We recently connected with Luisa Otero-Prada and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Luisa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Every project is special, I would say “The Doors of North St Louis” was very touching, I was invited to be one of the artists who painted the doors but also to coordinate the project. This was a project of PEACE Weaving Wholeness, an organization directed by Dr Paulette Sankofa located in the Old North Neighborhood of St Louis City. The project purpose was to beautify the neighborhood, it was carried out during Covid, June to August 2020 so the purpose took a turn and then it was to uplift and connect with the community from a distance during this time. We were painting outside of the doors, around 30 total, we never saw the people behind doors up close, it was nice to see how they came out to see what we did at the end of the day when we were far away; a lot of them were seniors who lived alone.

Luisa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born in Colombia, I grew up in a family that cherished art and has many members that were in the arts field, my aunt, Cecilia Prada, is a professional artist an advocate for children art and a founder of a children arts academy, I had the opportunity to be one of the children who attended her place for a few years; I was 11 years old when my aunt was commissioned to design and executed a huge mural in the city with the academy children as artists, it was a marvelous experience, I was a child artist ! When it was time for me to choose a career, I chose to study Architecture, my father is an architect and I enjoyed going to construction sites when I was a little girl. Life brought me to the US in 2001, I came to live in St Louis in 2004.

I decided to become an independent artist in 2012, a few years after I was invited to do the Community Arts Institute. The CAT, as we call it, changed the perspective of what an artist can do in a community, and I loved that.

As to this moment my main medium has been Acrylic on Canvas, I like to paint in large formats and nature is my inspiration, you can say that I love flowers, I also love to paint leaves but what captures me most are the patterns; I think I paint portraits of flowers and plants.
In my community arts practice, I have been a facilitator of art activities and workshops at museums as the Missouri History Museum, Contemporary Art Museum and St Louis Art Museum; I have been an art teacher for organizations as PEACE weaving Wholeness, Artscope, St Louis Village and Hispanic Festival.
Murals have been a great practice in the last years, I loved that I remember every step of the process when I painted murals with my aunt and it has been great to connect with my inner girl and the artist that I was then with the artist that I am now.
I am very proud of the mural projects where I have participated: The Latinx artists mural called “Building Bridges ” and The Delmar Main St murals among others. I like the creation process and as a result bringing a part of me to an audience. I take commissions of paintings and portraits.
I want to grow and evolve as an artist and to be an advocate of the arts for children and youth and work to bring art to those who don’t have the opportunity to have art experiences early in their lives.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Yes, when my son Nicolas was born life changed, he has a neurogenetic condition called Angelman Syndrome and Autism. It has been a journey with challenges and rewards. Now 26 years later, it is incredible to see all that we have gone through because we didn’t have a diagnosis right away, it took 6 years and moving from our Country to find what his condition was, it has been a learning journey.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Everyone loves art; however, art is not valued as it should. Even when we have great museums and art events in our culture art is considered a hobby especially for those who do not create, art is only measured by success but there is a total disconnect because success comes from a process that requires time, practice and discipline.

Sometimes parents see art for children as a way to pass the time and distract themselves, not knowing how important art could be for brain development, motor and social skills, confidence and self-esteem.
Art should be considered an important and essential part of education and society should take artists as professionals that can contribute to businesses, corporations and government.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: @oteropradaart
• Facebook: Otero Prada LLC
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luferotero/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisa-otero-prada-96522922b
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@luisaoteroprada88