DREI FRAGEN with Cintra Wilson
Artist Cintra Wilson shares her artistic wisdom.
Each Wednesday, I ask a different artist the same three questions.
This week's featured artist,
, Where do I even start? Cintra is an incredible artist—properly sharp, fearless, funny as hell. She’s also a brilliant writer, actress, and cultural critic, but it’s her art that really hits me. It’s got that same wild energy and biting wit she brings to everything. She has that outsider spirit that I love.Hard to believe she used to be morbidly shy (same here). Total inspiration.
Go check her out if you haven’t already.
1. What first sparked your interest in creating art?
My parents are both artists -- my mother was a jazz pianist and my father was an art professor, so there was always art being created all over the house - drum sets in the garage, miles of colored pens (which i first used on the walls). They told me, from the time I was young enough to remember, "We are a family of artists." There was no arguing with this, and it seemed sensible enough at the time, when I was a toddler.
2. What are your regrets?
The only real regrets I have on my art journey is that at certain points in my career, celebrities wanted to work or hang out with me, and I was overwhelmed by feelings of total inadequacy and bailed out on them. I was too desperately nervous to proceed. I don't have that problem anymore - now I think I can hang with the best of them. But I did fuck up some rare opportunities just by being morbidly shy.
3. What wisdom would you offer to someone just starting out in their art career, or to anyone exploring art for the first time at any stage of life?
Advice: This is a tough one, because things have really really changed since I grew up. When I grew up, you could support a fulltime art career with some kind of crappy job like being a bartender. Nowadays, you really need to make sure you have the ability to pay the rent, and THEN do the art. The great Simon Doonan (former creative director for the now-dead department store Barney's) used to cluck at me all the time because he always KNEW you needed a real job to be a writer. I didn't need a real job for a long time to be a writer, but now I find myself in the position of needing one at the age of 57. Learn to pay your rent, and THEN be an artist. The upcoming generations will have so many obstacles to contend with: AI, wage suppression, the fact that America doesn't give a shit about culture. Art is sacred and you need to do it if it's in you. You'll find a niche. The smaller the niche is, the chances are the more talented and original you are. Be happy with the feeling of: I did this. Don't expect applause.
Check out Cintra’s Art website here cintrawilsonart.com
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