Today we’d like to introduce you to Angel Alvarez.
Hi Angel, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been drawing since I could hold a crayon. Growing up, I was always “the artist,” and creativity was how I understood the world around me. Disney animation and classic illustration played a huge role in shaping my imagination early on, especially the way stories and emotion were communicated through art.
My path to becoming a professional artist definitely wasn’t linear. For many years, art lived alongside family life and other professional responsibilities. I painted whenever I could, slowly building a strong foundation in traditional drawing and oil painting while searching for a clear artistic voice. Over time, my focus shifted toward storytelling — creating images that feel like moments pulled from a larger narrative.
In the past few years, everything began to align: my technical growth, my confidence, and a clearer sense of what I wanted my work to say. That led to opportunities and, most recently, becoming an officially licensed Disney Fine Artist — a milestone that feels especially meaningful given how influential Disney was in my early life.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been smooth. One of the biggest struggles has been self-doubt and fear—questioning whether I was good enough, or whether I had missed my window by not pursuing art full-time earlier in life. Time was another challenge, especially while raising a family and balancing other responsibilities.
There were long stretches where progress felt painfully slow, and it was tempting to compare myself to others. What helped me push through was consistency. I learned to focus on steady improvement rather than outcomes, trusting that simply showing up every day would eventually compound into something meaningful.
I’ve also always carried this burning desire to improve—to push myself further with each piece. That drive is both a curse and a blessing. At times it fuels doubt and restlessness, but it’s also the force that keeps the work moving forward, pushing through the hardships that every artist inevitably faces.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a fine artist working primarily in oil paint, specializing in imaginative, story-driven work. My paintings often feature expressive characters, subtle humor, and a sense of warmth and wonder. Whether I’m creating Disney Fine Art or personal pieces, storytelling is always at the center of the image.
What I’m most proud of is staying true to my own voice. Rather than chasing trends, every image I create is first and foremost meant to excite and move me. I focus on making work that feels emotionally honest and deeply connected to the sense of imagination and joy I experienced as a child.
What sets my work apart is the emphasis on expression, narrative, and connection between characters. I want the viewer to sense that the characters are thinking and feeling — that they share relationships and inner lives. My goal is for each painting to feel like a moment frozen in time, inviting the viewer to imagine what came before and what might happen next.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is creating work that helps people reconnect with a sense of wonder — especially the kind we often lose as adults. I believe imagination, kindness, and storytelling are essential, not just for children, but for everyone. My paintings are meant for the child in all of us — that part of us that once saw the world with curiosity, joy, and possibility.
When I paint, I’m actively reconnecting with the feelings I had as a child — the excitement of discovery, the comfort of familiar characters, and the freedom to imagine without limits. That joy is very real for me, and I try to embed it into every image I create. In that sense, painting becomes both an act of remembering and an act of sharing.
Art, for me, is ultimately about connection. If someone pauses, smiles, feels a sense of nostalgia, or sees a piece of themselves reflected in one of my paintings, then the work has done its job. That emotional resonance — that quiet moment where art reminds us who we are — is what keeps me creating.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://angelmalvarez.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelmalvarezart/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angel.alvarez.10048379/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@angelmalvarezart
- Other: https://disneyfineart.com
Image Credits
The Disney Images are Copyrighted Disney
