Meet Novalí Centellas | Photographer & Printmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Novalí Centellas and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Novalí, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The idea behind my business started simply as a press name that I chose for a bookmaking class in college. Then, when trying to imagine what I wanted my life to look like in a few years, I I decided I wanted to start a small online store to sell my art and eventually expand that into a physical store that sells art from several local artists. I also aim to have a small gallery space that low fees for exhibition applications, as I know how difficult it can be to apply to expensive exhibitions with no guarantee of being accepted. After graduating college I was worried that if I took a break from my creative process that I would have a hard time ever picking it back up again, so I felt I needed some way to continue creating. What better way to do that then to hit the ground running and start building the business I dreamed of?
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am honestly most proud of myself for simply starting. I haven’t gotten very far yet, it has only been a few months, but I would be nowhere if I hadn’t started. It’s not easy by any means to run a business, there are so many moving parts to manage and it’s difficult to get your business out there and recognized. However, I think it’s worth the struggle to build something good. And I do believe that I am building something good. All I want is to be able to bring joy to other people by creating fun and beautiful art for them to enjoy. Every time I have a market and there is a person that comes by my booth and is excited about my silly little fruit earrings or my cat linocut prints, I remember that that is the reason I am doing this. To bring a smile to people’s faces, to be a bright spot in someone’s day. When I eventually get to have a physical store I aim to create a space that is inviting and comforting, funky and fun. A place that encourages happiness and creativity. A place that people get excited to spend time in. Maybe that’s an ambitious dream, but I’m going for it anyway.
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.
Okay let’s do an itinerary for a five day trip. Day one we’ll spend some time over on Wealthy Street, getting drinks at Outside Coffee Co. (where I am currently a barista), food at Wealthy Street Bakery, and checking out the shops. Day two we’ll go bowling at Clique Lanes, then maybe make a pit stop at Vertigo Music on division to get some new CDs I definitely don’t need before getting food at Social Misfits downtown. Day three we will go back downtown, this time to check out the Grand Rapids Art Museum and get food at Barrio. Maybe we can snag some ice cream or frozen yogurt too. Day four I’ll take them to my boxing gym, Title Boxing Club, to take a class with me. After that we can picnic and chill out in Lookout Park. Day five we’ll sleep in and just hang out with my cats at my apartment because we’ll be too tired to go out for a fifth day in a row.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shoutout to my parents. I am lucky enough to have four of them, two biological parents and two stepparents. They have been incredibly supportive of me and my dreams for a long time, and I truly don’t know where I’d be without them. They have helped me in numerous ways, from buying my art and sharing it with others, to helping me with markets and with figuring out how to do taxes. While I still feel a little like I don’t know what I’m doing, as I’m sure most new small business owners do, I never would’ve gotten this far without their love and support. So thank you to them for being the best parents I could’ve ever asked for.
Website: www.primaverapress.org
Instagram: primavera_press
Image Credits
Delaney Mott