Art From
the Heart: An Interview with Artist Diana Manitu
with Gina
McKnight
From USA, meet
artist Diana Manitu! The proprietor of Art From the Heart, Diana offers
eclectic art. Whether it’s creating through henna paste, charcoal, and/or
chalk pastels, Diana is a “person who wants to sprinkle little parts of her
soul throughout the world around her and hopefully positively impact those whom
her art reaches.”
Welcome,
Diana!
GM: When did
you realize you wanted to become an artist?
DM: I never
really "realized" I wanted to be an artist. I was more-so influenced
in wanting to do art of some sort by art history and architecture in our everyday
lives. Art has a way of simplifying things, and so when I would see that some
complicated subject or very involved matter could be easily drawn out or
explained via a singular image, it was essential for me to be able to impact others
in the same manner. Art gives me that option. I was also largely influenced by
my Pawpaw, Boyd Hiser, and his work as a realist and folk artist.
GM: Do you
remember the first piece of art you created?
DM: My work
is greatly influenced by Eastern cultures (particularly Eastern Indian). Henna
and the designs associated with that practice is what first "drew" me
in toward that specific style of art. The first quality piece of art I made was
for a friend that wanted a psychedelic piece with lots of recurring designs and
patterns. When I started on it, I thought, this is gonna be crap. Why would
he ask a novice artist like me? However, as the image began to develop as I
worked on it, I started to believe in myself a little more. Apparently, it was
a success, because he still has it hanging in his home. That is one (of many)
important things that art has taught me, that there will never be a time you
are ready for people to see what you create, there is no comfort zone that you
reach before you are able to present your work - and that's a good thing, it
ensures you to learn acceptance of and with yourself, and that applies to so
many other areas of your life!
GM: What
mediums do you like to use?
DM: My
preferred mediums are pencil, henna paste, charcoal, and/or chalk pastels. I
use paints as well, but feel most comfortable and adept at those particular
mediums. When I want to push boundaries with myself, or I feel like I need to
decompress and get out of my own skin, I will use mediums that make me a little
uncomfortable and doubt myself. It is a way of accepting the way I feel about
things, purging them, and maybe the art I am creating in the process will
actually turn out decent! Haha!
GM: What are
you currently working on?
DM: I am
currently working on Christmas presents! Haha! Starving artist is a real thing,
and so everyone is getting some sort of small art piece instead of a bought
gift. I am the oldest of 8 kids, and each one of us has a very unique
personality. I plan on doing a collection of silhouettes - one from each
person, and at all different angles - and then adding a mane of the different
things that embody their personality. I love working with silhouettes because
of the generality it gives an image, but then adding extremely personal notes,
to create a piece that could be androgynous, but you know it isn't, because
only those particular traits are associated with only THAT person. Aside from that,
I am working on base line sketch ideas for an Alice in Wonderland tarot deck I
want to eventually develop fully and have printed.
GM: Describe
your studio and where you like to work...
DM: My workspace
is more of a drafting table in the corner of a room than it is an actual
studio. Even then, I won't always complete a piece at my art desk. My studio is
anywhere I feel like being. When I sketch, it's normally on the floor or
ground; when painting, I sit outside; when working on a piece to sell or that
is a present, I complete it at my desk. My corner is a creative little space.
It has my art desk and supplies, a red leather swivel chair (that doesn't go
well with the desk at all, but I love it because it is unique), and vintage
style anti-war propaganda (which I collect). I have a special piece my Pawpaw
did in his younger years adorning the other wall next to my desk (as he was an
artist and a big inspiration of mine), as well as a stereo system and incense
burners to help me relax, jam out, and get in the flow.
GM: What
drives your inspiration and motivation to be creative?
DM: Everything
inspires me! My happiness, the world's goings-ons, trauma, time, peace,
everything inspires and motivates me. The biggest motivation for me to create
is the understanding it helps me achieve within myself. I feel healed when I am
working on a piece and that gets addictive.
GM: Do you
have advice for novice artists?
DM: The only
advice I would give novice artists are certain things I wish I could have
someone say to me, haha! They are to never stop working on a doodle or sketch
or art piece because you feel like it could be better and you start doubting
yourself. It goes back to that comfort zone point said earlier - there will
never be a time you get "good enough" to feel completely content with
putting your work out there. But it is imperative that you do continue to work
on it and you do not stop because what YOU have to offer the world is unique to
the person that you are and you have every bit as much right to put your work
out there as anyone with a degree in art or anything of that sort. Creativity
isn't measured by any social construct - creativity just IS.
GM: Do you
have a favorite piece of art of your own creation?
DM: I do not
have a favorite piece of my own. I have a difficult time genuinely loving the
work I do personally, and so that makes it difficult to pinpoint which piece I
like the most. Additionally, I feel like my art is always changing, my ability
is always growing, and therefore it makes older pieces of my work seem less
special to me. (Art is a way to process my dislike for a lot of different
aspects of myself.)
GM: Who is
your muse or favorite artist?
DM: I do not
have a specific muse. If I had to choose my favorite artist, it would be
Salvador Dali. His perception of the world is palpable through every single one
of his works, his is unashamed and forward-thinking, and his execution is
clean, precise, detailed, and unbiased to any particular color scheme, theme,
or subject matter. You can see him oozing from the paint in his art works, and
those are traits that I really vibe well with.
GM: Are you
available for illustration or work for hire collaborations?
DM: YES! I
am available for illustrations and work for hire collabs!
GM: List 10
things that your fans may not know about you...
DM:
1. I have 7
younger siblings!
2. I have a Halflinger
horse named Avalon.
3. I have a
fascination with mushrooms and snails.
4. I do not
throw away receipts from doing activities with the people I love.
5. Purple is
my favorite color.
6. I first
got interested in henna tattoos through belly dancing.
7. Autumn is
my favorite season, because of the contrast between the gray trees, dying
grass, and very colorful leaves.
8. I am
terrified of caterpillars.
9. I love to
write slam poetry.
10. I am a
cheese connoisseur, and LOVE to cook.
Connect with Diana…
Email: flowerchilddmd@gmail.com
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