Name: Brenda Carrasco City: Marina, CA
Contact: @la.guayabera
Medium: Writer, Poet
Where are you originally from, and how did you find your way to the Monterey area?
I was born in Salinas, California. My first seven years of existence were brought up in Salinas and the rest of my childhood and adolescence was in Marina. I’m a first generation child so my native tongue is Spanish.
How would you describe your process?
Process is a peculiar thing. Inspiration strikes me in waves and moments. It could be a piece of conversation, a lyric from a song, the passing remark of a stranger, or even the way the light scatters the sky. I always carry a notebook just in case this occurs. Depending on my time, I’ll either write a piece right there and then or jot down the basic summary of what I want to write about. I then go back into these pieces and dissect and edit them. There are many pieces of writing that I do not edit as much because I like the rawness to words sometimes. With the zine I just created it took about 8 drafts to get to the finalized piece.
Tell us something about yourself that most people might not know.
One of my dreams is to move to Seattle and open up a cat cafe where I host a safe place for cats from shelters and find them a new home as well.
Who are some artists, local or otherwise, that you hold in high esteem?
Lang Leav is my favorite poet. She’s a modern writer and I’ve admired her work since 2012. Other artists I hold in high esteem is my two sisters; Andrea and Briana Carrasco.
Where do you find yourself drawing the most inspiration?
I draw the most inspiration from how people make me feel. The feelings and experiences that occur with being a complex being intertwining and randomly interacting with other complex beings.
What advice would you give to other emerging artists, especially those who would like to use their art as a means for income?
Always be true to yourself. No matter what art you create and no matter how many people will dismiss it as a way of being unable to make anything out of it, don’t mind them. I believe as long as you’re true to yourself that will shine through you art and everyone will see it too. It won’t be easy, but nothing worthwhile is.
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