for sharing your art with the world and with me this morning, I just really appreciate it. So, thank you.

[00:35:21] Sandy Rodriguez: Thank you, Lindsey. I had so much fun. You're wonderful.

[00:35:25] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh, you're so sweet. Well, and thank you so much to everyone who has listened to this episode. I would highly encourage you to connect with Sandy on Instagram and follow her journey because obviously she is continuing to make incredible things, and that is her trajectory and it will just continue and it's going to be exciting. So go ahead and, and follow her. And we will catch you next time.

[00:35:50] If you have a story to share with us, we would love that so much. And I hope your day has been Artfully Told.