María Jesús Delgado: Art and Creativity

María Jesús Delgado, art teacher and illustrator, has built a creative universe where sensitivity, intuition, and craftsmanship coexist naturally. Her deeply personal work finds inspiration in the everyday and in the connection between art and emotion. In this interview, we talk to her about creativity, fashion, and inspiration.

• In your work, you blend illustration, education, and personal life very naturally. When did you feel that this unique universe of yours was beginning to take shape?

Art has always been a part of my life, and as I trained to be a teacher, the educational aspect gradually integrated into it. It's a personal universe that is constantly changing; as I evolve, so does my way of creating and perceiving the world, and how I want to express it.

• Your style has a very free, very intuitive quality. What is your creative process like when you start from scratch?

Well, some days everything flows, and other days it's the complete opposite; it seems like you have to "pull it out" to make it happen. Whether inspiration comes naturally or I have to seek it, I like to start by creating sketches, freeing up my hand with drawing, and seeing if the composition I have in mind works. Sometimes I have a very clear color palette from the beginning, and other times I just play around and experiment. Facing a blank page can sometimes be daunting, and on those days, I try to relieve that pressure by experimenting and letting myself go. Often, that experimentation leads to interesting and unexpected things.

• You've brought your art into physical spaces like shop windows or live events, such as the one you did with System Action. What changes when drawing goes from being intimate to public?

Well, there's a combination of excitement and fear. A mix of adrenaline rush and that panic of not being liked, of being judged, of it not turning out as planned. But the truth is, I've always had positive experiences, and it's a bit like going on stage: at first it's terrifying, but then you don't want to get off. It's beautiful to see how people come closer, ask questions, compliment, enjoy that moment, that experience that is not only mine, but also the viewer's.

• Where do you find inspiration in your daily life? Has your way of creating changed since you became a mother?

Well, I like to mix the everyday with a bit more fantasy, fashion, cinema, music... Inspiration can really be found anywhere; it's a matter of how we look. And, of course, my way of creating has changed since I became a mother, especially in how I organize myself. Time is more limited; I make better use of the moments I can create, but without rushing. I try to lean towards something slower.

• In a time when everything is digital, your work retains a lot of craftsmanship. What value do you place on that today?

I have always attached great importance to craftsmanship, to the human touch, and I believe we should never dissociate ourselves from that. The care put into something handmade is perceived in the essence of that something.

• You have collaborated with very different brands and projects. What does a brand need to have to truly resonate with you?

A brand that is committed to closeness, to the value of the human element, and that has a visual aesthetic consistent with mine. And that creativity and art are important to them, and they see it as a way to create experience, emotion, connection, and not just something purely visual.

• Barcelona is very present in your universe. How does the city influence your way of seeing and creating?

Well, I suppose a lot. People are essential in my creative universe, and the personality that Barcelona exudes inspires me greatly. The streets, the atmosphere, the architecture, the way people dress and move, the conversations you can overhear on a walk or in a cafe...

• After all you've built so far, where would you like to take your work in the coming years?

I want to continue focusing especially on live creation, whether it's illustrating a shop window, doing personalized illustrations at an event, or customizing pieces. Even so, I love playing with editorial illustration and animations where I combine digital (or manual) illustration with collage. I enjoy creating in all kinds of formats and I'm not afraid to experiment.

• Have you ever had an embarrassing experience due to your outfit choice?

Not that I recall.

• What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and haven't thrown away yet?

Actually, I have some very old clothes. Some from when my mother was young, and even some from my grandmother. Other vintage pieces that I've bought or been given. I have several scarves from my grandmother that I'm especially fond of.

• A style you strongly identify with?

It's very difficult for me to define my own style, but what I am clear about is that I always seek to be comfortable and feel at ease, no excesses or dressing up. That said, I like to play with fashion and add that chic touch to my outfits that a special garment or an eye-catching accessory can provide. Although I'm clear that often everything is a matter of attitude; you can wear the same outfit two different days and one day feel wonderful in it and the other not like it at all, it all depends on your mood at that moment.

• What changes would you like to see in the fashion industry? Are you someone who analyzes what you buy or do you get carried away by fast fashion?

I'm someone who analyzes. I prefer to buy a few meaningful garments that are my style and that I will wear a lot. Also, I take good care of my clothes and they last a long time. I would like the fashion industry to be more conscious, to care for materials, carbon footprint, manufacturing... and to seek to create timeless collections.

System Action is grateful to have had the opportunity to converse with an artist like Maria Jesús, whose sensitivity and understanding of creativity transform every project into something intimate, human, and full of inspiration.