Monica Diaz

I attribute my success to trust in myself and maintaining a positive mindset. I believe in being constant in what you're doing and believing in yourself, even when the path isn't easy. For me, it's also been about letting myself be around other artists and learning from everything and everyone around me. I'm a self-taught artist - I didn't study art, I studied architecture, which is part of art but in a different field. Yet I've been able to bring my architectural background into my paintings in a way that makes them unique. You can see the geometric forms, the lines that connect to orders and shapes - it's like a journey. I think my success also comes from the energy I have from being alive and surviving cancer. I wanted to go into this field like I was living the dream, and that passion and gratitude for life drives everything I do. I just follow my heart and trust that I'm going to be successful.

The best career advice I've ever received is to be constant in what you are doing and believe in yourself. Consistency and self-belief have been the foundation of everything I've achieved in my art career. Even though I'm self-taught and came to this field after 30 years in architecture, I've stayed committed to showing up every day, working on my craft, and trusting in my ability to succeed. That advice has carried me through the transition from architecture to art, through my cancer diagnosis and recovery, and into building a new career that truly fulfills me.

My advice to young women entering the art industry is that you have to work every day and go to as many events and exhibitions as you can. For me, this was a new field - I've only been in it for five years, and I've already achieved a lot. I think it's because of my energy from being alive, surviving cancer, and wanting to go into this field like I was living the day and living that dream. Just follow your heart and trust that you are going to be successful. Let yourself be around other artists and learn from them, learn from everything you have around you. Stay constant in what you're doing and believe in yourself. Don't be afraid to start over or reinvent yourself - I left a 30-year career in architecture to pursue my true passion, and it's been worth it.

The biggest challenge in my field right now is that Orlando is still a small art society. The people who live in Orlando are not fully considering art as important, at least not in the way it deserves. I feel like I need to go outside Orlando where art is viewed in a more professional way. The collectors in Orlando always go outside Orlando instead of buying from local artists. I don't know why that happens - I think it's because Miami is too close, so they go to Miami or to other states. But Orlando needs to grow in that part. We need collectors to see our job, see our work. That's the real opportunity - if we can help Orlando's art community grow and get local collectors to recognize and support the talent that's right here in their own city, it would open up so much more for artists like me who are doing professional, meaningful work.

The values most important to me are humility, positivity, and treating everybody equally. I am a very positive person, and I think humility is a good part of who I am. I was raised in a very loving family, and that shaped how I approach both my work and my personal life. I treat everybody equally, no matter who they are or what their background is. These values keep me grounded and guide how I interact with students, fellow artists, clients, and everyone I meet. In my personal life, my two kids are my greatest achievement, and the loving family environment I was raised in continues to influence how I show up in the world every day.