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From Dark to Light: Unveiling the Inspiring Journey of Selena - The Artistic Triumphs, Struggles, and Embracing Her True Identity
" I'am Chicago born and South Floridan raised since I was 4. I draw immense inspiration from growing up in South Florida. You’ll see lots of fruits and little birds and even clothing in my art that I pull from my surroundings. My Papou (grandpa) is the muse behind a lot of what I do. When he immigrated from Greece in the 50s he started a milk business and was a real milk man. My clothing brand “Milk” is inspired by his story and the long term imprint he’s left on my heart. My family takes a bit of a different shape than others but we are one full of love. I have two girls and my partner has a son. Together we are five! I love life with them. We’re sort of awkward and weird and love it. We embrace that we look different and we’re proud. "
Childhood
I grew up with my dad and twin brother. It’s always been the three of us. My mom has never been in the picture. She’s an addict and when my twin and I were just months old she gave us up to our dad who raised us the best he could.
My dads a mafia like character from Chicago who grew up being the guy who collected the money for the milk business. As you can imagine the type of character this builds in the 70s and 80s. Fast forward to him raising infant twins without a mother figure it was interesting. My twin took a very different path than I. He became an addict at a young age and has navigated his own journey in prison most of his life.
I honestly couldn’t be more different from my family in ways. I’ve always been sensitive and had a deep connection with my inner higher self. I’ve been doing inner child healing work since I was 16-17. And I’ve always been an artist. I had zero help with how to navigate that as a child. School was never for me. I’d be off in some imaginary land in all of my classes. Thinking of something to create or make or whatever.
Self Discovery
"My works reflect the fruit of my life, they are the goodness"
I’m a very conscious person. I only like to put my awareness on the things that I want my energy to be in. I have good reason all around to be a stereotype or to have had lower standards for myself or my life and I decided a long time ago that I wanted my life to be just mine. Regardless of my upbringing or what I didn’t or didn’t have happen to me or around me. I’ve found that the more I allow myself to lean into who and what I want to be as an ever changing person that it only brings people into my life and experiences that are also equally beautiful and vulnerable.
I hear a lot that I am a joy or a light for people. That my art brings abundance and warmth.
My children get to watch their mom do everything from working my clothing brand milk to being an artist and my process involved in that and I couldn’t be more proud to show them what it means to do the things you want with your life. Even if it’s odd or weird or sometime else says “you can’t do that” In fact I can and I will and you can too
I’m a person of energy. That is my belief anyways. We are all energy. What you put your focus/awareness on shapes your thoughts. Your thoughts shape how you feel. How you feel shapes how you behave and what you do and so on. I like to only put my awareness on what’s possible. Not on what’s not working or what doesn’t feel good.
My art when I’m creating is my own safe space to process. I find myself sometimes laughing and dancing and closing my eyes and talking to the trees while I paint. (I paint outside mostly in my palm trees)
Other times I go to the canvas to let out what needs to come out and it’s very healing. I find lots of duality in my works. I’ve been sort of chipping away at the idea that my twin is just the male version of myself. I’m not sure how I missed the addict gene. I sometimes fight guilt knowing my life is so beautiful and my brothers has mostly always been on fire. But I can always step back and see where I very consciously created the life I have. There has been a lot of pain and heart break. And with each moment of contrast it’s become an opportunity for me to know myself and love myself more and spread that love.
I know in my career I’m just getting started. As an artist and designer. Though I must say being an artist is my favorite. I plan to be in Basel this year. The more success I have the more I’d like to take care of the people around me. I’d like to be able to buy scholarships to private schools for families that can’t afford it and help kids get started off on the right foot in life. Or buy my brother a place to live so he can finally just be.
I’m always covered in paint. I sort of blur gender roles. Not on purpose it’s not to make a point I just am. You’ll find me painting sometimes just in underwear and in other times in mens like construction clothes. I recently was at an event where I was the headlining artist and someone inquiring about a piece told me I was inappropriate but in the best way. He was like you embody both feminine and masculine energy. And honestly that’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.
