Being an Artist By Ali Vasquez

I liked the first time that I made artwork. My first artwork was like different characters and all different colors. The characters were geometric. I love painting, drawing especially when I have time off. It makes me happy to get to create new drawings or things.

My dad is an artist. He’s originally from El Salvador. My dad likes to draw, paint, paper Mache and do charcoal. I get my inspiration from him. His style is interesting and reminds me of Mayan and Aztec artwork. I remember being next to my dad doing artwork when I was little, and I felt good because thanks to my dad I love to be an artist.

I love coming to Creative Clay because it’s fun. I like drawing and painting. I started coming here when I was a teenager and still in middle school. I got to meet different people. It’s a place for people to come make artwork who have disabilities.

My favorite part of coming to Creative Clay is painting. I like to paint on wood or canvas. Also my commissions like tennis shoes, bags and water bottles. Now I’m working on a skateboard for one of my teachers and I hope she loves it.

In 2016, I did a mural with the SHINE Mural Festival. I painted it and it turned out awesome. It was Mayan and Aztec characters. I was really happy just to have my first mural in St. Pete. I had help from Todd and Rasta and Vivian making the mural. It took a long time to paint it but it was worth it just to have my own wall and I loved it how it turned out. But now they took it down because they sold the building. I was sad and depressed because they painted the building black, and my mural was gone. I miss my wall now but it was worth it to have a wall in St. Pete.

It makes me feel happy and good now that I’m doing artwork. I’m a wonderful artist and I love doing artwork. Creative Clay supports selling my artwork. I hope I get to sell my big painting in the gallery right now called the Mayan Princess. I got the idea from my dad, and I really hope it sells.

In the future, I would be interested in learning paper mache. I want to learn to make a feathered serpent. I was inspired from my dad because he made one out of paper mache before and we had a gallery nearby where we used to live.

I have been an artist since I was a teenager and I love doing art. To be a better artist, you should give other people inspiration to see what artwork they do and what style and technique they like. Giving inspiration means to show my drawings so that other people can get inspired. Ali V. attended Creative Clay’s Saturday art program as a teenager, and is currently a Member Artists in the Community Arts Program.

Ali says her work is inspired by both her father, also an artist, and the artwork of the Mayan culture. She creates unique characters accentuated by exquisite line work and bold, colorful patterns. Her primary medium is acrylic, but she also creates much of her work in marker. She has had her own solo exhibits at the Good Folk Gallery and also at Strands of Sunshine Gallery in 2015. In 2016, she worked with teaching artist Todd Frain to create her Mayan Mural on the Academy of Arts building. According to Pixel Stix Drive-In Mural Theater founder, Matthew Walker, Ali’s mural is the 4th most visited mural in the city.

She is a celebrated artist, collected by many patrons. Creative Clay is proud to represent Ali and to exhibit her artwork both in our physical gallery and in our virtual one.