We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Noelia Montaner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Noelia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

If I could go back in time I don’t think I would have started my creative career sooner. I believe that we go through cycles in our life when we are supposed to be doing certain things and while we are doing those things we are also learning and experiencing new challenges that we learn from that eventually catapult us into the next cycle of our life. My background was in elementary education and school administration. I loved those 30 years and that was a great part of my life story. My creativity was used in another area of problem solving and creating opportunities for children and adults. Throughout those years I found my voice not as an artist but as a person. I found what I believe in and what truly matters to me. During that time the artist voice was whispering but not silent. I can remember art courses that I chose to take when I was getting my degree in Elementary Education. Then other art courses I simply took because there was something that drew me to them. My only real regret would be that I wish I would have taken a drawing course when I was younger. However, I have found an amazing school in my area called the Miami International Fine Art school that has helped me further develop my skills. Now my creativity and problem solving goes into my art, in solving the problem of color, value or composition. I love the challenge it poses daily.

Noelia, 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 an educator for most of my adult life. Art was always there for me but I never really gave it a voice, until now. I have discovered a passion in this second part of my life that drives me to create daily. I paint in acrylics, watercolors and oils. As a Latina growing up in Miami in the 70s and 80s the majority of my paintings are inspired from photographs I have taken or a remembered memory. I also like to infuse some of my culture into my art. My favorite thing to paint is people, capturing not just their features but the essence of the person. Interpreting a person I’ve met or an experience I’ve had using my brush is something that wakes me up every morning. I feel that if I do it well enough, all of us can associate with that moment whether it’s a walk on a sandy beach or time spent with family. My people may not look like your people, but if it evokes a familiar feeling and you recognize that, then I have done my job. I also really love vintage items. Sometimes I think I am caught between this world and the past. I love creating paintings with a nostalgic feel. I have always loved research so I usually do quite a bit of research before I create what I call a vintage style art piece.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I had the experience of running my own business for many years before becoming a full time artist. Now being surrounded by so many artists I have a new appreciation and deeper understanding of how their minds work. I feel that society especially large companies would do well with hiring artists to work on their teams. Not necessarily just to create art but for their incredible nonconventional problem solving abilities. I don’t think society in general takes artists as seriously as they should. They think we are just spending our days painting for fun and starving. This is such a false concept. Every artist I know is a business person, marketing their art on top of everything else they have to do daily. What they do not realize is that every day we solve problems. What society doesn’t realize is how innovative we are. We have to construct things many times out of nothing or with a very small budget. We solve space constraints and have to troubleshoot almost constantly. Artists can figure things out in a way most people can’t. Not because most people lack the ability but because they are afraid to let themselves think differently. Artists generally do not put constraints on their imagination so they are better at seeing different solutions to problems. So next time you are having a problem, think about who you know that’s an artist and ask them for advice, you may be surprised by their answer.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

One of my goals is to create art that can be seen all over the world and in public places. I want my art to move people. My mission is to share my story with others. I want to inspire people to create for themselves something that has been in their hearts for a long time, whatever that is. If I can achieve my dreams so can anyone else. As a Latina that has overcome many things throughout my life, I want other women to know they can pursue their dreams as well. I want to tell them to find their voice that it’s never too late to start again or switch paths.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.noeliamontanerart.com
• Instagram: noeliamontanerart22
• Facebook: noeliamontanerart
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/noeliamontanerart
• Youtube: @noeliamontanerart5554