What type of creative do you identify as?

I identify as an artist. Photography is my first love, but I also love to paint, collage, dance, and model. Sometimes it’s less about the medium and more about the desire to express. That said, the more you work at the craft of a medium, the better you’re able to execute what’s inside your head.

How did you start your career?

I knew I wanted to be a photographer in high school. My first gig was photographing an indie movie premiere event in my hometown. After graduating, I was determined to pursue photography professionally. I was living in Boston at the time and attended portrait meetups where I learned from other photographers. I later transferred from community college into the photography program at Lesley University. School was where my style truly formed because it was the first time I was really thinking critically about what I was creating and why.

How did you develop your signature style?

I think it was always there naturally. When I look back at my work from when I started photography around 16, I notice I’ve always been drawn to vibrant colors and surreal environments. The more I developed my craft, the more my style aligned with how I’ve always seen the world in my mind.

What projects are you working on to look out for?

I’m currently working on a passion project I shot a few months ago. All I’ll say is that there’s slime involved. When I really love a project, I tend to hoard it because I don’t want to stop working on it. I have this irrational fear that once it’s released, it dies  so I keep altering and tweaking it. But it’s almost done… lol.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

No two days look exactly the same, which I love. Some days are production-heavy  shooting, building sets, experimenting. Other days are editing, printing, painting, or developing ideas. & to be honest some days Im just dilly dallying and getting inspired. I try to touch my craft in some way every day, even if it’s just sketching out a concept or gathering inspiration.

Where, or from whom, do you draw inspiration?

So many things!!!  I draw inspiration from my friends and my community, from living life and having fun experiences. From NYC, the art and chaos that this city is made of. I’m inspired by overcoming hardships and that feeling of standing in the light at the end of the tunnel.

I also draw inspiration from artists I admire like Nadia Lee Cohen, David LaChapelle, Petra Collins, and Nick Knight, among so many others.

And I draw inspiration from my dreams. I’ve always had wild, vivid dreams, and I’m fascinated by the surreal in-between space we exist in while asleep.

How does spirituality play into your work?

Spirituality plays a major role in my work. I believe that as artists, we channel visions from a source beyond us. Pursuing a creative career also requires a lot of faith and trust that it will work out. The more we tap into our unique, authentic truth, the more aligned we become with our purpose and our path.

What would you tell your younger self looking back now?

I would tell my younger self to stop creating limits. When I was younger, I had low self-esteem and placed limits on myself because I was taught not to think too big. I think a lot of people can relate to that. Sometimes adults project their own fears onto kids because they never believed in themselves and don’t want their kids to get hurt.

It’s important to dismantle that programming and the sooner, the better because every person who has made something of themselves is just a person who believes. Like Pharrell Williams said, “You can do it too.”

What advice would you give to someone breaking into your career?
Experiment with no limits. Don’t be afraid to make bad art, and don’t focus too much on the end result at first. Tap into the fun and excitement of creating something and hold onto that feeling throughout your career.

Also, dream big, work hard, and put yourself out there. Failure is a blessing because you learn so much from it. Fail as much as possible so you can learn as much as possible. Being an artist means being vulnerable, after all.

How do you maintain consistency in building your dream life or career?
Show up for yourself and your craft in some way every day, or as often as you can. Create projects for yourself and build structure around your goals but don’t forget to have fun 🙂

How do you use multiple formats of art in your process?
I love making my photographs physical and bringing them to life. It’s one of the most fun parts of the process because what I created suddenly becomes tangible and real. I experiment with my printer by printing backwards, playing with the ink, even embracing when it malfunctions and creates something unexpected. I love happy accidents. It feels like something outside of my control stepped in, and that magic really excites me.

I also paint and collage on my work. I’ll scan smaller experiments and print them larger. My favorite is printing on velvet or canvas and stretching it over bars to create what I call a “photography painting.” From there, I might leave it as is or continue painting and collaging on top. The many layers and different forms the image takes are so beautiful as they feel like a metaphor for our very human experience of constantly evolving. Seeing my work displayed large-scale feels incredibly rewarding as the image transforms and becomes something entirely new.

Connect with Aqua Rose!

Instagram : @aquarosephoto

Photography by: Stephanie Rommelt

Photography Edited by: Aqua Rose

Produced by: Her Studio New York

Interviewed by: Stephanie Rommelt