Meet Clarissa Lyzette Murguia | Artist and Jewelry Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Clarissa Lyzette Murguia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Clarissa, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I grew up having an appreciation and love for the arts. Ever since I can remember, drawing was one of my favorite things to do as a child. Thanks to my mom, I attended an arts middle and high school which was a privilege since it gave me all the skills that made me who I am and much more. After I graduated high school, I knew I still wanted to major in something related to art in college since it was what I knew best. I am now an art education major, a full-time artist, and a jewelry maker. During quarantine last year, I decided to start my own handmade jewelry business after one of my close friends asked me to make her a custom pair of wire earrings. After hearing her encouragement to make more jewelry, I realized I had the potential to make something out of my talent. I named my brand after my name, Clarissa Lyzette, which I thought sounded perfect. During the process of figuring everything out on my own, I realized I also wanted to be a businesswoman along with an artist, and an art educator. I went into this with zero knowledge of business, but honestly, anyone can do it if they are dedicated and passionate about something. I have learned that it is okay to not know what you are doing because you will figure it out as you go, and eventually with time, experience, and constant research, your small business will grow and become more professional. There are still a few steps and more I want to create to get to where I want to be, but I know I will eventually get there with patience. It can be a little challenging wanting to do a lot of things at once, but I just know I don’t ever want to lose that creative energy within me. I know if I would have chosen a different path that did not involve the arts, I would have felt regretful and out of place. As someone who has always been more of an introvert, art has always made me feel like I can communicate who I am or who I aim to be through what I make. Pursuing the arts is always looked down upon in society because most won’t consider that a real job or only a hobby if you are born wealthy. Most of us creatives know that being an artist is a risky career because artists may struggle to make money. I think it is okay to play it safe and always have a backup career plan, but I also believe it’s important to go out and make your childhood dreams come to life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a multimedia artist, so aside from jewelry making, I enjoy painting and drawing. My art usually puts a light on the beauty and importance of different cultures and individuality within my community. I put a strong emphasis on warm colors and repetition, including aspects from my Mexican heritage, and organic forms found in nature. Through my use of vibrant colors expressed with symbolism, I hope to evoke some sort of emotional intensity in the viewer. I work with colored pencils, markers, pens, paint, and collage. I explore my thoughts and ideas with different mediums. I discovered my style of art as I developed within my creativity and psychological thinking. Through my jewelry work, I make shapes and forms of objects found in nature as well as people’s names. I hope to inspire others through my art and show some representation of people in my community who might not feel represented. An important lesson I have learned is to never stop trying even when you feel like you are losing interest in your brand or if it’s becoming challenging. It truly does, always get better.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Some fun, cool places to visit in Dallas are the arts district which includes the Dallas Museum of Art, The Nasher Sculpture Center, The Crow Collection of Asian Art, etc. Anywhere around Uptown and Deep Ellum are also fun, especially for nightlife. The Bishop Arts district is also a nice place to visit for art, food, drinks, and dance clubs. Sky Blossom has a really cool view of the city, along with food and drinks. Uchi Dallas is a Japanese restaurant where they sell really good sushi. Trinity Groves also has more options in restaurants, shops, and city views. Also, I recently tried out Saint Rocco’s New York Italian which is an NYC-style Italian restaurant with a rooftop lounge and view of downtown Dallas. There are still more places I need to try out, but these were some places I have been to that caught my attention.

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 shoutout and huge thanks to my mother, Rosalba Robledo, for inspiring me as a young child to pursue the arts. I want to thank my older brothers Christian Luna and Carlos Luna for inspiring me through their art creations. I want to thank my art teachers, Ms. Henry and Mr. Clark for encouraging and believing in me. I also want to thank all my artist friends, Diana Zavala, Daniela Segovia, Aisha Mpiana, and Nadia Blanton for all of their encouraging words and support. And lastly, a big shoutout to Christian Gay for referring me to be a part of this article!

Website: etsy.com/shop/clarissalyzette

Instagram: Instagram.com/clarissalyzetteart

Image Credits
Photographer of my headshot: Ivan Carrillo – Instagram.com/eyevan.carrillo