Catarina Diaz

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. My artistic journey is a tapestry woven from the threads of my multicultural background. It begins in West Africa, in Angola, a former Portuguese colony where I was born and spent my early years. The war of independence compelled my family, already in our fourth generation, to relocate to Portugal. There, my mother, a painter and my first mentor found solace in perpetuating her African memories through her art. The vibrant colours, rhythmic patterns, and rich storytelling that permeate my work are a testament to this multicultural journey, a thread that connects me to my past and shapes my present.

It was as if my family painted my childhood with a vibrant colour palette of African tones. The deep orange sunsets, the lively pink flamingos in my birthplace, the magenta of the bougainvillaea, and my grandparents’ tales of the jungle were all burnt into my imagination. These memories, filled with vibrant colours and rich storytelling, became essential to who I am as an artist, shaping my artistic style and the themes I explore in my work.

It was this inspiration which eventually propelled my artistic career a few years ago at a point when I was struggling with depression after losing my younger sister to cancer and feeling I was still not fulfilling my life purpose.

After attending a seminal masterclass by the Royal Academician artist David Mach, I started perceiving analogue collage and mixed media in a completely unexpected way, opening up new possibilities for me in my art. I 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 art but also my life. I have never stopped creating since I kept experimenting and pushing the boundaries of my creativity.

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, lifestyle magazines, radio, and TV shows. It was life-changing!

Over the years, my career has evolved to reflect my artistic purpose and the inspiration I draw from my surroundings and my inner journey. It represents my reflection on life, epiphanies, insights, acceptance of darkness, search for light and bliss, and aspirations.
I want to inspire others to undertake their ever-evolving inner journey, always reinviting themselves and discovering their true identity and essence.
I aim to invite viewers 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.