We recently had the chance to connect with Edward Acosta and have shared our conversation below.
Edward, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day begins with observation — stepping outside, watching how the light shifts across the Long Island horizon, and letting those gradients guide my palette for the day. Once I’m in the studio, the work moves between instinct and precision: layering color, refining linework, and exploring forms that echo movement, tension, and atmosphere. My practice lives at this intersection of meditation and technical discipline.
But my day isn’t just about the studio. I’m also in ongoing conversations about new opportunities and creative strategy — connecting with galleries, designers, and collaborators as I shape future exhibitions and projects. And woven gently through all of this is being a father, making space to be present for my kids and grounding the ambition of my practice in real life. That balance keeps me centered, inspired, and deeply connected to why I create in the first place.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Edward Acosta, and I’m a New York–based visual artist originally from Puerto Rico with roots in the Dominican Republic. My work blends bold color, intricate linework, and layered organic forms inspired by Long Island’s sunrises, sunsets, and natural landscapes. I’m known for a signature visual language that pairs geometric precision with expressive movement — often anchored by a small silhouetted figure that represents the human journey, resilience, and the quiet moments of reflection we all experience.
Beyond the studio, my career spans museum exhibitions, public installations, and collaborations with cultural institutions. My paintings have been featured at the Heckscher Museum, the Long Island Museum — which acquired one of my works for their permanent collection — and in solo exhibitions such as Contours & Currents at Gallery North. I have also collaborated on large-scale installations for luxury and commercial spaces, which allowed my work to live both inside and outside traditional gallery settings.
What makes my brand unique is the balance between fine art, design, and storytelling. My work is deeply rooted in identity, migration, color, and emotion — but it’s also shaped by a contemporary aesthetic that resonates across galleries, interiors, and public spaces. Right now, I’m developing new bodies of work, exploring three-dimensional forms, and collaborating with designers and cultural institutions that align with my vision.
At the heart of everything I do — the art, the exhibitions, the collaborations — is a desire to create work that connects people to a sense of place, belonging, and possibility.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a kid who simply loved to create. I was always drawing, building, experimenting — seeing color and shape as a language long before I had the words to describe it. Growing up in Puerto Rico during my early years and then moving to New York, I learned to observe the world quietly and translate what I felt into images.
I didn’t think about “being an artist” or “fitting into a career.” I was just someone who found comfort, curiosity, and possibility in making things. Before expectations, before titles, before the pressure to succeed, I was a creator in the purest sense — driven by imagination, intuition, and the desire to understand my place in the world through art.
In many ways, I’m still that person. The world may shape us, but the core of who we are — that part that feels the pull toward creativity — never really goes away.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self: You belong here. Your vision, your voice, and the way you see the world are gifts — don’t let anyone make you feel small for them. Keep creating, keep trusting your instincts, and know that everything you’re dreaming of is possible.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
I differentiate between fads and foundational shifts by looking for what truly changes behavior rather than what just catches quick attention. Fads are loud and temporary, but real shifts open new possibilities and deepen how we create or connect. I also give things time — if an idea still feels relevant after the hype fades, it’s usually meaningful.
But above all, what guides me is originality. It’s important for me to create my own visual language rather than chase trends or produce derivative work. If something strengthens my voice and expands my practice, I explore it. If it pulls me away from authenticity, I let it pass.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I devoted my life to creating something honest. That I listened closely to my inner voice and built a visual language that was uniquely my own. I hope they say my work made them feel something — wonder, calm, possibility — and that it invited them to see the world with a little more openness.
I’d like to be remembered as someone who showed up with intention, who pursued creativity with discipline and heart, and who never compromised authenticity for approval. And on a more personal level, I hope my children remember me as someone who loved them deeply and followed his purpose without losing sight of what mattered most.
If the story people tell is that I lived with curiosity, integrity, and a commitment to beauty, then that is more than enough.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.edwardacosta.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eacostastudio/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eacostastudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eacostastudio
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
