Cleo Woman
Torin Ashtun
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to where you are today?
I am a multimedia artist born and raised in Long Beach, CA. My earliest childhood memories include painting and writing fictional stories in my journal. I grew up in a chaotic home with seven siblings so escaping through art quickly became a coping mechanism of mine. Throughout my years in school I continued to paint and would gradually learn new mediums like sewing and crochet. Even though I am creative by nature, I always saw myself pursuing a career in Biochemistry. While studying Biochemistry at Spelman I realized how I neglected my creative gifts. After one semester, I left and moved back home to model full time and began sharing my art online. Now that I’m in my mid-20s I still use art as a way to transmute my emotions, especially when I find it difficult to explain myself. I’ve recently become a mother and wife which has brought an abundance of love and lessons into my life. I’ve branched off from creating new paintings often and now I spend more time growing my digital art skills. From sketching prints to writing short comics, my art has continued to take on new mediums.
How did you discover your style as an artist?
Before I found my art style I started off sketching a silhouette figure in my journal. I would draw scenarios from my day instead of using words. The figure never had a face or distinct features because I never wanted anyone to know who I was drawing. In 2018 I felt compelled to paint a sketch of the silhouette figure from my journal. All paintings from 2018-2020 depict actual experiences from my life where I maintained the silhouette as a focal point in the paintings. In 2021 I looked back at my older work and realized how most of my art was about sad and traumatic events so I decided to paint positive experiences or keep them impersonal. From there, I’ve felt free to step outside the box and paint imaginary scenes that reflect the joy I’m constantly living in.
How do you stay inspired?
As long as I find beauty in my life, I will be inspired. I constantly have to purge myself of the pressure to be perfect so that I can create without the fear of making bad art. I also don’t wait to be inspired to start creating. Sometimes the act of prepping my space to create is what inspires me.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of how I am willing to change. I believe the only thing constant in life is change so I do my best to go with that flow. My biggest change has been motherhood. I found having a baby has changed the way I view my body, purpose, goals, spirituality and of course my art. I have been pulling out old paintings from 2020 and meshing textiles in the pieces so they feel brand new again. I no longer believe in limiting myself by choosing to stay the same.
How do you balance being a mother and an artist? What do you do to help you stay grounded?
To be honest, I find it difficult to say I have balanced being a mother and artist. Some days I will be so inspired and excited to create but my son will really want me close all day. In those moments I always give my son my full attention and prioritize creating while he naps. Thankfully my husband is in charge of our son's night routine and he sleeps 12 hours through the night so I also create during that time. I love to focus on my art with no distractions so a piece that would’ve taken a whole day working 10 hours straight will now take 1-3 weeks because I have important responsibilities in my household. I never get upset about it because I know my son will be grown one day and I will once again have an endless amount of time to create. My little family is one of my biggest inspirations so I remind myself to slow down and enjoy this special moment in our lives.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could give one piece of advice to my younger self it would be, “Take heed to your elders advice but always follow your intuition. Their words can save you years of regret yet those same words can scare you out of taking a chance on yourself”.
What is a favorite quote or saying of yours that you go back to time and time again?
My favorite quote is “The one who is perceived is not meant to perceive themselves”. This reminds me to live in the moment and stop over analyzing what people may think of me.
As we enter the spring season, what is the thing you are most excited for?
The thing I’m most excited for in spring is the outdoor picnics surrounded by blossoming trees and flowers. I love Spring in Long Beach before summer comes in and the weather outside becomes unbearable.
How would you describe your style and what are you wearing on repeat?
I would describe my style as all natural and comfortable hot mom. I love to feel beautiful in my clothes while keeping them functional. That means lots of pockets, a comfortable everyday sandal, and flowing dress with a fun print.
What do you wear, go, and eat to feel your absolute best?
I wear a colorful maxi Cleobella dress and go out for sushi at one of my many sushi spots in Long Beach.