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

Hi Adrian, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think for me one of the most important things for me to learn was that the climb to success is not always a vertical move. There will be many setbacks and it’s important to pay close attention to them. These are the moments we learn from the most. That teach us how bad we want something. How to pause, assess, and calculate our next move. People that climb mountains know that you don’t just go straight up. The climb builds strength and requires determination and focus.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve had an incredible career and so grateful for the journey. I feel like every moment has been critical to elevating my skills, even the set backs. I’ve learned you really have to love something to truly achieve your goals. Finding the love in my art and craft hasn’t always been obvious for me. I finally found it! I love to teach, not just about makeup techniques, but about self acceptance. I have been working diligently since the pandemic to really show men that they can also be beautiful and still strong, powerful. There is power in accepting that we can be many things and not just the one thing the world tells us to be. I love teaching the duality of the human spirit through color.
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?
Well I really only enjoy doing things things the nourish my body, educate my mind, and feed my soul… so I would say a hike to the top of camelback mountain. The view up there is just incredible and worth the climb. I also love the architecture of the Phoenix library, but Casa Grande has such an incredible history and I like to feel connected to our rich past. Sedona also just feeds my soul, so calm, balanced, and sacred.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many who have inspired me. My family has inspired me, my husband inspires me, the queer community inspires me. I would go as far to say that even my advisories disbelief in my talents inspire me. I think we can take inspiration from any and everything.

Instagram: Arartistry

Other: Tiktok Arartistry

Image Credits
Angelica Ross Daniel Welch Tuki daily

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.