Meet Allison Maldonado | Performer & Artist

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

Hi Allison, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
This year specifically I’ve realized more than ever how precious my time is, especially when it comes to ‘me’ time. The more balance I have between my work life, my creative life and relaxing, the more I see benefits in all areas. Being that I do all my work from home (as most of us do) I’m unafraid of saying no to certain opportunities. If something doesn’t feel right or fit into my schedule, rather than being a people pleaser, I simply say no. This has allowed me to maintain balance, have more time for what’s important and not overfill my cup during an already overwhelming time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Most people these days know me as The Vintage Voyageur, the title of my television show exploring vintage shopping and culture on Amazon Prime. It is amazing to be recognized and respected for the work that you yourself created, especially since the road of creation is never easy. Like most when they start their own business, I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices, personally and financially, to make this dream of mine happen. There’s been A LOT of trial and error and I’ve had to learn things the hard way many times. However, I wouldn’t do anything different. I’m proud of the journey my work has taken me on and seeing a project come to life successfully has given me the courage to pursue other passions. While in quarantine, I’ve spent a lot of time on my art & design business, Panchita Designs. With Panchita, I hand paint housewares in eye-catching designs for the dwelling space. It has become a wonderful way to celebrate my Mexican heritage through artistry. I work on non traditional surfaces like clay pottery and wooden furniture and lately have even been commissioned for mural work. My dream for when we’re out of COVID times is to balance both of these careers seamlessly, working from jobs on the stage and in television, to designing interiors/furniture for private clients and even hotels and restaurants. I want people to know that it’s alright, in fact wonderful, to be multi-talented and strive to have careers in multiple fields. It’s amazing to live in a time where more and more people are celebrating the multi-hyphenate lifestyle. Not everyone will understand it, and it is definitely a challenge to balance at times, but being able to delve in to all my passions this year has been incredibly fulfilling.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shout out to my amazing group of close friends, all of whom are multi- talented and have kept me feeling motivated during this year. 1. My roomate Seth Jubb, a professional astrologer and owner of The Stargayzer. Living with him gives me the perk of knowing what’s going on astrologically & helps me make sense of how I’m growing and changing during this time. 2. My best friend Jake Primmerman, a singer/songwriter and video editor. This year he’s released multiple new songs and has begun a video editing business that is thriving! He just did a commercial for Good Morning America and I couldn’t be more proud! 3. And last but certainly not least, my best friend Rachel Brown, an incredible writer/screenwriter. Rachel has a drama series AND cartoon in the works with major networks. To be witness to her resilience in making her projects happen during this year has been an inspiration.

Website: www.allisonmaldonado.com
Instagram: @itgirlallison / @thevintagevoyageur / @panchitadesigns
Linkedin: linkedin.com/allisonmaldonado
Youtube: youtube.com/thevintagevoyageur

Image Credits
Rose Callahan Seth Jubb