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The Miami Foundation "Our Miami" Public Space Challenge Launch WYN317

DIANA CONTRERAS

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Where are you from?

 

I grew up in Miami but I was born in Chiclayo, Peru.

DIANA CONTRERAS

What do you love most about Miami?

 

I love the weather. I like the tropical weather and the beaches. I like the Latin culture. It is different from the rest of the United States.

How much of your Peruvian heritage and culture do you see in your art?

 

I think a lot of the colors. Especially pink. When you go to Peru, like Machu Picchu and the mountains, you see a lot of the patterns and the clothing the native people wear is hot pink and neon green.

Do you travel to Peru regularly?

 

I go visit my family but I have never gone to the tourist places so I am going to go next year.

Where else do you want to travel to next?

 

I have not been to Asia. I want to travel to Japan and China. I want to go all over the world, little by little.

How long have you been painting?

 

I have been painting since I was in elementary school

How would you describe your style of art?

 

My art has always been feminine. I like a little bit of fantasy and whimsical details. Frida Kahlo inspired my work. I love how she is able to express emotions. I think my work is very feminine and it touches people’s emotions. I can express emotion very well. I also love fashion. Patterns and clothing and trends inspire my work, too.

Who are your favorite designers?

 

Betsy Johnson is my favorite. I also like Stella McCartney, Michael Kors and Gwen Stefani.

You started out with gallery work and you have recently done street murals as well. When did you start with the murals?

 

About a year and a half ago. I have a lot of friends that do graffiti. They pushed me to do art on a wall. The first time I did it was at Cushy Gigs. I did a character there. Inside there are a lot of amazing artists, all women artists like Tatiana Suarez. I am very proud this was my first time I did a character. I like that street art brings happiness to the community. That is how I started loving it. I like to give my art to charities and do things that help others.

Are the women in your paintings and murals based on real people or do they spring from imagination?

 

I think people. I watch people, sometimes my friends. Unconsciously I draw them or myself. When I draw realistically I use my friends as references or people that I like in magazines.

If you could paint any wall or any building in the world, which would you choose?

 

I like La Familia Sagrada in Barcelona, Spain. Antoni Gaudi‘s architecture is just beautiful. It is art. It is like Alice in Wonderland. It is so magical.

You previously mentioned you express emotion in your art. Do your paintings and murals reflect your emotion at the time of painting or the imagined emotion of the character?

 

(laughs) It is usually about me and how I feel. It comes out in my art. It is very hard to hide it. It comes out without me thinking. Sometimes, if it is for a client, if I am feeling mad or sad, I have to make sure that it doesn’t look like that even though that’s how I feel. I adjust it for a client but when it’s for myself I just let it flow.

We have to talk about one of your latest murals, “Queen Isabella.” Tell us a bit more about it please

 

The story of Queen Isabella is that when Christopher Columbus was coming to America he came to the King to ask for funds for the trip and she was going to pawn her jewels. That is where the story of the pawn show and Isabella came together. The mural is half finished. They want me to do the whole building so I will add more to the story. In the mural Queen Isabella wants to finance her dreams cause when you go to the pawn shop you can trade something for funds to pay for education or travel or business. Out of her hands jewels will come out and maybe images of dreams and the ship of Christopher Columbus. It will go all around the building.

Have you done any murals outside of Miami?

 

I did a little mural in New York. I wanted to do another one this summer but I was too busy and I am a teacher so I have to start work in two weeks. Usually, in the summer, I love to travel. I want to travel and paint in California and New York and Puerto Rico.

How tall is the Queen?

 

40 ft

How important and inspiring is the traveling?

 

I love to travel. I love culture and people. I went to India two years ago. All the colors and the people were so beautiful. I went to school in Italy. All of that really influenced me.

What direction do you want to take with your art? Are you planning to experiment with another medium?

 

I definitely want to do installation. I am working on an idea with movies and mural making. Film and installation.

In the current group exhibition ay Wyn317 you included paintings inspired by “My little Pony.” Are those paintings based on childhood memories?

 

Yes that is something that I loved growing up in the 80s. I love “My Little Pony.” It was just something fun I wanted to try. I did a collection of ponies before for a pop art show. I also did ponies in a mural in the Bird Road Art District. It is fun. Two giant “My little Ponies.”

Do you have a fascination with horses in general?

 

Not really. “My Little Pony” is just cute. I have ridden horses but they can be a little bit scary. When I went to India I wanted to ride everything because they have a lot of animals. I rode a donkey and I rode elephants and I rode a camel. Camels are very tall and it is very wobbly. I liked the elephants the best.

Do you have any upcoming exhibitions?

 

I have one in Pembroke Pines called “About Face” curated by Jill Slaughter in October. Barbara M De Varona is going to be there, too. It is a group show and it is all about portraits.