Meet Sierra Aguilar | Collage Artist (Stardust Coyote) & Art Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sierra Aguilar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sierra, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always felt strongly that anything I am going to do as a career has to align with my values. I could never do a job just for the paycheck. Throughout my life, I’ve always been interested in arts and creativity. Through working in retail, I found that I had a passion and a knack for education. Not only does this tap into a personal passion of mine, but also aligns with my values of being of service to others, elevating diverse perspectives through creativity, and giving people a safe space for expression. Being an artist is part of my identity and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else really.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I do collage and mixed media artwork as Stardust Coyote. I am constantly learning and wouldn’t say I’m really anywhere in my career path, just that art is a part of my life and how I make sense of the world. I really started getting serious about my art in 2015 and am looking forward to jumping back in now that art gatherings can happen again. There have been many times I’ve felt like giving up art because other people are more successful at it or whatever, but at the end of the day, I can’t quit something that’s such a big part of me. Stardust Coyote is my creative alter-ego. It’s where I go to express myself in ways that Sierra can’t. Examining pop culture is a big part of my work and I see myself as kind of a post-modern pop artist. I use magazines in my work primarily because they are a good representation of our disposable culture. My biggest goal with my artwork is getting people to see something in a new way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
San Diego has. a lot to offer but I’d keep it to mid-city. First we’d get some coffee at Coffee and Tea Collective in North Park, stopping for bagels and donuts at Solomon. Then we’d hit the shops and galleries for a bit. Verbatim Books, Visual, M-Theory Records, Home Ec, and Little Dame Shop. We’d stop for a glass of wine at Clos wine shop before a delicious meal at Louisiana Purchase. The next day, we’d get a cheese board from Venissimo and a few beers from Bottlecraft and spend the day in Pioneer Park.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I think the biggest influence on me was the 1960s countercultural movement. I owe a lot of my beliefs about creativity to forward thinkers like Stewart Brand, Buckminster Fuller, and Marshall McLuhan. I love the idea of trying new things outside of the mainstream and having a do-it-yourself ethos. Also, the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach had a really profound effect on me as a child. It taught me to carve my own path and not necessarily listen to the flock.

Website: stardustcoyote.com

Instagram: stardustcoyoteart