Today we’d like to introduce you to Alya Perez
Hi Alya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In my early years I was met with a lot of artistic exposure to various medias, cultures, sounds, and esoteric studies. A home that was complex but provided me with the exposure to the various ways art can be expressed. I truthfully wasn’t provided the emotional support to pursue art in the ways I do now and wish to for my future. Which through holistic healing, astrology, and showing up as an artist in community spaces has shown me that my development as an artist is my timing.
My story has many layers, much like a painting, much like a painting you cannot rush these layers that are being developed.
That is where I am today, I am now in a process of finding my lens as an artist, developing my techniques, as well as studying art. I am grateful that even as a painter who is not the best painter that I am surrounded by people, places, and opportunities to become the best version of the artist I wish to be.
After a series flea markets, festivals, and vending this past summer (2024)-I realized the value in showing up confidently even if you aren’t the best because its an accumulative process because communities and individuals need artists of all levels to be present. I realized the seriousness of how I want to approach my art and how in this realization I had to make peace with a few things.
1. The timing of which I am growing as an artist is my journey–meaning not to get caught up in comparison mode with others works.
2. Development takes time and space which you cannot rush especially if you want your art to capture the voice within that is connected to source.
3. Patience with big bodies of work is necessary especially if you want to have consistently good work not just one piece that is great but cannot stay in that stream of skill.
Today, I own that I am developing as an artist in this large world full of incredible creators.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
What road is smooth? Especially when there are many paths to walk. One of my biggest challenges was/is– finding the personal power and belief–to commit to art.
It is easy for artists of many generations to get sucked into the comparison mode that social media can mirror, especially when individuals weren’t shown support in their childhood.
It’s not intentional but human.
We don’t mean to be so hard on ourselves as artist but when you have vision, belief, and a deep knowing you are born to bring large bodies of art into the world its almost as if becoming your own worst enemy is the struggle.
I know that for me I had to take a step back from consumption and sink further into practice as well as contemplation. I had to make peace with missing out on events to build my art and my inner voice.
Now that I am finding that inner voice more clearly, I also had to commit to art. Not as a hobby but as a devotion that is bigger than me. When you know something deeply in your soul–being a multidisciplinary artist–you realize there’s a sort of surrender necessary to become that, it is when the obstacles become less outside and you unravel the obstacles within.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a being of many faces, I have always done had multiple ways to gain resources. Pole dancing being one of my main mediums as sources of income which has supported my endeavors of selling paintings, teaching yoga/healing classes, and providing astrological knowledge.
I didn’t start selling commission paintings till this past summer, I had done flea markets and small local events casually selling pieces I made out of hobby–however this past summer deeply transformed my perception of art, as well as my personal creations.
I also have been apart of a few collaborative projects and performances that are doing well which brings me much joy as well as expanded my capacity even further to realize how much talent is around me, inspiring me to do better.
I am most proud of my piece “What’s in ya brain Kendrick?” a piece that I believe is a style I want to continue but again providing myself space to create consistently.
What’s next?
Honestly, my intention as of now for the future is to be as present as possible in the now. Trusting that what I am doing now will accumulate to being able to impact groups of people outside of myself through art, holistic healing, and astrology.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/3mpzworks/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_alyaperez/ and https://www.instagram.com/_3mpz.works/
