Carina Lomeli

"I am a Xicana artist from Arizona. As an artist/journalist I like to travel the world and express in paintings how humans, nature, and ideas affect each other.

Whenever I see a striking, thought provoking and conceptual image before my eyes I grab a hold of my camera. The image must contain a certain idea or question with just the right mood. If there is a story I will capture it, if the quality is just right, I will paint it. My art comes from my real life in San Francisco and Santiago Tangamandapio, Michoacan Mexico".

My definition of art: The study of expressing my observations through a visual language, under observance of my real and subconscious everyday events. The best way to describe my concepts and my inspirations that determine the kind of work I do, relates explicitly in my mind to what I have experienced through my life and most importantly where I came from.

I grew up in a Spanish speaking household with four other siblings in Orange County. During first grade we left everything and moved to Santiago Tangamandapio Michoacan, Mexico. My dad considered him-self a missionary and wanted to speak the word of god in his hometown. I learned about friends, boys and being myself in this little town of Santiago. I loved animals, jumping, climbing, and it was there that I learned to sing and play the Guitar. Life was simple and fun.

I remember once my dad had to drive back to CA for a retreat, his great charisma and determination made him very much famous and innovative among Spanish Catholics. On his way back a truck threw them off the road, flipping them seven times. While the Driver, (my cousin) got into a coma for about two weeks my dad walked away with only scratches. This happened in Arizona, this sign from God determined where our next home would be. One year later we moved to Glendale, Arizona, starting all over once again, but this time no relatives only religious gatherings. It was here that my social awkwardness penetrated my mind and surfaced to my skin. I did not have friends, except from church, and I was socially secluded from any kinds of music, boys, TV, events and field trips. I had no problem with this as I would devote myself to drawing my fantasies and my dreams while listening to Delila (Soft Rock). Always and still today my themes are of heroine women whether it’s a representation of myself or my strong mother dealing with my dad’s celebrity status as she watches from behind. I was a miserable girl in school, from getting beat up to being called a poor Mexican to having to run after so called friends that always left me behind. I would come straight home, I would look forward to being with my brothers and sisters and the kids we had musical events with, we did accomplish winning a contest for best song and played those favorite songs in front of thousands of people. I have preached my life in front of strangers and I have always fought for what feels right. As we grew stronger as a family we realized religion was only a tool to find our place in society and to develop strong moral values, we started slowly letting go of meetings and our seclusion from society. My first real attempt for this was moving to San Francisco for a study in something that drives me to be a better more organized, involved, socially active person. I feel my mind is full of creativity and is constantly screaming to be released and heard. I have yet to determine which materials work best, but I feel that a good artist can learn to mimic every single form of art presented on their path to full self expression.

History is a fascinating Idea, the ability to learn from other’s mistakes and carry on a legacy. History is all I have to offer, and through my art, the changes of where I am, subconsciously and geographically appear and reveal them selves as I intend to soak into the memory and life of the viewer. “The eyes are the window to the soul,” this told secret by Mr. Di Vinci foresees the impact that art must have upon the viewer. This is what I hope to accomplish not through portraits, but through every day events that capture the struggling uniqueness of mankind.