Interview with Voyage ATL

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December 12, 2024

Today we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Diaz Martinez

Hi Pamela, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My mom taught me how to draw when I was around 5 or 6 years old and have loved it ever since. I always knew I would do something creative but wasn’t sure in my formative years what I would pursue. It became clear that I didn’t know how to make money as an artist and would need to secure a teaching job until I acquired business acumen or had the courage to live off of my art. Eventually, poco a poco, I started showing my artwork in clothing boutiques, small arts institutions and later on I began the gallery and museum art path. Since then, my career has taken so many turns that I thought were unique twists. For awhile, I was showing in Hispanic Only shows and institutions. I never thought I would work in fashion under a bespoke shoe designer doing drawings for client projects. I’ve taught almost every age person, due to the need to make money and survive. Recently, I opened my own contemplative art space and am teaching high school again after leaving the community college art education scene.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road but compared to some, it has. I was never homeless, thank God, although I did live on a friend’s couch for a short time after finishing grad school and transitioning into single life after a divorce. That was brutal but necessary.

A big struggle that most artists contend with is that art schools tend to not teach their students how to make money, maintain clients, close deals, maintain records and provenance, so, I had to pick it up along the way. I had not planned on working in fashion, but for me, it was the quickest way to observe and implement how to run a luxury business. It took me 5 years to feel confident on my own.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
If I am known for anything, I am known for making contemporary biblical drawings and paintings about the Holy Spirit and other biblical narratives. To quote a friend, fellow artist and art professor, “tell me what your crazy ass drawings are about?” In my opinion, his comment was the greatest compliment. If his response was less than that, I would not be breaking open people’s expectations of what it means to make Holy, God respectable art. My drawings and paintings tend to be unpredictable, unsettling, provocative, funny, dark, light hearted and stirring. I am only capable of being all those things at once because I rely on God to work with my limitations and failings to produce art above my skill level.

What’s next?
My plans for the future are to go to the Olympics in 2028 if the International Olympic Committee allows art back into the Olympics. I want to show my work on an international stage in art fairs, galleries and art spaces outside of the United States. Hosting more and more people in my own personal art space is a goal as well and I hope to be a part of an artist collective sharing our work with the world. Lastly, I am very hopeful about the future and I believe that my contemporary biblical art is on the brink of explosion. The whole world needs hope and God has given me a rattling message that will linger in people for the better, forever.

Pricing:

  • Nascent Flesh #1 $1500

  • Nascent Flesh #3 $1500

  • Nascent Flesh #17 $1500

Article Bold Journey 2024

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Meet Pamela Diaz Martinez

April 30, 2024

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Pamela Diaz Martinez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Pamela below.

Pamela, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I quit teaching college and picked up an internship and eventually a job working in fashion. Men’s and women’s bespoke shoes became my creative outlet while getting experience in a field other than contemporary art. Imposter syndrome started with many feelings of not having much to say about art except having a few exhibitions. I felt that my limited experience wasn’t enough for my college students, so I quit.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m a West coast, public school girl through and through. I went to a public high school in Arizona and got my Master of Fine Arts degree at Arizona State University. I received my undergraduate degree in education from Northern Arizona University and since then I’ve taught most ages K-12 and college aged students. However, high schoolers have been my favorite for quite some time now. Since 2015 Atlanta, Georgia has been a great home for me personally and is now home to my own contemporary art gallery that is dedicated to spiritual contemplation.

D U N A M I S art space was inspired by the Sistine Chapel, Rothko Chapel and Austin, a chapel by artist Ellsworth Kelly. D U N A M I S art space opened to the public, October of 2023.

Additionally, for the last 10 years I have been making art that was inspired by a small niche of historically religious works of art from the 17th century. The Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Baroque master Lorenzo Bernini is my inspirational art grandfather who anchored my own work to art history. Bernini shocked his community with a provocative sculpture of a 16th century, Spanish mystic, Saint Teresa. She is known for her writings about her experience with God and Bernini made it available to the world visually.

Most of my artwork has been dedicated to my personal experience with God that has been explained in two verses of the Bible. Each verse says how the Holy Spirit is a shape shifter using wind and fire to bring people to faith. But, then the Pandemic hit. I had to take a break from my studio work and used drawing for the first time in my life as a healing tool. Once per week I would randomly select verses in the Bible to help myself and others to have faith during a very trying time. This practice changed my drawings forever. Because I could not focus for long periods of time, I made drawings with crayons and Pandemic anxiety. It loosened up my drawing style and I consider them sprints, 15-30 minutes drawings on random sheets of paper that I happened to have around in my studio. No over thinking to produce a work of art, which helped me to abandon pretense. My raw thoughts and emotions are now being captured in the way that I make art more so than before the Pandemic.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Be teachable, work hard and be kind.

I believe that the best life on earth is a balance between getting an education, having experiences and devoting oneself to intentional spirituality. A good life requires being teachable, being kind and working hard. But, spirituality (mental health) is just as important if not more important than skills or knowledge. A spiritual set of rules will produce desirable qualities. God is the source of our purpose. Primarily, if you focus on your relationship with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit you will find God’s purpose for your life. It’s not the same as arriving at a purpose with effort and talent. Everyone has a purpose for good, but most people never get to their spiritual purpose.

First of all, if you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, ask Him to help you get there. Secondly, ask your friends, teachers, parents, anyone who knows you to tell you what makes you mentally, physically, spiritually unique and then day by day, you can make your way listening to the Holy Spirit for guidance. It takes intentional practice applying practical biblical concepts to your life, but as you try, with consistency over time and complete dedication, you will see God directing your decisions, thoughts and path.

Lastly, accountability in a community is very important to spiritual growth, otherwise, we can deceive ourselves into thinking we are on the right path. A path in life chosen by you is not the same as God’s path for you. Have fun with it too. God is funny.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I love to collab with all types of creatives and non-creatives alike. The type of people I want to work with now are people who are passionate about what they do and that have a positive attitude toward life and ideally want to make God visible to a wide audience. Specifically, right now I am looking to work with a musician, rug designer, an embroidery master, an architect, seamstress, furniture designers and more interior designers. I’m also open to anyone who has great ideas. If you are reading this, reach out, let’s work together.

Boldjourney.com

Art In The Time of Corona→

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Global online exhibition curated by Yessica Torres titled, “Art In The Time of Corona”.

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Image above can be purchased at Artsy.net

"SCRIPTURE, AKA PEACE IS A FUZZY BALL"

Jesus in this drawing is sending Judas holy thought balls of love and comfort to prevent him from taking matters into his own hands because of the guilt he probably felt after betraying Jesus, a.k.a. God, for a measly 30 pieces of silver.

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The Dab Art Co. has launched an exclusive and unprecedented art project called ART IN THE TIME OF CORONA™. This 3 year long comprehensive project includes an ongoing online exhibition, a full color publication of all selected works (published yearly), a multi-gallery international exhibition and a documentary film on the first year of the project (the film will be screened in Los Angeles). 

Director and curator in chief Yessíca Torres wrote and released an essay about the importance of art and artists in a turbulent time. For almost 10 years Yessíca’s passion for contemporary art and commitment to the exploration of the artist process have been reflected in her gallery program, taking a progressive and in some ways rebellious approach to art exhibitions. Her mission with ART IN THE TIME OF CORONA™ proposes an unconventional solution to keeping contemporary art relevant, propelling the art experience forward and promoting the valuable role artists will play in this time of global crisis.

The goal of this innovative project is to record and exhibit (in real time) defining artwork created during civil uncertainty. Her hope is to unite viewers and help them find the sanctity, comfort and inspiration needed to heal a world in turmoil.

We are hopeful as a company and as members of our respective communities, that when current mandates and quarantines are lifted, our resilience as artists will be the foundation for social unity.

This project consists of 3 phases and will be ongoing from 2020 thru 2023. 

PHASE 3

Once the online exhibit concludes in December, the Dab Art Co. curators will collectively make selections for a multi gallery 8 week exhibition to be held simultaneously in 3 cities at all the Dab Art Co. Galleries; Los Angeles, Ventura and Mexico City. Our gallery exhibitions for VOL.3 (Year 3) will begin in May 2022.

The Dab Art Co. film production team has already started working on the Year 3 documentary film accompanying this project. We will be asking for artist participation, gathering footage and stories as the year progresses. Dab Art Co. is committed to completing this art documentary in time hold a special screening in March when the gallery exhibits are on display. The debut screening will be an event open to public and held in Los Angeles, California.