Follow [Salina]:
INTERVIEW BY: [Lamode]
Meet the unstoppable force of creativity, Salina Novotna-Williams who simply goes by Salina, in the creative world. At just 25 years young, she’s redefining the game as an entrepreneur, model, and multi-media artist. Born in Germany and raised around the world with her military background and finally settling in the vibrant streets of Houston, Salina’s journey is a fusion of global influences that breathe life into her unique artistic flair.
While she’s been rocking the modeling scene for two years, Salina’s creative roots run deep, tracing back to her high school days. Whether she’s designing, throwing paint on canvas, or dropping verses that hit the soul, Salina’s style is a reflection of the diverse streets that raised her.
Get ready for “Abraca”, the brand that’s about to set the streets on fire in 2024. Salina’s hustle isn’t just about fashion—it’s a movement that brings together her edge, runway finesse, and poetic lyricism. Abraca isn’t just a brand; it’s a canvas where the city’s heartbeat meets Salina’s raw, unapologetic creativity.
Salina Novotna-Williams isn’t just an artist; she’s a visionary. I was glad to be able to get her in the studio and chop it up with her about her craft and new projects. Check it out.
Saturday 11:16PM Feb. 10, 2024 HTX
LAMODE: Salina, you been going crazy lately! How you feeling today?
SALINA: I’m great, thank you!
LAMODE: Ok so last time we talked, you brought up Abraca. What is that?
SALINA: Honestly, I’m still trying to find out. Initially it was supposed to just be an up-cycling clothing brand, but I want it to be more. I came up with the name “Abra-Ca,” like “Abracadabra” because it felt right for some reason, and later I actually found out that the phrase means “I will create as I speak”in Hebrew, which couldn’t have been more fitting. So that’s what I want “AbraCA” to represent.
LAMODE: Damn, it’s crazy the way those things work out. When are you relaunching and why are you rebranding?
SALINA: I think I’m going to relaunch sometime this year. And I’m relaunching for the same reason mentioned previously. I don’t know what I want it to be exactly, but I want it to be a space in which I can create, and somehow it’s all different yet linked.
LAMODE: I understand, I recently did the same with my photography studio. I needed something that just made sense. I needed to be closer to my craft so I decided to just LIVE in my studio. Sometimes we have no idea how the shit will turn out, but it just does and it just works. How’s the modeling going?
SALINA: It’s slowed down a lot, but it’s perfect. I’m really focusing on shoots that truly resonate with me and I’m taking the time on doing self directed shoots again. I’m excited.
LAMODE: What would you say is the hardest part of modeling in Houston?
SALINA: To be honest, I think it’s setting boundaries on my worth. I think that goes for any craft all over the world to be honest, but what has always been frustrating for me in the modeling industry is that people will quickly hit me up for gigs cause I’m “so good and talented,” but wanna look at me sideways and humble me when I give a monetary rate. Granted, I don’t always try to focus on the money, especially ‘cause the passion comes first, and admittedly there have been opportunities I let pass by ‘cause I tried to stand on “I gotta get paid” at the wrong time. Now I’m learning to really discern that, and work with people I can tell value my work and people I connect with on a creative level.
LAMODE: I feel that. When at the end of the day, you gotta understand what works for you. I spent so much time doing free shoots and interviews for the creative culture. I mean, the end goal is to make your passion a livable career and in order to do that, there has to be a time where you put your foot down and get paid for your work. But learning when and how is definitely a journey of it’s own. What’s some bullshit you say you deal with as a creative?
SALINA: Haha, see above. But all jokes aside, I’d say…accepting the fact that the creations I truly love come whenever time decides, not whenever I want to. I love it when I get that spark of creativity, cause then I’m rolling. But it’s times I want to create and my brain is like, “mm, nah.”
LAMODE: So I watch your Instagram stories time to time and I see you paint often. I also saw that you selling paintings. How does that go?
SALINA: So I started really getting into acrylic painting when I was a sophomore in high school. I started painting on cardboard and just fell in love with it. All my paintings mainly come at random. I feel and think it, and then put it on canvas (big upgrade from cardboard). A lot of times I won’t know why I painted what I painted until a while later, sometimes even years. I love it, ‘cause when I realize why I painted what I did, it’s like an epiphany.
LAMODE: Last time we shot you actually wore a dress that you designed. It was REALLY dope. I had no idea that you were a clothing desinger too. Tell me about that?
SALINA: Thank you, I appreciate it! I wish I was more ahead in designing to be honest, that’s the one medium I’m most impatient with though. I took a class on designing before, which is where the dress came from, and I found myself getting frustrated so often with how much time each detail took and how difficult it was. But I’m working on it, ‘cause I have a lot of ideas in my head and the end result is so rewarding.
LAMODE: Do you ever sleep? How do you balance this all?
SALINA: I go with what resonates most at the time, I’m very impulsive. I can go a whole year without painting a single painting, but may have worked on several photoshoots, or maybe wrote poems, tried tattooing, etc. Overall, I go with what feels right in the moment, that’s really the only way I can create art I’m truly proud of.
LAMODE: That’s really cool. Obviously when it comes to the creative world, one of your biggest assets is your network. It’s your network that determines your pay, your audience, you opportunities, etc. Personally, I find mine SOOO difficult to maintain. How do you maintain yours?
SALINA: I truly love my network. First of course come my loved ones, who I am forever grateful to God for. And overall, I’m grateful for the cool people I come across. In terms of “professional” networking however, I think I maintain networking best when I genuinely connect with another person on some level (having a similar vision, good energy, etc). I like working with people I can be comfortable and inspired around. But I will say my maintenance could be better, because apart from my loved ones, I prefer to keep to myself until creation calls.
LAMODE: I’m taking notes. Haha. So I remember you posted this story on your IG of you painting your cabinets and you had this cat that just did the most. It was climbing up the refrigerator and slipped and busted it’s shit and knocked over hella shit on the way down. That was hilarious. Is that your only pet or do you have more?
SALINA: I love that you asked. I got my three furry babies, Melly (the oldest, he’s a diva), Gon (he the big baby), and Somu (she’s a mix of both).
LAMODE: I would like to meet them. Pets are sometimes our spiritual guides. Do they inspire you?
SALINA: They definitely inspire me to get off my ass when it’s time to feed them, haha. But I’d say more than inspire, they bring me joy and motivation. As long as they’re able to eat, I’m good. But I usually draw my inspiration from extreme emotion, and also just being around dope ass people. I love talking with people about things that excite us or projects, ‘cause it’s real motivating to me.
LAMODE: What’s your dream?
SALINA: My dream, which I know will become a reality, is to build an empire where people can live and not be in survival mode. In 5 years I see myself at the cusp of building it, in a way that’s most authentic to me, with my loved ones around me
LAMODE: Any other knowledge you wanna drop on us before you go?
SALINA: Love and transparency are the greatest power. For self, and for others.
LAMODE: Dope, well I can’t wait til we get to work together again! You have a dope story. You’re welcome back whenever!
Bad Habit Magazine 