Today we’d like to introduce you to Lina Oliveros.
Hi Lina, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I am a passionate artist of Contemporary Fine Art. I am a native of Colombia raised in the United States; I have Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), and ART is simply a huge part of my life tools – ArtRx! I can’t imagine life without art, and it has been such since I was a child.
My background is a fusion of Colombian and American roots and traditions. I pride myself in working on providing contemporary art services to the community in the form of photography, paintings, and drawings. As a Christian artist, I take my artistry with love and responsibility, providing the best service a follower of Jesus Christ should exemplify.
Through my art; I strive to bring awareness to important issues about God, mental health and healing, diversity, nature, wildlife, and life. I am also a federal employee that loves to serve our country; I have a background in Marine Biology and Environmental Science & Policy – plenty of the muse of my art comes from here.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Besides having clear goals, staying authentic to who I am and sticking to my core values has been my motto. When it comes to art, there are many grey areas that can cross boundaries that I do not cross. I stay true to what I believe and what I can be proud of. I mostly do intuitive work and follow my own rules; I do what I am inspired on doing and not what society dictates or even what sells the most. I follow my own pace and take breaks as needed – including sometimes taking social media breaks to fully regain perspective in life and taking vacations to keep getting inspiration from other cultures and places.
My journey has been far from smooth, but I would not have it any other way. In my way of self-expression, healing, and self-acceptance; there have been numerous ups and downs, where I had used art in various forms to process emotions and connect to myself at a deeper level. The usage of art as a tool to live life and process it better has dramatically changed my life! Especially for me, given that having ADHD makes you experience life differently; I live life and feel it deeper, emotions are felt stronger, and healing can be more challenging! As a result of my success in using art as a life tool, I now offer classes that merge art, healing, and spirituality to facilitate these processes that are unique to each person. I strongly recommend it to anyone to use art to process life!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love to do custom art to integrate my client’s vision into a final masterpiece that has some of my personality and their vision. I have a high appreciation for fine materials, and I also adore nice, recycled materials – reusing and repurposing is fascinating to me. I love monochromatic pieces, minimalistic and abstract looks, and textures. I love to create art for everyone, from those with a low budget all the way to those that can afford high-end-scale art. I do not tend to keep much inventory; as I tend to work more by orders instead, and I am a strong believer in quality over quantity.
I love black and white photography – a classy look that does not goes out of style. I still do color photography and find it beautiful as well. I take the editing process very seriously; I do not like to rush the process; I review every photo meticulously – making sure the right angles and tones are chosen to highlight the image’s best potential. I see life through the lens, I love capturing special moments, wildlife and nature, fashion, and life in general. There is something very special about our ability to capture one moment in time and space, leaving it in total stillness through an image.
I love when my clients are happy with their photos and art pieces, it brings me joy to see their smiles and gratitude – that will never get old to me, it is simply priceless.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Covid-19 Crisis was a reminder of how fragile and short life is. It reinforced my need to really live life and not postpone it for tomorrow, as tomorrow is never guaranteed. It reminded me how important is to treasure our family and relationships in general. Most importantly, I was grateful to be a believer that could rely on my faith during one of the most daunting times a generation faced collectively.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
For me happiness is temporary; while Joy is a long-lasting feeling – I strive to seek joy in my walk of life.
What gives me Joy: is God, Peace, Nature, Wildlife, Art, Music, Laughter, Dark Chocolate, Simplicity, Family, Friends, Good Relationships, Acceptance, Staying in the Moment, and The Living Word.
I think joy is a daily choice of how we react to life. Depending on how we are as a whole, physically, financially, and spiritually; we can have the capacity to choose joy – which is experienced within and it can’t be bought with things – like happiness. The primary source of my joy comes from God that lives within me and guides me every day through life, there is no way I can experience joy without Him and His Light.
Is there any pricing information that you wish our readers to know?
Before we get to business, people first. I want to share that this is my first year being able to provide a percentage of my proceeds to a cause that is close to my heart; children in the foster care system! I feel beyond blessed to be in a place to be able to do this. I am also open to finding collaborations that will bring more funds to this cause and wildlife conservation. If you are reading this and have a way that we can work together to bring funds to these causes, reach out and let’s make it happen!
I offer prices and packages starting in the hundred to the thousands depending on the art piece or photoshoots. On my website, you can see starting prices for some of my work.
Most importantly, if you like my work and style, we can always come to a nice agreement that works well for both of us!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.linaoliveros.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lina_m_oliveros/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisualArtsbyLinaOliveros
Image Credits
Lina Oliveros
Yanni Velez
