Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Diana Benedetti. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Diana, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I get my resilience from my faith in God, and the journey I have had to live in good times and bad, to get where I am today. It has not been an easy journey, but it has been interesting and full of lessons. Today, I am grateful for each moment I have lived.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I have been painting since I was about eleven years old, but I think I have been drawing and doodling since the moment I could hold a pencil. My mom would always encourage me to draw, and for that, she always had pencils and paper at hand. I was placed in painting classes as soon as I could be accepted, and from that day on, I have had an active canvas on my easel.
I studied painting at Beaux-Arts School in Colombia as a teenager and studied Fine Arts at Georgia State University, Miami Dade College, and the University of Miami. In UM, I also attended Art History courses which have helped expand my understanding of art and its influence in the history of humanity.
As a full-time artist, I have worked professionally for more than 35 years. My style is very much what we call in Colombia, magical realism. Through my paintings, I like to tell a story and express my feelings about current events. My subject matter depends on what I want to say. Currently, I am working on two collections: Colors of The Garden and Reality Bites.
In Colors of the Garden, I portray birds nests, and birds, especially hummingbirds, which I find so beautiful and colorful. They are some of the most wonderful creations in nature and are a symbol of God’s grace, power, and speed. The other collection is Reality Bites, a series of colorful paintings where I use items, such as children’s shoes, toys, and clothing, to address the issue of life from conception to natural death.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1) Realizing I don’t have all the answers. I am not the best artist, person, woman etc. There are many people who are much better than me and I acknowledge this. I always need to learn more and aim to do better and be better….especially as a person. My advice is to be curious, learn from others, travel, read, and journaling.
2) My beliefs have helped me along the way so much, because this has made me realize I am small, but also that I, in my imperfection, can do so much to change my surroundings, and ultimately the world. I believe in paying it forward. Doing something bad has its consequences, but also, doing something good has its rewards. My advice is to pray, pray, pray. Don’t believe in yourself…believe in God.
3) Practice makes perfect and inspiration must find you working. This I learned very early in life….and my advice is: do whatever it is you do constantly. Have a schedule and stick to it.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My parents were people with integrity, faith and values. They were both very emphatic in educating me and encourage me to keep on learning always. My mom taught me not to take anything for granted and to value everything that came my way. Both were people that used whatever they had to make something new. When I was a child, Cartagena was a small town where materials were reused over and over again. It was not easy to find supplies, so you had to be creative.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dianabenedetti.com
- Instagram: dianabenedettiartist
