Loretta
Pena
1. Welcome Lore a to The Influx Gallery family. Tell us a li le bit about yourself and where you are from?
I am a self-taught ar st that was born and raised in California, U.S. I am married and have two grown children.
2. Were your family support ive of you deciding to become an ar tist?
To be quite honest, I don’t think they thought much of my art. They thought it was a phase I was going through. That was the feeling I felt while beginning this journey. My sister and my son were the only ones that were truly suppor ve and encouraging. They understood my art and where it was coming from.
3. Was there anything specific that you can remember that made you want to become an ar st? I was around 10 years old when I wanted to enter a drawing compe on. I created a drawing, but never submi ed it. I had issues with having extreme lack of confidence and low self esteem as a child. I always dreamed about becoming an ar st though.
4. Did your schooling or work affect your crea ve development in any way?
Most of my work is inspired by unhappiness at work, and being abused and bullied as a child. So, in answer to your ques ons, yes, work and school played a big part in my crea ve development.
5. When did you first discover the ability to paint?
When I was a small child, I fell in love with art. I knew that I had some kind of talent but was never confident enough, though my artwork was always the art my teachers would use, as inspira on for the other students.
6. How do your wonderful works act as a form of therapy? And what outcome does this form of art therapy have upon your oeuvre of works?
I feel art is my therapist. When I am feeling happy or sad, I pick up a brush and paint my feelings on canvas. I pour every emo on into what I am crea ng. I was never that person who would turn to a girlfriend or a sister when feeling down. I now have my pain ngs as my confidant. My pain ngs know me be er than I know myself.
7. Could you give us a li le teaser as to the process that helps you create such fabulous artworks?
First thing I do every morning is sit in silence for a few minutes and pay a en on to what I am feeling and experiencing. I take notes of the ideas that presented themselves and start pain ng.
8. Where do you get your inspira on and influences from?
I have many ar sts that I love and are inspired by on a daily basis on Instagram and I am not just saying that for likes! I’m truly amazed at so much talent. My early influences were Keith Haring and Andy Warhol. I loved the bold colours and subjects of their art.
9. Do you have any ps for any inspiring painter picking up the brush for the first me?
I would say, don’t listen to the voice in your head that says “what if.” Listen to the voice that says “don’t listen” and paint for you and no one else. Remember that art is subjec ve. Not everyone is going to love your art.
10. Could you tell us a li le bit about how you started your art journey?
I was a stressed out, overworked mess a couple of years ago. My son suggested I start pain ng to relieve stress. It took
a good couple of months before I finally listened to him. I’ve been pain ng ever since and now paint full- me.
11. We love your visually arres ng abstract pain ng. How long does it take you to finish a piece?
It can take anywhere from 6 hours to months of not feeling it’s ready or feeling it’s missing something.