Below you will find the transcript of my interview with Angelica, a Cohort 12 student at TLC, LMI’s Campus in Honduras, who has a passionate, creative mind for Ground Coffee Art. She talks through how she got started and where she wants to take this passion.
Transcript:
Leah: Hello everyone listening, I am Leah, the communications coordinator for LMI down here in Honduras and today I am interviewing Angelica. She is a Cohort 12 student so she is a first year student here on campus. We are going to talk about her art business that she is in the process of creating. She does amazing artwork with ground up coffee. We are going to talk about where she got this passion from and how she plans to create a business in the future!
Angelica: Hello! I am Angelica.
Leah: Okay so let’s get into the questions. So Angelica, what inspired you or how did you come up with your coffee art idea?
Angelica: I started with this idea 7 months ago. Always, I like to make something for my friends. I have a friend, and her birthday is in August, and I needed to come here [to TLC] in July. I wanted to make something for her and maybe give this present to her before I came here because I cannot stay for her birthday. I think, because she really loved the coffee, and I think, ‘I want to make something with coffee, but I don’t know what.’ I tried something, but I could not make a specific card or something for her. And I think, ‘Okay I have coffee and I can try to make a cup of coffee and I started to think about that. And I think ‘Okay if I can make a cup of coffee I can make her face!’ And I chose three photos of her, and I started to make with coffee. This was my first work, three photos of her. After, her dad died. And I thought, ‘Okay I make this for her, but I know this is an amazing present if I make her dad.’ It’s the same, I chose a photo of her dad, and I made that. I started with that, but just for her. I didn’t think about my business, I didn’t think about making more work. I started with that, with this artwork with coffee.
Leah: Very cool. It is such a unique idea, and I’ve never seen anything like it before so I think it’s just an amazing idea, and people will love it. So did anyone in your family or close friends of yours inspire a creative way of thinking? Or did you get inspired but something else to do art?
Angelica: In my family, always my brothers can draw and my mom too. I always tried to make art and something for my friends. I think no one tell me about ‘you can do this, or you can do that’ just I think about ‘I can make this.’ And I really love the art. I started to try it and invent. Because like you said, no one makes this, so I think it is something new. I have a friend, and this friend told me, ‘Hey you can sell this, because it’s amazing.’ I think ‘Okay, but it’s difficult because I don’t have money, and sometimes it is expensive, and I cannot make just one.’ But my mom said ‘You can! You can try! And maybe we can get the money and start maybe with five. And if you sell this you can make more money.’ They said that, and I will try. And I am trying. But I started alone, in this way. My family and my friends are my support.
Leah: Yeah, that’s awesome. I am really glad your family supports you going into an industry like this. How do you feel art allows you to express yourself? This is a little bit of a tougher question.
Angelica: I don’t know because when I make that I am very happy, and I am excited because you know, if you have something, or your friend makes something for you, it’s with love. And I make all of my cards, all of my paintings, all of my art with love. Sometimes, I am stressed because when it is a face, always I am thinking about ‘Okay it’s not the same, it’s not the same with the photo!’ I am worried but always my mom says ‘Yes, it’s the same! And you can do it! You can try!’ I don’t know, I feel many emotions, but I am excited when I work in this art.
Leah: Yeah, it’s very normal to critique yourself and be harder on yourself than other people are on you, and I have seen your art, and it is amazing. You shouldn’t be hard on yourself, because every piece I’ve seen is amazing. So the last question I have is regarding your future plans. What are your goals for this business in the future?
Angelica: I want to sell this art and I think sometimes it’s difficult because you know, I am here and I cannot go and send my art because it’s difficult and sometimes it’s expensive. I think maybe after leaving TLC, I will look for a place.
Leah: So like a store front that you would sell out of?
Angelica: Yeah. I have my art here [at TLC] and if you want something you just need to tell me. You can say, I want this image, and I can try to do this.
Leah: Very cool. Well thank you for talking with me today Angelica, and I am super proud of you, your art is amazing! Alright, see you everyone!
Angelica: See you!