This Valentine’s Day, we’re highlighting local scholar, writer, and artist Isabel Servantez.
Under San Antonio Skies: Valentine’s Day thoughts 1 of 2
Under San Antonio Skies: Valentine’s Day thoughts 2 of 2
Do you write a script or make up the drawing as you go?
IS: My process for putting comics together is varied and sporadic. In the case of the piece with the orchids, I had just been thinking of Valentine’s day and started to wonder why I had never received any flowers. That seemed like a novel enough thought to make a comic out of, so an image of Orchids, my favorite flower, seemed like a natural fit. It probably took a total of 10 minutes from the lightbulb moment to a sketch with the words all plotted out.
Much different than the piece with Mac Miller. That took me finding out about a month ago about a former significant other getting married and being affected by that, mixed with me, in the last couple weeks reading Bell Hooks’s book All About Love: New Visions, mixed finally, with me coming across the performance Mac Miller gave for N.P.R.’s “Tiny Desk Concert” series. Then it just all seemed to fit at once. I just wanted to share that moment of acceptance and beauty and pain and love. That kinda moment takes months if not years for me to get to, which is why I don’t make comics very often. It takes me a long time to come up with something to share that I feel is somewhat unique, while also being relatable, true, and brave.
About Isabel Servantez
Isabel Servantez holds a master’s degree in art history from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is currently the Semmes Foundation Curatorial Intern in Museum Studies at the McNay Art Museum. His scholarly focus is Chicano/a/x and Latino/a/x art.
