Art, Culture, and Family with Rebecca Rodela
Tune in for an interview with multitalented tattoo artist Rebecca Rodela about culture, family, and self-expression through various forms of art. To learn more about Rebecca and her work,
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Our Host
Ari O’Donovan
Links & Resources:
Rebecca Rodela Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaarte/?hl=en
Transcript:
Ari O’Donovan: (00:00)
Thank you so much for listening to boosting our Voices. This program has been brought to you by Boost, Oregon. You can find them online@boostoregon.org.
Rebecca Rodela: (00:13)
What I try to do with the old family photographs is switch it up and turn it so that family members of of mine are now the new icons and I kind of like honor them and idolize them for who they are and the strong impact that they've made in my everyday life.
Ari O’Donovan: (00:34)
Welcome back to Boosting Our Voices. As always, I'm your host and Boost Oregon's Diversity program manager, IRA O'Donovan. I'm not even going to attempt to introduce this episode's guest. I'm gonna let her do that all on her own. But I will say I'm super excited about her and she's one of my favorite guests so far. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
Rebecca Rodela: (00:59)
Hi everyone. I am Rebecca Rodella and I am a Chicana artist based out of Portland, Oregon. I paint, I embroider, I also tattoo, so I'm living that dream of mine since I was in kindergarten. And recently I've also done my third mural, so I can kind of say that I'm a muralist now, so I feel like I got that under my belt now. So yeah,
Ari O’Donovan: (01:31)
So I always do a little bit of sleuthing before . I have an episode with anybody and I didn't even know all that. I didn't know you did any embroidery, Uhhuh, . I thought this may have been your very first mural that you did recently. Mm-hmm. . And now that's a spoiler alert on the rest of the whole episode, but that is really cool. I, I just can't even wait. I can't even wait to get into what we're about to talk
Rebecca Rodela: (01:54)
About. I'm excited one at all. .
Ari O’Donovan: (01:58)
Tell me more. Tell me more about what inspires you, what's your favorite kind of art? What drives you to do what you do?
Rebecca Rodela: (02:06)
So a lot of my work and I feel like my main driving force behind any of the mediums that I work with is my Chicano roots. Um, my parents have always instilled within me, you gotta be proud of who you are, gotta be proud that you're a brown little girl and you gotta really own it. I think, you know, growing up in Portland there was not that much diversity in the nineties. Yes, there had, you know, initially been before gentrification took like a nice hold on the community and pushed everybody out. And I think since then my parents were like, look, you are different. And that is completely fine. And even now, now that my sisters have um, sons, it's, I find myself telling them constantly when say they're like, you did it wrong, Tia, Becca. Like you just, you didn't put the square at the exact angle at the exact time that I put it.
Rebecca Rodela: (03:08)
And I have to remind them, just because something is different doesn't make it wrong. People have a different way of seeing things and if they're doing a final result, be it with a project, however it may be, that's something to actually celebrate and it provides better insight and a perspective on accomplishing a common goal. So I feel like, you know, I've definitely learned that within my own experiences growing up, but also just having really great parents that I love to brag about now. Especially seeing them no longer as like, that's my mom, that's my dad. But being like, okay, these are actually pretty cool adults that I've gotten to like grow up with and um, be around. So a lot of my work is definitely familial based. There's a strong influence that I get feedback from saying how it's like such a strong representation of your culture.
Rebecca Rodela: (04:04)
And I find that actually pretty refreshing and cool to get that type of feedback from. Cuz sometimes I'm like, could I have pushed it farther? Could I have made it more obvious than I am brown? But I'm glad it comes across more ways than none. Um, I, with my paintings, a lot of it is based on old family photographs. What I try to do there since, you know, religion is, is so tightly bound with being Mexican and being Chicano. What I try to do with the old photo family photographs is switch it up and turn it so that family members of of mine are now the new icons and I kind of like honor them and idolize them for who they are and the strong impact that they've made in my everyday life. And with that, it just kind of stirs up so much nostalgia, which I feel like no matter what somebody or who somebody identifies as, no matter their cultural upbringing, life experiences, they can still connect on that sort level when they see any of my work. And I try to umbrella that same concept across my work as a tattoo artist, um, embroidery, which I, we can always get into later. And then now with my murals, I've always just tried to, you know, one, two, punch any of that with any of my work no matter what the medium is.
Ari O’Donovan: (05:28)
Girl, I wanna make sure that that gets said one more time. family members of yours as the new icon. Absolutely. I love
Rebecca Rodela: (05:36)
That. Absolutely.
Ari O’Donovan: (05:37)
I love that. I love that you stay so close to your culture and your roots in your family. I love that you think that your parents are cool people. Yeah. That, that is amazing. And it's incorporated in your work.
Rebecca Rodela: (05:52)
I definitely do my best to honor them. I mean, I honestly, honestly would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for my parents, you know, growing as individuals even though I wasn't around, even though I like to joke, I was like, your life actually began when you gave birth to me. So I don't even know, like seventies and eighties David and Estella like by any means. So I'm like, okay, so nineties mom and dad and that's even how I like refer to them with my sisters. So I'm like, okay, nineties cool David, like, he said this today or he did whatever today and I thought it was absolutely hilarious. So like seeing even their own progression be it, even with just interacting with my sisters is also just super cool. Cause I was like, yeah, or everybody's parents are like individuals of their own and then like, we just kinda added to their personality and then now it's like, I can't even imagine, you know, living with all of my sisters with my parents at some point. Cause it was like, we are a lot, there's a lot of different personalities, , and then I'm like then throw in their own like backgrounds with it. It's just, it's a lot. So I love the sensory overload when it comes to family.
Ari O’Donovan: (07:01)
I love that we're connected on social media and I see a lot of your paintings and a lot of your work and how your family and heritage are connected to that and expressed and it's really amazing. Tell you gotta tell me more. You gotta tell me more about your tattoo business. I have no tattoos and now I really know where to go. when I'm ready and I pick design
Rebecca Rodela: (07:26)
. Um, I'm happy to initiate you at any single moment. Just, you know, just let me know. You know, funny irony. So I, I will work out of southeast Portland out of a shop at Dayton Center. We'll shout out there, owned by Damon Lomax. Amazing. And, um, it's a, I don't know, I feel safe in that shop and it's such a great feeling to have that type of safe space provided for me and that I'm also able to do that for the community, specifically black and brown people in Portland. I like to say, I mean, it may even be low balling it that 90% of my clientele are black and brown people because I don't know, it's, I felt like there was not a lot of representation and I was getting tattooed initially. So I got my first tattoo when I was 19. I'm 31. So within the last decade alone, I feel like the demographic of tattoo war, an accessibility to the art form has greatly grown and progressed, which is absolutely amazing.
Rebecca Rodela: (08:34)
I'm so glad for all of these, you know, new individuals and newly turned 18 year olds that are now getting tattooed. That they, there's so much diversity when it comes to seeking out artists because I didn't have that when I was initially getting tattooed and even clients of mine saying, you know, we went to this other artist and like, we like your style, but we were told that we can't get like a tattoo that is like full color. Like we can't get like a red roast or we can't get like a purple butterfly. Like something like that. They're like, because we were told that it doesn't look good on our skin and I do not believe that. And I'm like, well first of all, that's disgusting. It's blatantly racist. And also I try to provide a different type of like perspective that I'm like, if a shirt doesn't look good on you, if you don't wear makeup, like as an alternative example, like do you blame yourself or do you blame the shirt?
Rebecca Rodela: (09:38)
No, you just like, well that didn't look great, like it washed me out. Whatever. You switch it up. And then I even say like with my clients who wear lipstick, I'm like, if you try on like a red lipstick, if you feel like, you know what, this isn't a great match, what do you do? You'll wipe it off, you move to the next one. You don't try to absorb that type of information and start blaming yourself because that doesn't help when it comes to perpetuating racism. It doesn't help move forward from that and not like that. You need to just like not brushing off racism because it was like that. That's just, I'm anti-racist. I just, I don't, I zero tolerance for anything like that. Even when there's been other people in the shop that I was like, you need to leave like yesterday, like, we're still doing this, it's weird.
Rebecca Rodela: (10:24)
But I'm like, you just gotta start redirecting also the internal monologue that you have and thinking of how can I take this as a learning opportunity to grow and also make progress for myself and for everybody else that looks like me and for people that are gonna be coming after me. So that's a lot of what I also try to do with my work in tattooing is kind of breaking those boundaries that have, you know, essentially been made to feel like they've been set up for us and that we need to deal with. Which it seems so weird. But also in general, I like to make sure that my work is accessible to people. So I try to keep it, you know, fair. And when it comes to pricing fair to myself and what I see as the true value of my work and my time and all the work, but also I don't wanna get it to a point that people cannot afford to get a tattoo because they feel like if it's something that's out of their reach, even though it's something that they really want. So I try to also keep stuff like that in mind for people that also look like me.
Ari O’Donovan: (11:34)
I really appreciate that everything you just said, you make your tattoos accessible on so many different levels. And I have heard from other tattoo artists over time, when it came to other friends of mine that were getting tattoos, they said the first person they went to, they said, I don't really really work with darker skin. I wouldn't get colors if I were you, I would go with just a black design, black ink only. And it's like, to me that sounds like a limitation on you that you are putting on the, on the person, the client that's coming in for a tattoo and then that makes them feel like they're the one with the problem. That's never gonna work. not for me.
Rebecca Rodela: (12:16)
Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Then I'm like, just because you aren't comfortable or like you don't have to apologize for somebody else's discomfort when it comes to being around you or just like anything, like, I am not going to take that responsibility for your own internal struggle, for your own emotional response. Like you can have those feelings, but don't start projecting that on me and don't expect me to just be like, that's fine. Like to have to be the one to mend your own issues. Like that's not my job. Like you gotta go take care of that for yourself. You take accountability because at the end of the day, like you gotta live with yourself. You're either gonna choose to like yourself or not. So I'm like, you are the one constant home that you're always gonna have. So I'm like, even though like I have not had like a very easy life as far as like being like with mental health that I'm like, I've had to work through that too. So it's like, you know what, it gets to a point where you gotta decide, you know what I'm gonna actually choose to like myself, like, and I don't care. And I feel like with me, so like, God, there's so many different routes now that we can go, but I'm like, once I choose,
Ari O’Donovan: (13:30)
I know here I was like, you go wherever you want. I
Rebecca Rodela: (13:34)
Know. Well it was like once I turned 30 I realized like, I don't care. Like it's already like had like this kind of like punky attitude. Like I don't care what anybody thinks about me. Like, oh, but I'm like, you know, you gotta care at some point. Like you do have to care a little bit because, um, whether or not we like it, we have to interact with people, we have to kind of, you know, be a awake sometimes through life. Like, and it's fine. And then it's like, but you gotta, it's the difference between being confident in yourself and then being like, well I gotta, you know, put on a facade for other people. And I feel like being a teenager and even even through my twenties, like I didn't know a cleared difference between the two that it was like, well, if I want to get someplace, like I gotta be nice, but you don't have to compromise yourself in order to grow and in order to represent your own identity.
Rebecca Rodela: (14:37)
So it's just like, it is definitely an internal struggle that you gotta work through. And you gotta also just be nice to yourself. So like my first tattoo ever, which I got when I was 19, I've been having a tough time and I had recently gotten out of like intense therapy and I feel like it was right before a time that I actually started taking therapy seriously. But my first tattoo was a self-portrait of myself when I was one. I would dress up as a bumble beam and we were living, living in DC because my dad was in the military. So I was born on the east coast. I'm the, I'm the sole east coast baby in my family and I'm so proud of it. And that's why like my little nose is like super dark. I was a bumblebee. And so my sister, my older sister was like, strike a post.
Rebecca Rodela: (15:25)
And since I thought I was a really cool like og gangsta baby, I was just like, and I was like, I had no business doing this. Like, and also like what, what was like, strike a pose. Usually people are like, Hey, no. So I did that. So I was just like, it is like now the epitome of my own like personality, which I love. And so the reason why I got the tattoo was because I wanted to have a physical reminder of for how critical I am and how hard I am on myself and how much pressure I put on myself. Like for any little thing, would I actually say that to myself as a little kid? Like, absolutely not. Like I wouldn't have told lil me to be like, why don't you, why aren't you better? Like, why aren't you doing what that other person is doing?
Rebecca Rodela: (16:16)
Like, why can't you just get anything correct? Like, absolutely not. Then I'm like, you're still learning and you're still growing. So it's like, and that you definitely learn through adulthood. Adulthood. It's just like an ongoing process. Like, I'm not gonna be the same way I am today in like another 10 years. I hope not. Like I hope when I'm 41, you know, I'm a, I'm a little different, not completely different, but like, you know, there's been some progress. So even though I, the experience and the actual tattoo itself, I was like, I could have done better. Like with like, just like on a artistic side, I was like, it's still like, I think my favorite one, like by all means. So just because of the meaning in and of itself. And you know, I also have my parents tattooed on me and like as little kids.
Rebecca Rodela: (17:11)
And so anytime that, you know, even like my dad, like he's, he's a personality of his own, but like with my mom, like slave, she's like, man, like what? Like start like having negative self-talk out loud. Then I'm like, hold up like you need, I was like, hold that right there. First of all, who told you that if you, if it's yourself? No, I'm sorry. Like, get that outta here. And then I'm like, okay, I want you to just speak to my arm. And she's like, I'm not gonna do that. Then I was like, then you don't do it to yourself. Like it's just like, think of it in like that same progress. And I know like there's like a whole stigma with mental health and like being brown or being a person of color that it's like, well, if you're sad, don't be sad.
Rebecca Rodela: (17:58)
And half the time I'm like, or not half the time, every time I was like, oh, thank you. Like I didn't even think about not being sad, like, or not being anxious. So a lot of that it was, you know, self-work. And I definitely owe a lot of my now like mental health growth to my sisters, to my two older sisters just because it's like, if it wasn't for them, like to get stuck in that same type of toxic cycle that like, unfortunately that my parents like had that type of foundation growing up, that it was like, you don't, you don't talk about your issues, you just kind of like you suppress it and to learn that type of thing. And then to be like, well we are so shocked that at the end, like if somebody hit rock bottom, like we had no idea where that came from. And it's like, well look at all of these different things that kind of led up to like that breaking point. And so my sisters, you know, God bless 'em, I love 'em sometimes I don't always like them, but in general I was like, I actually do like you guys. But yeah, they were, they're definitely two strong, strong women. Then I, um, owe a lot too, especially my growth and becoming of a, of a young woman.
Ari O’Donovan: (19:12)
Oh man, that family support is so important. And I know growing up I know, I remember I told my mom I had something really important I had to do and it was something I wasn't used to doing and I was like, mom, I'm feeling some anxiety about this. I'm, I'm worried about it. Mm-hmm. . And she's like, you feeling what now? Girl, you better go take a nap. Right? You'll feel better when you wake up, but you'll be all right. Don't tell no doctor that , you'll be in a padded room for the rest of your life.
Rebecca Rodela: (19:42)
Oh my gosh.
Ari O’Donovan: (19:43)
.
Rebecca Rodela: (19:44)
Oh yeah. A
Ari O’Donovan: (19:45)
Nap. My mom is 72 now. I love it. That that lets you know what kind of like lifestyle that she was growing up with.
Rebecca Rodela: (19:54)
Oh, absolutely.
Ari O’Donovan: (19:55)
When she was a kid for a while, I was like, why would she say that to me though? Right. And now it's like that's all she knew. Oh, absolutely. She didn't know any better herself, so mm-hmm. , I'm glad to see the change now to where black and brown people are starting to embrace protecting your mental health Absolutely. And making sure that you're taking care of you mm-hmm. and expressing who you are and knowing that the feelings that you're feeling are totally okay. Oh, absolutely. They're normal. We all have these feelings every once in a while. If you need some help with those feelings, you need to talk to somebody. Mm-hmm. and you need to find a way to work through them that that's good for you. Right. I'm glad to hear that, that you're doing that, that you foster that, that you encourage others to do it and you have that support system that is so important.
Rebecca Rodela: (20:42)
Absolutely. And I know that I am very fortunate to have that support system because not everybody has that. And I started to really recognize that as I got older, even in my mid twenties, to be like, wow. Like I would just like casually be like, oh yeah, like I want, me and my parents went and got some drinks and then people were like, you get drinks with your parents. And I'm like, don't you ? They're like, no, we would never. So it's like, it's also just kind of being like, I'm glad that we have such a strong cultural base that is so centered around family and that it's like, you know, even though sometimes, you know, growing up I may have felt like I have to put my family even before taking care of me. But it's like, and then you know, unfortunately you gotta reverse that. Like, and you gotta relearn how to think about your family, how to think about yourself and also learning that like, just because somebody's family, it doesn't mean that they're good for you. So it's also just kind of like balancing that as well. So, and that's actually funny because my, our parents are like very similar in age. My dad's 71 and then my mom's, she's 2166
Rebecca Rodela: (21:57)
. She looks very good than all of us, which I'm like, I don't like that. Okay. .
Ari O’Donovan: (22:03)
I have seen photos of her on your IG and Facebook and she is, it is. She's very
Rebecca Rodela: (22:08)
Beautiful. Thank you. It's nauseating. We have to tell her, look mom, like you cannot be taking pictures next to all of us because why do we look like the older ones ? So yeah.
Ari O’Donovan: (22:18)
That is a gift. Yeah, that is a gift. Uh,
Rebecca Rodela: (22:21)
Yeah. Thank you. Skincare,
Ari O’Donovan: (22:24)
it sounds like. Right? Right. It sounds like your parents are, they're friends. Mm-hmm. , they're friends to you as much as they are your parents, which is not as common as you would think it
Rebecca Rodela: (22:35)
Would be. Right. And yeah, thank you. I even though like my mom will like, she, the girl loves Hallmark. She loves Hallmark. She lives walking in Hallmark. She loves taking up the cards. I may or may not end up there later with her, but yeah, she'll be like, oh, I saw this card. But then she was like, I noticed this his friend. Cause like that is one thing I tell her my dad, it's, it's, it's low-key mean. But I was like, I don't see you as like a friend because I'm like, I, I like you. I would still choose you even if you weren't my parents. But it's like, I'm not gonna tell you some of the crazy stories that I tell my friends and my mom's like for that respect. Yes, I do appreciate it. But I was like, I love spending time with you.
Rebecca Rodela: (23:17)
I love doing like random things. I love going to WinCo at like one 30 in the morning and I'm like, let's go to WinCo, let's just like walk around in our PJ's, like let's do random stuff. But yeah, even though, you know, I'm lucky them, both of my parents also just kind of, you know, broke their own like upbringings as far as like, we're not gonna perpetuate that same type of toxicity, but also like setting up us, like me and my sisters up for a type of relationship where we could run until anything that we wanted. Like to the point that they're like, we didn't know, we didn't know all of that, but like, it's still okay because they didn't, they didn't get that like, and you know, being their age, like they both came from, you know, pretty traditional families and it was like, you don't talk about that. Like you don't ask me a question. Like even when it comes to just any little thing or like, you know, being a woman's like God period, like yeah. To figure that out. And it's like, well you don't ask a question about that cuz it's not appropriate. I also don't know. Okay. I also don't know like what's what's appropriate to say it on here. But I was like,
Ari O’Donovan: (24:30)
Oh, you can can say whatever you want. I want this to be a real authentic thing. You can say whatever you,
Rebecca Rodela: (24:37)
I feel like people just shutter. They're like, you did what? I was like, yeah. I was like, girls do use the restroom. Go figure. I know, I know. Crazy
Ari O’Donovan: (24:48)
Bodies crazy to think that I know bodies
Rebecca Rodela: (24:50)
, I know a body. But, um,
Ari O’Donovan: (24:54)
I love that I can talk to my mom about anything. I have that same type of thing when I was growing up, I would tell her things and she would give me her own advice of what she thinks I should do. Right. But she would be like, I'm glad that you came to me. Yeah. For you went to somebody else and told 'em all that crazy stuff. but . So she's like, you better come to me first. Exactly.
Rebecca Rodela: (25:18)
Absolutely. And I know both of my parents were like, look, if you're, and I still like think about it and I'm like, it's crazy that I'll be out making choices and like half the time I've done, I've, I mean not half the time I've done some pretty dumb stuff in my life, but I'm like, how did I, not that I'm like, how did I not like either like get in a lot of trouble or like, what was I actually thinking? Like it was like, what, what, who did you think you were? But that my parents are like, if you come to a point that you're about to do something and you think and you're, and you're starting to have second guesses in that last moment, it's like, just be like, would you be embarrassed or would you be ashamed of having to tell us about that type of decision?
Rebecca Rodela: (26:09)
And like more times than not, and even though I was like, like a little angsty, like late teen or like early twenties, I was like, I'm not gonna do it. I'm like, even then, because I was like, I'm gonna get in so much trouble if I follow through on this. And I'm like, you know, I'm not gonna do it at all. Like, I just, I can't. So it's also just kind of like having that additional foundation with your parents and actually respecting the people that they are and like Yeah. Then that I know like circling back to like my family, I'm the youngest of four daughters actually. So the oldest, my parents that are very young, I honestly don't have a relationship with her. There's just like so many, so many different like choices that took place and, and yeah. So I consider like the second oldest is my true oldest.
Rebecca Rodela: (26:59)
And so that's why more times than not, and even on social media, it'll be like my two sisters and then, and then I have like supplemental ones or like people that I feel like are true siblings to me. So I'll be like, oh my sister like Barb, I don't know what Barb , but I'm like my sister Barb, whatever. Not blood related by any means, but family doesn't need, need to be blood related by any means. But seeing the My Blood relative, true oldest, oldest sister, um, seeing the decisions that she made in her life, I knew from a get-go, I don't want to break my parents' trust by any means. Like that is the one thing, like I can do just dumb in life, but at the end of the day I do not want to break their trust and I don't want to have to regain that at any point in my life.
Rebecca Rodela: (27:52)
And that was like when I was a teenager, like no matter what, cuz I was like, then it's ground zero and it's like I gotta just build up from there. And it was like, even though I've, you know, tripped and fallen so many different times and my parents have been like, they may have gotten angry, rightfully so, but they're like, it's still okay. Cuz there was still always like a over looming honesty throughout our relationship that I felt also comfortable and safe enough to go to them when a lot of people just weren't sticking by my side. So I feel like that also was a huge thing that I've carried throughout my life and even through my work that I'm just like, that I want everybody to also be like so active in no matter what I'm doing. So like, say like different art shows, my parents are like the ones they're helping me set up or like, they're just like, what do you need?
Rebecca Rodela: (28:50)
Like, we're gonna go get you coffee. And I'm like, that's great. Thank you for doing it. Thank you for being my my intern of a coffee run. Or like with the mural that I did recently, my mom was out there every single day and taking photos or just being like, you know me, huh? Like, you gotta, you gotta take a break. And I'm like, well we just got here. And she's like, well it's been four and a half hours. So I'm like, great, thank you for that. So just little things like that that they show up on not only an emotional level but in a physical way to support me and my sisters. It's not just for me, even though I am the best daughter that they will ever have on this earth as the youngest child, uh, Lion, I'm their favorite. But um, yeah, it's just, yeah, they just, they're truly great people that I wouldn't want to trade for anybody else. Even if we all get on our last night. I live with them by the way. I, if I, if I ever had a conversation say I got two older roommates, it's my parents. So Yeah.
Ari O’Donovan: (29:55)
I love that. I lived with my mom till I was 27. I wanna say say. And I was happy that I was kind. I had no reason to leave. Right. I was fine right
Rebecca Rodela: (30:04)
There. Oh yeah. And I'll and I'll definitely tell 'em, I was like, God, I like, I actually, I need to move out. Not like the pandemic really has set itself up for anybody to, you know, move around so easily or have the resources do. Right. So they're like, Miha fine. I was like, I know you say it's fine, but I'm like, it's not fine when you're like 31 and you want your space
Ari O’Donovan: (30:28)
.
Rebecca Rodela: (30:29)
I was like, I love you guys but love you.
Ari O’Donovan: (30:32)
That's the only issue. Some moments where you go need your space. And the only reason I probably don't live at home right now, one of the biggest reasons was because I got married other . I would've been with my mom. She was very upset when I left too. She's like, what am I gonna do here ? I'm like, I'm gonna visit you every weekend. And I did that. I visited, she has dementia now. Wow. So it's a little bit more complex, but she still knows who I am and Wow. We still talk. I can still tell her anything. And I visit her multiple times a week. She's my best friend and she's done so much for me and my whole life, every achievement I've ever had. Oh, absolutely. It's either directly or indirectly from her. So I'm, I can't sleep at night if I'm not gonna be there for her.
Rebecca Rodela: (31:19)
Oh absolutely.
Ari O’Donovan: (31:20)
During this time. So that's another reason why we don't live together but mm-hmm , if it wasn't because of them two things, I'd still live there right now. Yeah.
Rebecca Rodela: (31:27)
. And that's so special too to still be like, I'm still choosing to still be part of my parents' life in general. Like it's just, I love it. Ugh. When people are also close to their parents. I was like, thank you. I was like, it's so weird to be like, to feel like the oddball out being close to your family or like have a tight V bind. Vine seems like very like
Ari O’Donovan: (31:50)
That works,
Rebecca Rodela: (31:51)
What is the word? I'm gonna think about it in like three hours when it's no longer connection. Yeah, yeah.
Ari O’Donovan: (31:57)
Might as well. And then you'll message me and be like, I found that word. I found that word. Here it is.
Rebecca Rodela: (32:02)
You're like, thank you for that. I'm trying to watch Real Housewives right now. Thank you .
Ari O’Donovan: (32:08)
I needed that though. That improved my day. I needed to know you found that.
Rebecca Rodela: (32:13)
Absolutely.
Ari O’Donovan: (32:16)
I love that. And you say that your mom was with you every day when you were creating that mural. Wow. That is dedication.
Rebecca Rodela: (32:25)
Oh
Ari O’Donovan: (32:26)
Yeah. That's amazing. How long, how many days, how many hours, how many supplies did you use? All in total.
Rebecca Rodela: (32:34)
So, um, I was fortunate to get the opportunity via the Regional Arts and Culture Council. So RAC in Portland, which I'm not sure if you're familiar with, they are in charge of curating all of the different artworks and art pieces, installations that go into the county building. So they do a lot of funding. Shout out to myself because I also have three paintings hanging in different buildings. So two of them are in the Gladys McCoy building off of Broadway and the other one is at the, the Portland building, which I still need to go visit. It happened like they purchased it right as the pandemic was beginning. So I never gotta go see it, how it's like actually being hung up. But that one people can actually go and visit the Gladys McCoy one. It's on a private patient floor so people aren't able to, unless they go in for, you know, an appointment.
Rebecca Rodela: (33:21)
Which I was like, I actually find that more endearing cuz I was like, it's so much more intimate and it just like, it relates to my work on a such a more intimate level and it's playful and I just love it. And then other one's at the Portlandia building, which is super cool, but RAC was in charge of getting all of the things in motion for this program. It was the going public program and it was me and four other, other four other, other four other artists, um, to paint murals around Portland, which was super cool. And Miller Paint donated paints and was, you know, the site to go to in case we needed extra. And they were just absolutely amazing. So I got paired up with trim and so that's where my mural is at. It's that gateway gateway transit station facing 2 0 5. So when people are on the cusp of having a coronary from traffic, they can just take a nice peek to the right and then see my, see my mural.
Rebecca Rodela: (34:24)
And in total I was very lucky this year for the great weather that we had, it was like the only perk of global warming. Which it seems so weird to say, but I'm like, we had amazing weather through mid-October, like 80, 80 degree days. 90 degree days hot. Like everything's just melting off of your, like your body is melting. And yeah, I started mid-September, ended mid-October. I was, my contract with Trim to work on the mural was 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday. And then on the weekends I was tattooing in total it took 23 days. I was doing hidden Countdowns on Instagram between like eight and 10 hours each day out there. And my mom was my personal photographer and afterwards I was like trying to I was trying to like, you know, get people. I was like, yo, if you need a photographer, I know a great woman.
Rebecca Rodela: (35:29)
She has a great setup is really compact. It's called iPhone six. She takes the best shots possible at like weird angles. I was was like, I can take care of editing whatever you need. And we were like, thank you for that. No. Like we, if it's a little bit more like we were like photographer suggestions. I was like my mom with iPhone sticks, I'm pretty sure we will . I know. I was like, she can get it like right as the sun's coming for you right. As you're like thinking that you're gonna start melting with pavement. She'll take very flattering photos of you at any point that you want . But yeah, it, I was like, mom, like some of them I was like, okay. So by the end she was like, you know, I may go and get myself contract with somebody to get like a, I was like, mom, you butter, you better work.
Rebecca Rodela: (36:19)
I was like, think about it Estella. It's a nice, nice little hobby you picked up while I was painting. So, and she was like, I know. And every day she's like, I know I can't be that much of that much help, but like how can I help? And I'm like, just stand there because like me when I'm working I'm like, I like, I like drawing. So like that entire mural, hand painted head drum, like I was just like, I need to do this. And then not until like the very last day was like, like mom grab a brush now. And then like the poor woman, she's like busting her hump like painting and like doing this. And she was like, is that great? I was like, mom, I think you did about four coats in the same area. I think we're, I think we're good.
Rebecca Rodela: (37:01)
I don't think it's going anywhere. But I was like, thank you so much. It actually, it, it was a huge help. She wouldn't get up on the ladders cuz I also, I love to parent my parents and be like, you are not allowed to get up on the ladder. You're not about to go like multiple feet up. I was like, the last thing I need is all of a sudden we're starting on the ground. Like we're not gonna do that. So I'm like, you, you take care of everything that requires your feet to be flat on the ground. I was like, and just start painting. So it was a lot of fun. I definitely had like emotion emotions, feeling like if I had broken up with something, like missing it immediately the next day, like still waking up like at six 30 in the morning to like, you know, wake up, you kind of like lay there in bed for a while, you think about your life choices and then you're like, all right, I can do this. And then like, you actually physically get up and then you drink your coffee. But yeah, the next day I was like, so I don't get to go on the side of the freeway and work . Like I've been used to and now that I'm almost like, please stop telling people that you work on the side of the freeway. I'm like, but it's true. She's like, I know, but it doesn't Well's doing. I was like, she's like, it doesn't rain well. And I'm like, I mean kind of, but I see your point. Maybe not
Ari O’Donovan: (38:20)
. I get you too. You spent so many hours and days. Yeah. And your mom was right there. That's like a child.
Rebecca Rodela: (38:28)
I know.
Ari O’Donovan: (38:28)
But you have let go into the world. You gave 'em everything they needed to, to do well and, and be beautiful and themselves and
Rebecca Rodela: (38:36)
I know now they just gotta stand there and look pretty .
Ari O’Donovan: (38:41)
That's amazing. Yeah. Hand drawn, all of that. And the photos I've seen are amazing.
Rebecca Rodela: (38:48)
Thank you. I'm
Ari O’Donovan: (38:49)
Truly
Rebecca Rodela: (38:49)
Amazing. I'm very, very proud of it. It was, uh, it was the biggest me I've done it was eight by 24. So eight feet and then by 24.
Ari O’Donovan: (39:01)
Yeah. The images are really detailed. Each and every one on there. Mm-hmm. , I've seen like some people paint stuff in like large scale like that and it's more of like an abstract thing. Mm-hmm. , I like the fine details and work and every single depiction on there. Yeah. So many fine details.
Rebecca Rodela: (39:20)
It's, it's so much fun. And you know, since I never liked painting, like ever and it wasn't until it, I was an undergrad in 2010, I took my first watercolor class and I was like, I actually don't like painting. And then by the time I was graduating from P S U, my final series was, you know, based on making new icons. So like I used my mom, I used my, my brother, my uh, my brother-in-law, but I use, that's my older brother and my grandma and then, uh, late uh, b of mine. And I would like juxtapose them with religious iconography and it was so revent to my religious family to see how it, um, turned out . But yeah. Even though my mom was like, oh, I love that. Me not fine. But my mom was like, I don't know if you should actually be putting that next to Jesus's head. But I was like, I mean, what about it mom? I was like, it's not my expression. She's like, I mean, I'm here for it, but she's like, I dunno if that's necessarily ok. But I'm like, oh, it's fine because like, what are they gonna do? Not gimme my, not gimme my diploma, not do anything. Right.
Ari O’Donovan: (40:35)
That's your expression.
Rebecca Rodela: (40:36)
And my mom was like, scratch it in your eyes. I know. And then my mom turns around and is like, that is the most gorgeous and beautiful thing I've ever seen. And I'm like, thank you mom. After I've like cried for many hours over, I was like reaching that certain stage in the creative process to be like, why am I doing this? Like, this is disgusting. This looks like, why did I draw a face that looks like a horse? And then my mom's like, you're doing great, , it's going to be beautiful. I'll still like, it was like, yeah. And having those moments be like, mom, I know that you're gonna like every single thing that I make every time, but I was like, it still looks hideous and then it, it works out. So I was like, you always gotta have a miniature breakdown right in the middle of grading anything. And then it'd be like by the end it's like, you know what, even if I didn't do that, I would do that. Like, that's actually not that bad. So yeah,
Ari O’Donovan: (41:26)
That's definitely the best way to feel in the end. If you can get to that point at the end, then everything else turned out just the way it should.
Rebecca Rodela: (41:33)
Absolutely. And just like overtime, like working in larger and larger and larger scale that, um, yeah, I painted something for my goddaughter for her birthday recently and like it went, it went, uh, it was like a 15 by 22 like watercolor. And I was just like, this is so tiny. I'm like, how is my delicate little hand supposed to hold a delicate, tiny little brush? Like after being like used to like doing this forever? Then I'm like, . And mind you, it's been two months since that mural has been done. But then all of a sudden now it's like, do I need a toothpick to paint? Like what is this is like so I feel limited. I feel restricted. So yeah,
Ari O’Donovan: (42:18)
That's a massive change too from one massive piece to something. So I know tiny so I can, I
Rebecca Rodela: (42:25)
Know I'm like a foot and a half how, how, how dare I insult myself . Yeah,
Ari O’Donovan: (42:35)
I know it meant a lot to her though.
Rebecca Rodela: (42:37)
Oh yeah. I know that it's, it is a fine piece of work. Like it, she turned three so I always, I'm the TIAA that I don't give toys or like things like that to any of my nieces or nephews. I'm the TIAA that gives art. So I'm like, you will appreciate it one day . They're like, thanks I can look at that for now. And so my cousin's like , I feel like you're making the work that like we appreciate as her parents. But she's like, she'll learn, she'll learn very quickly to really like getting all the artwork. I was like, I hope so.
Ari O’Donovan: (43:14)
Oh yeah. Eventually that toy will stop being played with as somebody else gave her. And the art will always be there and as she gets older it'll have deeper and new meaning.
Rebecca Rodela: (43:24)
Mm-hmm. . Absolutely. I like to think of it like that. Yeah. Oh yeah. Everybody's gonna have a art collection by me . I'm like, yeah,
Ari O’Donovan: (43:33)
That is the best way. Yeah.
Rebecca Rodela: (43:35)
I love it.
Ari O’Donovan: (43:37)
Tell me about anything new that you have upcoming that you want listeners to know about. Oof.
Rebecca Rodela: (43:43)
I take it up a notch by throwing in embroidery. So when I say embroider, like I, I started doing that what 2018? 2019 or so. I was just like, um, I had gone on a business trip with one of my really good friends, my best friend. I refer to her as my sister wife. And she was like, would always embroider and even my mom would always embroider. And on this trip I tried like doing something on like a beat up t-shirt and I was like, that sucked. Like that is literally the ugliest thing I think I've ever tried doing. And it's like, I was like, you know what challenge, cuz I was like, I refuse to be bad at anything creative cuz I was like, it's just like it gets a certain part of my soul. And it's like, that's not, that's not normal. It doesn't feel right.
Rebecca Rodela: (44:32)
So I was like, well I'm gonna just keep doing it. So, um, yeah I think on a smaller scale after doing, you know, such bigger projects and like different private commissions recently I was like, I'm excited for like that type of thing. Like just to like embroider some gifts, like do stuff that's so like intimate and like smaller and fine detail. Like I feel like throughout the year I get so busy that I never um, take time to do like more personalized stuff or like stuff for me or for um, the immediate people around me. Like I do like larger things for like the general public or like for different clients of mine. So like different routes like that. Um, but I'm excited to just get back into it. I actually am very part of the shirt. I was like, it's little, they're little, little
Ari O’Donovan: (45:21)
Details. Oh I love
Rebecca Rodela: (45:22)
That. So I was like, I wanna make it one of my favorite t-shirts. Hold on it's mirror. There you go.
Ari O’Donovan: (45:27)
I love that.
Rebecca Rodela: (45:28)
But like, just little things like that and um, yeah, I told my mom this year, I was like, I don't think anybody's gonna get a portrait embroidered on a bag this year. Cuz in the past I did like a Basquiat bag a couple years ago, then I did a w bag for my best friend and it was like Cardi B and Megan the stallion and like macaroni hair. And I was like,
Ari O’Donovan: (45:52)
I hope you gonna share some photos in his face
Rebecca Rodela: (45:54)
On Instagram. On
Ari O’Donovan: (45:55)
Instagram is somewhere. I gotta find those.
Rebecca Rodela: (45:57)
I need to send you the direct link because I was like,
Ari O’Donovan: (46:00)
Send them to me. I wanna see that.
Rebecca Rodela: (46:02)
Absolutely. As soon as we're off from here, I'm gonna go on Instagram and I'm gonna just be like, you know, sending you the purge of embroidered things that I've been doing or that I've done.
Ari O’Donovan: (46:12)
Very cool. It's
Rebecca Rodela: (46:14)
A lot of fun.
Ari O’Donovan: (46:14)
And
Rebecca Rodela: (46:14)
Thank you. Anytime
Ari O’Donovan: (46:16)
You are doing so much. Like you do so many amazing things and you're doing super well at all of them.
Rebecca Rodela: (46:24)
Thank you. I love it. And that feels good to hear. I really love it because sometimes I'm like, I'm not doing enough. Like I need to really just like, and I feel like everybody does that to themselves. Like, I'm not doing enough. How can I do more? Like how can I, you know, find something else to do that's kind of different or any of that type of stuff. But, um, yeah, that's, that feels really great to hear and that, you know, I'm doing my best, best, best. You can definitely keep that. You can definitely keep that part. Um, keep it in the edit. .
Rebecca Rodela: (47:00)
Yeah. It's just, I'm so excited about things. I feel even though this year was very tough, it felt like every single month there was something like that felt catastrophic and it was like, how can it get worse? And it was like March, what May June came and it was like, you know, touche, you got me there. I feel like I I am genuinely happy. Um, and I feel like I hadn't been able to say that in years. So it's just, yeah, just little things now I'm like, you know what, you gotta, you gotta find joy after just a show of a year and that Yeah. I'm finding joy again in things that once brought me joy that I had essentially lost interest in. So yeah, that's why right now is like embroidery or just like any, any tattoos. Like I'm excited to see clients again and after taking some break time and it's good to get back into the group of things and it was really cool to like be on here. I feel like it's like my first podcast and I'm like, oh my god, my sisters were like your celebrity. And I'm like, I know that. But like it is.
Ari O’Donovan: (48:09)
It has been.
Rebecca Rodela: (48:10)
I was like, it's been confirmed. I dunno what you expect to be . .
Ari O’Donovan: (48:17)
I love it. And I'm here to fan girl. Absolutely.
Rebecca Rodela: (48:20)
I love it. Love. Likewise. I love that. Likewise. You too. I'm like, oh my gosh. I was like, I'm I'm doing bookings, she's doing bookings. I'm like, how else can I help support ?
Ari O’Donovan: (48:33)
I love that. I love it. I'm glad that we can support each other. Absolutely. I'm glad to see somebody that's out here doing amazing things, who's brown in the world and giving back and doing things and making people feel proud of who they are. That's
Rebecca Rodela: (48:49)
So important. Thank you. And thank you for providing a, a platform for everybody to do that too and to like be proud to celebrate it and do it with a fellow, fellow woman. I'm just like, ooh, in Spanish there's uh, right, there's a term like we are chings so we are like bad asses. Like it's just like it is [inaudible] like cute. Like it and not even cute. It's just like whatever the highest level of like numerical value was. I don't know. Was it n not n I don't remember. I haven't been outta school that long.
Ari O’Donovan: (49:28)
I remember you've been focusing way other things , but I know that that whole thing is about to be in the highlight reel. I was like, I love that
Rebecca Rodela: (49:39)
Log. I would just like to throw out certain math terms and be like, I still got it. And people are like, I don't think that's relevant. And I'm like, does it matter? I still, I still made it sound like it was supposed to.
Ari O’Donovan: (49:50)
Exactly. It matters cuz it's logged with now. . .
Rebecca Rodela: (49:56)
We need to start using that in everyday conversation. Just start using it and
Ari O’Donovan: (50:01)
Be like, I think we should.
Rebecca Rodela: (50:02)
And people are like, wow, that is a great insight. Extrapolate.
Ari O’Donovan: (50:07)
It sounds expensive and smart.
Rebecca Rodela: (50:08)
Yeah, it sounds like the
Ari O’Donovan: (50:10)
New, it's really all you need to know.
Rebecca Rodela: (50:11)
People can whisper it.
Ari O’Donovan: (50:13)
Exactly. That's all you need to know. And then it smells good. Yeah.
Rebecca Rodela: (50:16)
. I love it.
Ari O’Donovan: (50:19)
Talking to you is so easy. It's just so fun. It's like we're just two friends just hanging out sharing stories
Rebecca Rodela: (50:26)
My life back up from elementary school.
Ari O’Donovan: (50:30)
Right. And that was you like so long ago. You we find into that man, that was a while ago. Yeah. I was like, oh yeah. And then I saw you Dewey.
Rebecca Rodela: (50:41)
Yeah. And I'm like, yeah, you're uh, you're listeners. I don't know if they know. I was like, we went to kindergarten together. Like it was like, so we, we
Ari O’Donovan: (50:49)
Did.
Rebecca Rodela: (50:50)
So it's been, it's been a few years that we've known each other, but it's been like 25 years. It's like a solid 25 years
Ari O’Donovan: (51:02)
And whoever would've thought that our paths in life would cross in this way, thank
Rebecca Rodela: (51:07)
Goodness, thank goodness.
Ari O’Donovan: (51:09)
Same. I've done this. It adds
Rebecca Rodela: (51:11)
It adds your joy, it adds great support in an area that like we aren't always represented in. So it's just like, I, I just, I love it. I love it, I love it. Like I love black and red people
Ari O’Donovan: (51:26)
So
Rebecca Rodela: (51:27)
Much. That's my, that's, I love being in spaces that like also make us feel safe and comfortable. Especially, you know, and especially in recent years that it was like, what is gonna happen to us? So I I just love
Ari O’Donovan: (51:42)
It. Right.
Rebecca Rodela: (51:42)
Everything about it.
Ari O’Donovan: (51:44)
Right. That's my whole thing. Yeah. With this podcast. I wanna amplify bipo voices showcase amazing people doing dope things. That's what I'm trying to do. And, and this is like one of my favorite episodes ever.
Rebecca Rodela: (52:02)
. I am definitely gonna tell people you better go on the sun. I was like, even if it's not for my weird quirky like stutters that like really just go on the brink of Is that Spanglish? Is it English? Is it full Spanish? We don't know, but we're just, we're picking at we need them. I know, but somehow it's like we understand all of them, so. Yeah,
Ari O’Donovan: (52:23)
Exactly. Oh yeah. Where can people find you if they would like to learn more about Rebecca Rodella?
Rebecca Rodela: (52:30)
Oh, so they can find me on the most checked social media outlet that I look over and that is Instagram. So my handle is at and then Rebecca Arte. So it's r e b e c c a a r t e. That's how you spell It's my name and then
Ari O’Donovan: (52:55)
Mark. Wonderful. And I'm a wonderful, I'm gonna put that in the description too for this episode so people can just see it right there.
Rebecca Rodela: (53:02)
Thank you so much. I I just, this whole experience. I love it. Feel like Yeah, it was easy. Oh my gosh. An hour Flew by .
Ari O’Donovan: (53:11)
I know
Rebecca Rodela: (53:13)
You're,
Ari O’Donovan: (53:14)
I know I'm supposed to bring it to an end now, but I'm like, we're having such a good time. I will tell you this though. There will be an update episode sometime in the future. I'm gonna reach out. Yes. And I wanna know what you are doing that's new cuz I know there's gonna be some new
Rebecca Rodela: (53:28)
Absolutely dope stuff. Thank you so much. I'll bring brand new lipstick. I'll bring a new hairstyle the next time. I will bring just anything else that I possibly can. I'm
Ari O’Donovan: (53:39)
Excited. Yeah,
Rebecca Rodela: (53:40)
Me too. Thank you much.
Ari O’Donovan: (53:41)
I'm excited.
Rebecca Rodela: (53:41)
Thank you so much for everything and reaching out to me, allowing me in your space and I just, I can't wait to see like where else this takes you and Yeah. For all of the really dope as things that you're about to be doing, I'm just like, I, I'm like, I'm the clumped. I'm the clumped and I can't wait to see where it, where it goes.
Ari O’Donovan: (54:03)
Thank you so much. We'll definitely do an update episode and I'll tell you more about what's happening with me and it'll be the best, it'll be the best host for
Rebecca Rodela: (54:12)
Oh, absolutely. . I'm looking forward to it.
Ari O’Donovan: (54:14)
Me too. Thank you for coming on the show and, and being a guest and adding something really special that I didn't already have in my little menagerie of guests.
Rebecca Rodela: (54:24)
No, I love it. Thank you so much. I'm like, thank you. Thank I'm like gra Yes. Let's, let's spin it. Switch it up. Gra Yes,
Ari O’Donovan: (54:32)
. There we go. Throw that in there. Perfect.
Rebecca Rodela: (54:35)
I love it.
Ari O’Donovan: (54:40)
Don't be a stranger. Email us or send us a voice memo at boosting our voices@gmail.com with your health related questions. Your questions may even be featured on an upcoming podcast episode. Follow Boost Oregon on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. You can find all of our social media and our website information in the show description below. Until Next time. Thank you for listening and be well.