Delia Cristina Diaz

You began drawing at a very young age. What is your earliest memory of creating art?

My earliest memories of creating art were filled with joy and wonder. I remember being around 5 years old, crafting beside my mom, Maria Amelia. We made all sorts of ornaments for our Christmas Tree, like a star covered with glitter that my mom proudly placed onto the tree. Another time, we created paper silhouettes of children holding hands, and I was amazed at how it turned into such a fun piece just from paper. These were the moments that sparked my love for art, and they remain some of my fondest memories.

How did your childhood lessons in drawing influence your artistic focus today?

Very much so, the drawing classes I took as a child contribute directly to my present work. My teacher at the time would set up a model scene with white objects (bottles painted white of different shapes) on a table covered with a white cloth, then direct a lamp onto them. Her teaching helped me develop the ability to detect how light plays across the curves and angles of objects, to appreciate volume, and to build the patience needed to capture the nuances when drawing to recreate the scene.

You studied many different disciplines in the Visual Arts Institute — sculpture, ceramics, and graphic design. How have these fields shaped your artistic vision?

My education at the Visual Arts Institute was rich and diverse. Studying disciplines such as sculpture, ceramics, and graphic design has greatly influenced my artistic vision. It has helped me develop a more balanced and comprehensive approach to my work, whether in drawing, mixed media, or oil. I always keep in mind the various elements “orientation, dimension, perspective, color, and contrast” that I learned from these disciplines.

Your drawings show incredible attention to detail. What attracts you to realistic representation?

I like to transmit, through my work with pencils, the details that make the beauty of what I see, and I want to share it with my audience.

Also, I like the way it looks like a picture, but it really isn’t.

Many of your works feature animals with strong emotional expressions. What draws you to wildlife themes?

As I draw, specifically wildlife, I try to capture and convey not just the beauty of the animal but, most importantly, the feeling transmitted at that particular moment.

Your art is already present in New York, Los Angeles, and Argentina — how do different audiences react to your work?

I have been fortunate to share my art with a diverse audience. Whether in New York, Los Angeles, or Argentina, I have found that when I present my work, people from all walks of life are uplifted and joyful. This universal reaction to my art is incredibly gratifying and reinforces my belief in art’s power to connect and uplift people.

You mentioned the desire for your art to transmit pleasant emotions. What message do you hope viewers take away?

As I always say, my goal is to make my art pleasing to the eye. I aspire for the viewer to experience pleasant sensations, so that they can recognize my art as beautiful and take them to a place of peace and relaxation.