We were lucky to catch up with Mark Diaz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mark, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

The Risks for me have come in all sizes related to my art. The first risk i took came at young age when i entered my first Art contest. Looking back it was a big risk but didn’t realize the magnitude of it until i showed up to do it. We had to do a live painting on a business window on a busy Mainstreet in University Park back in Lincoln Nebraska. I was prob in 4th grade I think. It was the first time i was put into an environment with other artist and being judged for my work. In the world we live in today it’s even more difficult. With social media we are constantly being judged. It is still difficult when you put your Art out there to be seen…it’s like you’re stepping out on a stage alone with nowhere to hide. I think the biggest challenge is to not take criticism personal. Look at it in a constructive way as feedback and grow from it. It’s important to accept the fact that not everyone is going to love your ART…that’s ok!…What make Art beautiful is that it comes in all shapes and sizes. As an Artist I really believe it’s important to understand that and stay true to yourself do what and do what you love and the rest will take care of itself.

Mark, 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?

The Artist in me in is a part of my DNA. My grandfather was a great artist and his talent was passed down from my Dad to me. It was something to came easy to me in my younger years. When I started college education my intention was to be an Art major, due to the conflict with College athletics I was encouraged to change my field of study. After I graduated College I finally was able to pursue my passion and enrolled in a Art / Design school in Colorado. I struggled in finding a path to make a living in Art/ Design and became impatient and took a sales job. Fast forward 20-25 years….Yes I put it on the shelf and immersed myself into a sales career and life happened. I credit my wife Vicki for the encouragement to start painting again. This happened about 10 years ago. I quickly realized how much i missed it and found myself spending more and more time researching artist, learning as much as i could about the business. I visited Artist studios, attended shows, met with as many artists as I could to learn as much as possible. Through all of this I have met a lot of great people and been exposed to many new styles to help me grow as an artist. If there is one thing i have taken away from my re-engagement to art, it would be not to get too caught up with any criticism around what you do. Stay grounded, take risks and be true to yourself and your style will come…it will go through changes and will definitely come with it’s challenges…that’s just life…but that’s when growth happens. I look back over my portfolio from time to time and you can see the growth in my work….at times you don’t even realize it’s happening.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission or goal as a creative is to continue to remind myself that the process is sometimes easy but most often can include a lot of frustration, Trial and error comes with the territory as an artist. We are problem solver throughout the creative process.
One thing that i am getting better at is identifying when i am at point of frustration with a project, where i want to quit and start over. This can be a very critical moment. At this stage I have learned to not give up so easily and push myself. It never fails if I am able to push through, those projects often end up being my best work. Once I finish a difficult project I like to reflect back on the process. It reminds me to embrace the difficultly that can come with being an artist and can be a critical part of growth in the process.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, commissioned work is the most rewarding. First of all, it’s very flattering to be sought out to do a special project for someone. To be able to compile as much information as possible from the client and then be trusted to add my creative touches. It can be a little stressful leading up to the reveal when you are waiting for the validation that you have met the client’s expectations. The “reveal” moment is so emotionally rewarding and priceless. The experience never gets old.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mdartshow.com
• Instagram: mrd50
• Facebook: Mark Diaz
• Linkedin: n/a
• Twitter: n/a
• Youtube: @mdartshow2654
• Yelp: n/a
• Soundcloud: n/a

Image Credits

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