Meet Rowan Mastandrea | Artist, Musician & Fashion Designer

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

Hi Rowan, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
The vulnerability involved in sharing your art. If you create from your inner self, your work is truly an extension of you. It requires inner strength to expose your depths to the world. You receive enthusiasm, criticism, indifference—it varies. Maintaining your confidence and willingness to share your work regardless isn’t easy. You have to be your own ally and be able to reach out for support when you need it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets you apart from others? I push myself to my creative limits. I am not afraid or unwilling to invest time and effort into everything I create. I hold myself to my highest standards of quality and excellence. I see the artist as having a responsibility to society to positively impact the collective conscious (and subconscious) and this is not something I take lightly. I aspire to produce work that is healthy and empowering for the collective. Art for me is not just a skill, style, or idea. It is the means to shape and transform the symbolic reality from which our tangible reality is created. It is a means to improve the world we create together as humans.

What are you most proud of or excited about?
I am proud that I forged my own path as an artist. I graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science. I chose to study Sociology to form a greater understanding of human life as the basis of my art practice. I trusted that the development of my artistry was something I could to do on my own. Studying abroad at a non-American school gave me a larger perspective of the world and an invaluable means of developing the long-term content of my work. For over 25 years after school I worked various low-pressure jobs so I could vigorously and simultaneously develop my artistic vision. I am proud to have resisted outside pressure to compromise for financial security.

How did you get to where you are today professionally?
Self-discipline. Not having much time outside of work, I had to develop a lifestyle that supported my long-term goals. In addition, what worked well for me was separating development from delivery. I took the time to cultivate my skills and my vision fully before focusing on bringing it out to the world.

Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
Becoming an artist was anything but easy. I had no idea how long it would take nor how non-linear my path would be. I became disheartened and exhausted at times. Reaching out to supportive people in my inner circle kept me going. I also had to develop patience, acceptance and a deeper commitment.

What are the lessons you learned along the way?
I’ve learned that it’s just as important to face inner obstacles as outer ones. If any aspects of my life are neglected or dysfunctional, it creates imbalance in all areas of my life.
I have learned that our lives and minds are too crowded to wait for inspiration. The sparks of passion need to be cultivated into a full-blown fire that can illuminate the way.
I’ve learned that we are taught how to recreate, not how to create. We are encouraged to consume, not contribute. We are pressured to follow a path, not forge one. I realized how disempowering this has been for humanity, and how crucial rebuilding our individual creative power is for the collective.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I am a multi-passionate, multi-directional artist who has let my intuition become an authority in my life. Cultivating my intuition has enabled me to become grounded in the unknown. By forging a disciplined practice around the Great Unknown, I have found the source of my true creative power.

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?
Walking near Pinnacle Peak just after sunrise starts our day. Listening to the cacophony of birds, counting bunnies, and checking for cactus blossoms we hopefully catch a roadrunner, bobcat or javelina sighting. Next, we would check out the farmer’s market at the Thumb and then head to Cave Creek for a tour of my favorite artist town. First stop is the Grotto for breakfast and a mocha while conversing with friendly locals. We wouldn’t miss Desert Treasures or the Rare Earth Gallery for amazing crystals and rocks, Watson’s Hat Shop for some old-school craftsmanship, and Kiwanis Marketplace because – who can resist a thrift store that often has canvases for a dollar! Driving around the dirt roads and taking in the rugged beauty of the desert, we’d be sure to hit Bloody Basin Road before heading back to city life.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am so blessed to have fiercely supportive, loyal and loving friends. Particularly my parents. They are my Spirit Animals. They each provided me with examples of dignity, integrity and grace through all kinds of life challenges. They modeled believing in something and setting your own course to make it real in the world. They showed me how to contribute to society while devoting yourself to your family. I am forever grateful for their belief in me, their friendship and their enduring sense of humor.

Website: rowanmastandrea.weebly.com

Instagram: @rowanmastandrea

Image Credits
Peter Sills Lana Ellison