Since I was a child, drawing and painting were a favorite pastimes of mine, a box Crayola would keep my hyperactive little self, quiet and focused for hours. And I would not even need paper, there were plenty of walls to draw on and siblings take the fall for my creative mischief! And believe me, there are some pretty good family stories on the subject.
On a serious note, my mom was the creative parent, and my dad, a lawyer was the intellectual and nature lover. Mom was the interior designer by education, and stay at home mom who took art classes like oil painting, porcelain, decoupage and paper and metal embossing. She would enroll me and my two siblings in pottery and painting classes over the Summer break. Probably for the creative benefits for us, and for her own mental sanity! We were a handful!
Anyways, creativity was modeled at home and encouraged as a pastime, and an important part of school work. Growing up in Puerto Rico, one of my fondest memories is painting banners for my school’s field days. No white, flat bed sheet was safe from being sewn together to become a several stories long banner supporting my class in the school’s field day. No brush or even house paint would be out of boundaries to be used or mixed to suit the colors of our designs. I loved the time spent painting, talking and bonding with my school friends.
It still holds true for me that the best and most enjoyable time spent time with friends, I have had it while painting banners, scrapbooking, making mixed media and taking art classes with them. I love the friendship and sense of community that forms around people while making art, sharing family news, discussing the weather and latest news; and mostly encouraging each other’s process and art. Making art is a vulnerable process where you are constantly making choices, solving the problem at hand and questioning “Is this good enough? Am I a good enough artist? Friends (and teachers whoa also become your friends) get you through the doubts and encourage you to go on and keep growing as an artist. So when I moved to Atlanta in 2015, the first thing I did was sign me up for some art classes. I have been lucky enough that the Spruill Center for the Arts has some great teachers and a rich course offering. I have found my community, made new friends and every day continue to grow as an artist.
hese days you will find me taking art classes in the workshop style and others more educational and technical. I continue to make Mixed Media Showboxes, which I discovered while scrapbooking for my girls, and painting things that remind me of Puerto Rico, people and things of a time gone by, and selling them at local art festivals in Atlanta.
Enjoy her art before the festival at: http://www.aidaariasart.com/
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