Meet Grey Salazar | Freelance Illustrator & Art Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Grey Salazar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Grey, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
As a freelance illustrator, it was difficult at first doing projects that didn’t fuel my personal interests. I took on a lot of work that I just didn’t enjoy doing which led to such an unhealthy balance. I rotated a warehouse day job while freelancing and dreaded the moments in between – it almost felt like I was going down the wrong path. Fast-forward a year and I quit that warehouse job and began pursuing teaching at local city art centers and working in non-profit. I also veered my freelance work into a direction more enjoyable, going from realistic traditional portraiture to fantasy character art. Work suddenly didn’t feel like work and my art became collaborative and delightful. Nowadays, I make sure to rotate between my day-job and my freelance artwork, making sure to never do both on the same day unless deadlines are tight. I also make sure to give myself time to go back to my roots and draw for fun working on personal art projects to continue my motivation.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Deconstruction and decolonization were incredibly important in exploring and embracing my identity and so I make sure to represent aspects of them in my work. In my personal work, besides my love for fantasy, I like to highlight indigenous and precolonial themes from my own Filipino heritage as well as different tribes within the nation. Indigenous Filipinos are thought to be nothing but ancient history and are often disregarded in these times of modernization and globalization. I myself am born in diaspora and have never felt more distant from my ancestors living in a diasporic family who embraces assimilation. And so, I make sure to remember some of these stories and bring awareness to them by honoring them in my work. I find that it is incredibly important that not only non-Filipinos see more work and its story, but also Filipinos themselves, for it is just as absent in their lives.

I honestly got very lucky to get at this point in my career: there was a position at the City of Tempe for a receptionist that I applied for and didn’t get, but instead of just letting me go, the team there hired me on as an instructor and staff. That led to a rabbit hole of different opportunities and connections that blossomed into my first solo art exhibition, paid art opportunities, and a newfound love for teaching!

I learned to understand that a goal is not always set in stone, no matter how badly I might want it. I previously wanted to work in animation, but quickly discovered how poorly my education prepared me, that led to two or so years of working in a warehouse and abandoning art. Sometimes, factors don’t align and I may not be able to achieve the goals I wanted, but life can veer me in a completely different direction for the betterment and benefit of my career. I never saw art education as a career, nor freelance illustration, but now I embrace and adore the work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First stop in the morning, we’d go to Brick Road Coffee, my current day job. It is such a beautiful and loving safe space with some of the best coffee in the Valley and the friendliest most uplifting staff. I can spend hours at the store working on art and teaching materials. For lunch, I’d grab food at Avasu, a delicious Indian buffet right next Changing Hands Bookstore, which is the next stop. Getting lost in a book is all I can ask for as an aspiring kidslit illustrator. We would then have dinner at an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ restaurant, either Gen or Manna and end the night walking Tempe Town Lake with a scoop of ice cream from Sweet Republic. This is honestly just a typical date that I have with my wonderful partner and how I beat the heat and enjoy Arizona!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d love to make a Shoutout to Sketch Club Cafe and thems.phx for giving me the confidence and courage to be myself. These safe spaces were one of the first places that made me feel like I could belong in this world and not feel alone. I have grown so much as a person through these groups and am forever grateful.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greybsalazar/

Other: Email for work inquiries: greybsalazar@gmail.com