Meet Ana Tere Canales | Artist & Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ana Tere Canales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ana Tere, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I LOVE expressing myself through art. I am passionate about the way I feel when creating something from my soul, and being able to share it with the world in the form of products that they can use daily and express themselves with makes me very happy. I love it when someone sees one of my pieces and says “it represents me” because that means they recognized something within themselves that made them connect to it.

I´ve always created art, and the reason I started my business was so I could continue doing it while serving people with art that they could bring along with them and brighten their days.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I want to share joy through my art. I gather inspiration from daily, mundane things and from my mexican culture and its colors. I believe inspiration is all around us, we just have to “put on our glasses” to see it. I believe we are all creative since the day we were born, we just need to believe it and get reacquainted with it because some people created as children but as they grew they stopped and became fearful, I want them to remember what it feels like to be creative, just for the joy of it.

I think you have to absolutely love what you do, and do it from the heart, authentically. At least for me, that´s what keeps me going after 8 years through the good and the bad times, it is my fuel. And passion shines through, authenticity shines through. I think people are attracted to authenticity and it inspires them to be a part of the brand and story.

For me, the easy part has been the artistic part, the creative, joyful process, the part where I connect with people. The hardest part has been to do everything else that comes with it. The “running a business” part, the numbers, the leadership, the costs, etc… There are definitely days where I don´t feel like doing all of that, I just want to create, but then I remember that I get to create BECAUSE all of the business part is working, so changing my mindset has been key to enjoying the process and keep going.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom who´s been an inspiration and a mentor since day 1. My husband for his unwavering support, love and faith in me, my family and my friends who cheer me up and support my crazy ideas.

Website: anaterecanales.com

Instagram: @anaterecanales / @canalesanatere

Twitter: @anaterecanales

Facebook: Ana Tere Canales

Image Credits
Photographer: Ale Vega @byalevega