If you need some therapy with a dash of humor, look no further because Doctora Rosada Jirafa is at your service. Up and coming cartoonist Maria Guadarrama has gone viral multiple times due to her introspective, humorous and thought-provoking comics. I am an avid fan of genuine, creative people. So, what a treat it was to get to interview this gal. Not only do I learn how immensely talented she is during the interview, but I also come to find out she's Venezuelan. I am Venezuelan from my mother's side of the family. Naturally for me that was an added bonus. We instantly got along and talked about our heritage, which I seldom get to do. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to Maria. Quite honestly, this interview felt more like talking to an old friend, but I think she has that affect on everybody. If you've come across her comics, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Maria's art is extremely personal yet funny, much like her personality. Her punchlines hit all the right notes, which is a hard thing to pull off, but she does it effortlessly which is partly one of the reasons she's gone viral so many times.
It all started not too long ago when she decided to fully immerse herself into her art and draw everyday. She also made it a point to post her art everyday, which made her realize, consistency is key. She noticed her posts getting LIKES by the thousands. Pretty soon Maria got contacted by BuzzFeed and other news outlets. She soon realized she was on to something, especially when her work started to go viral. That's when she came to the realization that she had become an Influencer. What she looked at as a place to just post her work, suddenly became a responsibility. Now she makes it a point to choose her words carefully when she posts her comics on Instagram, she has a fan base and does not want to disappoint.
And disappoint she has not. Her appeal has become worldwide. Maria's comics have been translated all over the world. And to think this all started because as she puts it,
"Wanted to express myself."
We are so glad that she did. This self-proclaimed nerd and avid video game player has taken her newfound fame in strive. She's mostly appreciative and is taking full advantage of the momentum she's recently garnered. She came out with a book called, The Unspoken Truth, which is a compilation of her comics. She is also working on some new projects, two to be exact. One of the books she is working on is, Todo Subre Humanos and Los Vulnerables.
Maria Guadarrama aka GUADA
Maria finds herself very fortunate to have the opportunity to connect with so many through her art, especially during these times. The pandemic has pressured her to find new and creative ways to expand her creativity. She's recently taken up acting classes which have helped her with her creatively as well as uplifted her spirits.
Not only has the pandemic been weighing heavy on Maria's mind, but also all of the recent events that have taken place in Chile.
You see, in 2018 Maria took the leap of faith and left Venezuela for Chile because she confides that,
"[The] crisis of our country is unbearable."
For her, watching what the Chilean people were going through was reminiscent of Venezuela. Nowadays, it seems as if different parts of the world are going through trials and tribulations simultaneously. That is why Maria like the rest of the world is paying close attention to the upcoming elections of the United States.
"I think Americans affect the rest of us. [They have a] huge responsibility."
She is also concerned because America among other nations is the most helpful and supportive of Venezuela.
She does miss Venezuela and her family very much, but she is also grateful how Chile has opened its arms to her. Maria has been able to make connections and friends rather quickly and is excited for what's to come.
She attributes her success to her tenacity. Maria has been drawing since she was a child. She shares with me,
"I never stopped."
Luckily for us she never did. Another reason her comics have resonated with so many is because of her most popular character, Doctora Rosada Jirafa. Doctora Rosada Jirafa/ Doctor Pink Giraffe is a therapist with a very reputable clientele. Although there is such a thing as doctor-patient privilege, we have acquired the identity of some of these patients. All I can say is that one has lived under the sea and also comes from a royal lineage.
Maria who sees a therapist herself has made it her mission to normalize therapy through humor using Doctora Rosada Jirafa. She admits a lot of her inspiration has come from her own therapy sessions. She's recently seen the character take off and start to develop into a more complex persona. Maria mostly enjoys how the Giraffe analyzes humans. Great things are on the horizon for Doctora Rosada Jirafa and Maria Guadarrama of course. Stay tuned.
TRIVIA QUESTION:
I couldn't resist. Being Venezuelan myself I just had to know.
I asked Guada: What is her favorite Venezuelan food?
Her answer:
AREPAS!