Latina artist feature: Angie Quintanilla Coates
Angie Quintanilla Coates is a self-taught artist and illustrator whose bold and colorful designs bring the same vibrancy to an upcycled Listerine bottle that they do to a pair of Dr. Martens. Her art often juxtaposes a bright and cheery color palette with earnest socio-political statements in ways that have caught the eyes of the Human Rights Campaign and the United Nations.
FEMINIST sat down with Angie Quintanilla Coates to discuss how her childhood in Mexico has influenced her work, the importance of rest, and the “great unifier” that is art.
Shop Angie Quintanilla Coates work here 💞
Q: A lot of your work utilizes recycled/upcycled materials. What inspired you to start incorporating recycled materials into your art? What do you feel it brings to the work?
AQC: Growing up in a Mexican household, recycling/upcycling was the norm, even before it was mainstream. My mom never threw away any containers or plastic bags and we always found ways to re-use all of it. I started doing the same when I came to Canada, especially after finding out that 90% of the plastic we ‘recycle’ actually ends up in landfills. For years I collected plastic bottles but unlike my mom, I wanted to use them to make art. It felt like a silly idea that also wasn’t very practical to execute in my home office, so I didn’t prioritize it… but my plastic collection kept growing. It wasn’t until I found a dedicated -and affordable!- art studio space that I was able to start reclaiming plastic and using it to make art. It’s been career changing. It turns out what I thought was a ‘silly’ idea actually resonated with a lot of people. I have so many plans to keep expanding on this practice, reclaiming as many objects as possible, including larger objects like furniture. Stay tuned!
Q: How has growing up in Mexico influenced your art? Has there been a change in your art since relocating to Canada?
AQC: That old saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder’? That is one thousand percent true for me. I grew up in a very conservative city in Mexico, without diversity. It was a large city of 6 million people but to me, it always felt small. I couldn’t wait to finish university to get out into the world and be exposed to more liberal, diverse communities outside of my hometown. That was Canada for me. The moment I landed here I felt free to be whomever I wanted to be, without having to conform. I thought that freedom would mean rejecting where I came from, but it was the opposite. Being away from home allowed me to reclaim all the positive pieces of my culture and upbringing that are also an essential part of who I am. There is a stubborn joy, optimism and resilience in Mexico that is very present in everything I do, especially in my art through my colour palette. It is an homage to my heritage, my family and culture.
Q: Where or when do you feel the most inspired?
AQC: When I’m rested and balanced, I feel constantly inspired. I’m a very visual person and there are a few activities that almost always make me feel extra inspired: a long walk in nature; watching an interesting film or documentary; exploring a new place or city; visiting an art gallery or museum; flipping through art books; conversing with fellow creatives and learning about their process. These are a few of the things that inspire me the most.
Q: What is the meaning behind your instagram handle and website name “thefive15”?
AQC: Five15 is the name of my brand. It's significant to me because 5:15 was the time when a bunch of friends and I used to meet up. This was around the time when I got sober 14 years ago and it meant a lot to me to have that support. I know I wouldn’t be living a creative life today without sobriety, so it felt fitting to name my brand after a special time and place that made it all possible.
Q: Your work often pairs serious social-political statements with bright and bold colors - what power do you find in these seemingly contrasting themes?
AQC: To me, bright and bold colours signify joy and hope. I view them as a reminder of what we are advocating for. Hope empowers me to keep going, it helps me believe change is possible. Choosing a hopeful tone when addressing serious socio-political topics is very intentional. Instead of only focusing on addressing the problem -which is obviously essential- it shifts the focus to be more solution-based. This is my main goal, to find solutions and motivate others to keep moving forward.
Q: In your opinion, how can art be a powerful tool for challenging stereotypes and advocating for gender equality?
AQC: Art is a great unifier. It has the power to connect people, transcend cultural barriers, and convey universal emotions. We know that in more diverse communities there is less prejudice. Art can bridge that gap by showing different perspectives and sparking conversations that open minds and help us move towards a more equal and inclusive world. Thanks to social media and the Internet, art can help new ideas become wide-spread. It is a universal connector and can be a powerful tool for change.
How can art advocate for gender equality? Representation is a great way to start. I grew up without a lot of examples of successful, female Latinx artists, except for a select few like Frida Kahlo, and she had a very tragic life. Fast forward to today and there’s no shortage of examples of successful Latina artists thriving and creating everyday. Representation matters. I have a six year old niece and my sister, her mom, often shows her the videos I post of me painting and reclaiming objects. She was recently caught taking plastic bottles out of the recycling bin and when asked why she was playing with garbage she said ‘it’s not garbage, it is art! I’m painting these because I’m an artist like Angie’. So thank you for this feature. I hope little girls like my niece Montse continue to have endless examples of thriving Latinas in the arts.
Q: You spoke in one of your recent IG posts about how everything we do is “revenue generating,” especially when it comes to what creatives do to look after themselves - can you tell us more about that?
AQC: I’ve been self-employed for the last seven years and in my experience, pushing hard and burning the candle at both ends doesn't necessarily translate into more revenue. And by revenue I’m not only talking about income, I’m also referring to wealth. To me, that includes mental and physical health and overall wellbeing. The times where I actually prioritize taking breaks, pausing my business to recoup when I need it and have good boundaries with myself and others, that’s usually when I come up with the best strategies for growth in my career, when I feel the most creative and when I am genuinely thriving. Viewing rest and self-care as revenue generating is an antidote to burnout and hustle culture, and it actually works well in my life. That said, it is sometimes easier said than done. I do a lot of work to shift my scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. It sounds woo-woo but I swear it works!
Q: What does being a feminist mean to you?
AQC: Feminism means advocating for a better and more just world for every single person, not just women. It means fighting for climate justice, since the climate crisis aggravates existing inequalities and injustices around the world. Being a feminist means doing the work to leave our communities and world better than we found them. It’s being on the right side of history and dreaming of an equal and just world where hopefully one day there will be no need for feminism.
Discover Angie Quintanilla Coates art here
