Catarina Diaz: Creating visual art inspired by West African heritage and storytelling

Catarina Diaz is a visual artist who creates elegant and arresting mixed media collages, evoking her West African heritage with vibrant colours, sensual detail and rich storytelling. Here, we chat to her about her journey in the art world so far…

Tell us more about your journey into the art world.

Art has been a part of my life since my earliest memories. It’s my legacy from my deeply artistic family of painters, ceramists, musicians, and writers. It has always been my beacon of hope, a transformational force that helps me navigate through the darkest of times.

A few years ago, my artistic career was propelled forward when Jo Good, the BBC radio host, showed my work to her fans worldwide on her Middleagedminx Vlog. I embarked on a surreal journey of networking in the art world, exhibiting in London, Europe, the US, and Canada, and being featured in art, design and lifestyle magazines, on the radio and TV shows. It was life-changing!

Over the years, my work has evolved to reflect my artistic purpose, the inspiration I draw from my surroundings as well as my inner journey. It represents my reflection on life, epiphanies, insights, acceptance of darkness, search for light and bliss, and aspirations. I’ve learned to see the beauty in imperfections, to embrace the unexpected, and to let go of control. This cathartic shift in perspective not only transformed my artistic expression but also my life.

How would you describe your signature style and technique?

I primarily compose pieces of analogue collage on art paper and canvas, and I particularly enjoy painting with oils and acrylics. The use of gold leaf, exquisite antique gallery frames, and other vibrant mediums and materials, as well as in more recent mixed media series and the animated pieces, add to the bold contrasting visual effects of my compositions, my ‘chiaroscuro’ inspiration – the dark resulting from embracing our shadow and allowing the search for the light and a more transcendental experience of life.

Assembling pieces together, by a transformational process, I create a new piece of art, layering elements, finding harmony and meaning trough the unexpected.

My artistic expression consists of short visual narratives about our inner universe and its recharging dialogue with nature. It zooms in on issues related to the search for alignment with our purpose and true creative self, awakening our senses, rising from the limitation of past paradigms of the collective consciousness, and manifesting a more exceptional future for humanity.

My art is the expression of a more mature experience of the world and a more profound reflection on the meaning of life itself, a sharing with which I intend to touch the viewer so that they can see themselves and become empowered by their own light.

I relish the joy of artistic exploration, constantly seeking new mediums, techniques, and methods according to my inspiration. Collaborating with other artists, designers, video creators, music composers, and film-makers adds an exciting dimension to my ever-evolving co-creative process.

Currently, I am also embarking on new ventures in interior design and art wear, reinventing my art, each step filled with anticipation and excitement. I am also proud to facilitate and Creative Workshops for global organizations, where Life Coaching is enriched by the empowerment of the artistic expression.

Can you tell us about your latest work? Where did you find inspiration and what is the story behind it?

I want to inspire my viewers to undertake their ever-evolving inner journey, always reinventing themselves and discovering their true identity and essence. I aim to invite them to contemplate and encourage them to embrace their unique perspectives as a sense of connection to something greater than oneself.

Each piece is a reminder that, despite the chaos and uncertainty of life, there is beauty to be found in every moment and that the journey of self-discovery is one of healing and growth.

My recent work reflects this purpose, by creating a story line between the individual pieces. I am very inspired by the old masters whose work populated my early years at my mum’s studio and were always present on my first artistic explorations. Thus, my recent work is a coming home to this influence, enriched with the legacy of my life and spiritual journeys expressed through a new and exciting boldness and a sensual but naïve intimacy.

Each piece of my new series ‘Rococo Soul’, ‘Eternal’ and ‘Flamboyant’ aims at enveloping the senses slowly, calling for them in subtle but exquisite ways.

And the whole series are empowered by revealing the abundance and richness of the intimate feminine. As an invitation to the viewers to gather their courage, across genders, to show the cornucopia of the beauty of that inner world in a soft and powerful expression.

Are there any exhibitions or events you are planning in near future?

I’m closely working with Flux Exhibition in London and we are preparing the next event at the Bomb Factory Art Foundation, Marylebone early next year. We are also preparing to launch a new Interior Design and Collectors brand, including a partnership with a network of Interior designers in London and the Pedro Jaime Vasconcelos brand in Portugal.

I also have new representation in Portugal by the Marchand-Mercier Pedro Jaime Vasconcelos, and we are preparing next year’s exhibition schedule and exciting art, interior design, and film collaborative projects in London.

Meanwhile, Pedro Jaime Vasconcelos will curate my solo exhibition, “Diaz in Lisbon,” which is included in the Series Identity at the trendy Art Gallery Coletivo 284 in Lisbon. The exhibition will be on until 24^th November and includes several art and fashion events in collaboration with the Art Wear brand Empório Aragão, in coordination with the launch of our collection at the Brooklyn-Japan Fashion Week.

This collection, inspired by the intersection of art and fashion, aims to redefine the boundaries of wearable art, offering a unique and immersive artistic experience. My solo exhibition will afterwards travel on an art tour to cultural venues in different areas of Portugal.

I’m also currently showing my work with BobCat Gallery at Putney Exchange in South West London, and I am planning to join their exciting Winter Boutique this December as well.

In January I’ll be joining Fresh Art Fair for their new edition at Alexandra Palace in London, represented by local gallery Rare Interior Art Gallery.

I also have an ongoing collaboration with the visionary film director Naeem Mahmood, the awarded film producer Paul Chiedozie and Zems Entertainment, which was my debut in the film and media industries. I plan to bring to life many more collaborative projects, bringing together different artistic expressions with the common goal of inspiring people to be creative and explore new empowering ways to be in the world.

What is the best advice you’ve been given as an artist?

It’s always about having balance and inner strength, being vulnerable but powerful at the same time, to be able to find and glory and grace in the unknown.

My artistic process needs unfolding and maturation. Thus, the best piece of advice I’ve taken from my art mentors has been to embrace time, letting it shape the artwork, moulding the transformational process, knowing that art is not born in haste, but in the acceptance of the unearthing of creation under the pressure a given time-scale. Being authentic and trusting the process is essential both in the creative process and in life.

For more information please visit https://www.catarinadiaz.com/

Follow Catarina on Instagram: @catarina_diaz

DISCOVER ANOTHER ARTIST’S STORY HERE.