Hello there!
My name is Beatriz Mariano. I was born on the September 9th in 1994. I'm Portuguese, but I lived in Berlin until I was 3/4 years old.Well, I can tell you that I'm a very weird person, “I myself am strange and unusual" (quoting Beetle-juice). I'm very outgoing and fun - or so I like to believe - when I'm with friends, but I can guarantee you that I'm the shyest person on earth within a group of strangers. Most of the people read me as this grumpy, unfriendly, full of hatred metalhead chick, but whenever they actually get to know me, people can get quite pleasantly surprised to find out that I'm just a calm and weird looking person. I have great friends that have told me "when I first met you, I was so fucking afraid of you because you look like you're about to murder someone, but then I got to know, and I'm really happy that we're friends now" ha-ha, the perks of owning the resting-bitch-face syndrome.
I love everything about creativity. I love to create; I love to be able to express myself through something I can make with my own bare hands. I love to read, I love to learn, and I love to acquire facts and knowledge about anything I can lay my mind on. I love putting my hands into that and transmitting it all together with my influences in my art. I also am I great music lover - do I need to specify heavy metal? - I love to close my eyes and just create an entire universe of imagery all-around of how music makes me feel. And those are the things that motivate me the most to become the artist that I am, and that I'm still yet to be.
I guess that kind of resumes it all. I'm just a weird-looking heavy metal fanatic with an unusual and bizarre taste, but I might just surprise you.
Her blog ‘’RECKLESS BLOOD’’ is a place where she shares her passion for photography, her style and diverse topics related to her work. Before Interviewing Beatriz, dark colours especially ‘’ Black’’ did not appeal much to me. But while reading her blog, I have gained a deep interest in how BLACK could be vibrant. Especially when she was talking about photography. Photography is one of her biggest passion in life. Through her black and white photographs, we have a glimpse of her sensitivity.
Her studies in visual culture and photography are now enabling her to make commercial videos for various brands.
Why do you enjoy the process of making videos?
I just love the entire process of it! I love imagining what would fit, creating fields and photographic compositions, colours, and framings, and then filming it all, editing, and just watching it come to life!
According to you, what’s the best photograph you’ve ever taken and explain what that particular photograph express?
Oh. Shit. I can't quite say I have a favourite photograph! I love them all equally because I know the entire process behind them, their flaws and perfections. It's like looking at ourselves, to be honest. But of course, there are a few that give me a little pinch in the stomach and a chill in the spine of just how proud I am.
The black and white you do in your photographs is your trademark, how is it different from the black and white that other photographers do?
You see; I don't know... I've heard that my entire career though. I've heard great Names in the creative area (painters, editors, photographers, and even musicians) say that my pictures seem to transmit something they couldn't ever see elsewhere, that they're strong and impactful, and that they stick in your mind. Makes me extremely proud of course, but I can't quite explain it to you. I just put my entire self in every little thing that I do.
You once said: ‘’Capture the heart and soul of the moment, just capture all the feelings.’’ How do you do to achieve that?
Well, you achieve that when you're caught in a moment/situation where you're feeling all these emotions and all of the adrenaline rushing through your veins, that somehow give you this sense of unreality as if you were living a dream, and then, you're able to capture that, frame it, and be able to say "wow, this shows exactly what I was feeling at that exact moment".
Why do you love photography?
I love photography because I'm an extremely "visual" person, as in I think about everything through images. You know, sometimes I'm lying in bed, and I randomly wake up at 4 am with an idea, and I get up, draw it down, and the next day, I HAVE to do it! It just gives this anxiety and rush to create it, to edit it, and then sometimes print it and think "fuck, did I make this? this is me?". It's fulfilling to hold with your own hands something that you create from scratch. Photography is probably one of the main reasons that have helped me push my boundaries. I see photography as a way to break barriers. Photography seemed to be, in my entire life, the only way I could always get through challenges and difficulties in life: expressing insecurities, nightmares, and fears, physically as art, is what has made me overcome all of those, and not be scared (or insecure) of them anymore. And that is probably one of the strongest motives that have helped me push forward and has helped me find myself, as an artist and as a person.
How did this passion for photography start?
Well, first of all, it all started when I first grabbed a pencil and started to draw. I've never put it down ever since. That sense of having a blank space and turning it into art is just overwhelming! Then, of course, I've always had a passion for "creative writing", and with that came lyric writing, together with my love for music. I started composing at a early age, and I still have all of that saved. Of course, I look back at those files and think "what the fuck was I thinking?" and laugh, but at the same time I look at them as a record of my evolution, and I have serious pride in that. With music came, of course, completing that with images, so I started making these home-made videos, and since then I spend many many many hours researching videos, and all sorts of art forms. And with the video, of course, came photography. But I think my biggest step into the world of photography was when my drawing teacher (Ana Paula Xavier) in 10th grade forced my class into using Photoshop and I just immediately fell in love with all of the creative processes around it! That was the first time working with that kind of software and I scored a 20/20 (A), I still have that work up on my wall!
Beatriz is not just a photographer or videographer; she has multiple talents. She is a singer and musician. Her all artistic influences are the well-known Death, Morbid Angel, Venom and not to forget her favourite soundtrack Slayer. To resume she is a heavy metal lover. While scrolling through her old posts, I saw a cover she made on youtube sometime ago and her voice is amazing. Here is the cover.
What place does music have in your life and how does it help you?
Music plays a huge role in my life. It always has. I remember going through some tough phases as an unfit kid, and listening to music would always make me feel so much better and calmer. It was nice knowing that someone else has already felt what I did, and made that into music. That made me want to make music as well! I had music classes when I was younger, I can read and write a music sheet. I play the piano and the drums as well. Unfortunately, I feel a huge heartache for not being able to play the guitar (yet) but I'll get there. And of course, I sing.
Writing songs is a very healing process for me. Makes me think everything through, and at the same time, think my lyrics through, and eventually associate things I feel or memories I have with the musical connotation I create from it. It's the wonderful recovery process.
Do you plan to make more videos in the future?
Yes, of course! I'll hopefully be launching new stuff this year.
Beatriz, you get a lot of support from your readers. They do beautiful illustrations. What does it mean for you?
I do! It's amazing! Sometimes I swear it's fucking hard to believe it! People take the time to draw me, and my art... That leaves me speechless, to be honest, I can't quite thank everyone enough for all the love and care they've been having! It means the world to me, to create things and then see people enjoying them this much! It brings me tears to my eyes! One thing I can tell you for sure, I'm gonna repay every single one of these souls for their love, somehow! I'm a very thankful person, and I like to give back twice the loving! And they fucking deserve it!
illustration by: carolinaguerra_art
Do you think in the future years you could go outside your comfort zone, by adding more colours to your wardrobe?
Colours..? What is that...? Ha-ha. But no, never! I'll stop wearing black when they invent a darker colour!
How about getting your ears modified? Can you tell us more about it?
I'm supposing you're wondering about the elvish ears. Those are photoshopped! But it's alright, I've had a shit ton of people asking where I've modified them ha-ha, and sometimes they don't even believe it's photoshopped because "they look way too realistic". Other than that, just 3 earrings, 20mm tunnels, an industrial, a helix and rook piercings.
In one word how would you describe your style?
Metal.
What are your favourite brands?
Well, I don't have many, but I love Toxic Vision by Sheron Ehman - good fucking lord I just don't have the money to buy all of her stuff. Killstar, of course, everything Tila makes is perfect! And Disturbia obviously, they have some grunge stuff as well!
We have arrived at the end of this interview, I hope that you've all enjoyed reading it. Don't forget to visit Beatriz on her different platforms to get to know more about her as well as her great work. I wish you all a happy new year, with loads of blessings and happiness.
Stay tuned for my next interview.
Check her works below:
Thanks for reading this interview.
(Repost: That Interview was published on my blog on the 2nd Jan 2016)