Wayta Monzón on Creativity, Culture, and Finding Balance

1 January 1970

Meet Wayta Monzón, a creative force shaped by rhythm, culture, and heart. As a senior art director, photographer, and mother, she moves between the tactile and the digital, the natural and the metropolitan. With roots in Surinam, Indonesia, and Papua, and a life built in Amsterdam, Wayta creates with purpose, presence, and soul, whether behind the camera or dancing with her daughter Dela at home.

– Who is Wayta?

I am Wayta. Sometimes senior art director, sometimes photographer, sometimes content creator. Always a mom. I live in Amsterdam with my husband Pete Philly and my daughter Dela. Who we named after De La Soul as we have both been huge fans.

– Tell us about your background

I’m a cocktail of cultures – my dad’s from Surinam, my mom from Indonesia, and my DNA test threw in a plot twist: 44% Papuan. So technically, I’m Caribbean, Asian and Polynesian. A full-spectrum heritage with sun in its soul. I was born and raised in The Hague, but my upbringing was far from typically Dutch. We spoke English at home thanks to my diplomat family, and I dabble in Bahasa and Sranang Tongo. I’m a child of the sun, so I plan a sunny getaway each winter to survive the darker months in Amsterdam. Still, it’s the only place I’d want to live in the Netherlands. I studied art direction at an art academy and did a photography minor, which jumpstarted my career. At the time, I didn’t feel represented in Dutch advertising or fashion, so I moved to New York to work at The Source Magazine.

– You really have an incredibly vibrant mix of cultures and influences in your background, how do you think it has shaped you?

My family shaped me in every possible way. With two architects for parents and a grandmother who was a fashion editor, design and aesthetics were always in the air. Add to that the legacy of a diplomat grandparent, and I grew up learning to read a room – and a culture – before I could even spell "identity."

My dad’s parents live deep in the Surinamese countryside, while my own life zigzagged between city streets and cultural crossroads. From a young age, I was immersed in a beautiful spectrum of people, places, and perspectives. That exposure turned me into a bit of a creative shapeshifter, a jack of all trades with a passport full of inspiration.

“From a young age, I was immersed in a wild, beautiful spectrum of people, places, and perspectives.”

– On your website you say “I exist between the tactile and the ephemeral, the natural and the metropolitan, street culture and couture”. What is it about this mix that appeals to you so strongly?

I come from a multicultural background that exposed me to a wide range of influences, and that’s shaped how I approach everything I create. There’s something so powerful about merging the raw, unpolished with the refined, the bold with the subtle. It’s about finding harmony in the chaos and translating that into art, style, and storytelling. It pushes me to think differently and make something truly original, which is the driving force behind everything I do.

– What does creativity mean to you?

Honestly? Everything. The second I have to do something non-creative – like taxes, emails, or production logistics – time starts dragging like it’s stuck in slow-mo. Minutes feel like hours, hours feel like days. I’m also a world-class procrastinator, so if there’s even a hint of a creative distraction nearby, I’m gone. Instantly. Because creativity isn’t fluff; it’s fuel. That’s why I think it deserves a top spot on everyone’s priority list.

“I see inspiration everywhere – in people, in moments, in the tiniest details and that makes it hard to switch off.”

– How do you find balance between your creative profession and family life?

I registered my company back in 2008, and honestly? I’m still figuring it out. The balance. The boundaries. The rhythm. I see inspiration everywhere – in people, in moments, in the tiniest details—and that makes it hard to switch off. I want to create, but I also want to be truly present with the people I love. Lately, I’ve been trying small shifts: no phone in the bedroom, so the first “good morning” goes to my husband, not my screen. I delete my social apps on weekends and re-download them on Monday to reset.

– What are you looking forward to this year?

Becoming a mom shifted my goals and made me more focused on the work I truly love. I’m saying “no” more often. I’m also excited about upcoming projects (though I can’t share details just yet), and I’m looking forward to attending weddings for people I absolutely adore. I don’t have concrete plans yet, but I’d love to travel more this year.

“Lately, I’ve been trying small shifts: no phone in the bedroom, so the first “good morning” goes to my husband, not my screen.”

– What inspires you right now?

It may sound cliché, but it’s true – my daughter is the biggest game changer in my life. She’s teaching me more about myself than I’d ever expected – how to show up as a better person, a more present mom, and a more focused business owner. She’s the one who constantly pushes me to be authentic and reminds me that my actions should be in alignment with me, not anyone else. And she’s helped me become so much more intentional with my time. Because of her, I’m making smarter choices, sharpening my focus, and showing up with more purpose – from the work I do to the content I consume.