Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Dos Santos Daly.
Vanessa, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
It all started in 2011, as art therapy. I was studying Psychology in Colombia and took some painting sessions. It was so powerful. It opened me into a new world around creativity and self-expression that I couldn’t find anywhere else. The therapy ended, yet I kept exploring with different mediums.
A lot of things happened on the following years, and “painting” was moved down to the bottom of the to-do list. I won a scholarship to study my Masters in Italy, I moved back to Bogota, and start working within the fast-paced Advertising world.
In 2016, I found the motivation that brought me back to the canvas. Fort McMurray, the Canadian city where my sister lived, was a victim of wildfires. I said to myself. “What can I do? I am so far away”. That weekend, I painted four abstract paintings to raise money for the victims. Suddenly, I discovered the difference between painting as a therapy and creating art for a cause. I felt motivated and set up a studio at my apartment. One day, my mom encouraged me to build my website, and before I knew it, Dos Santos Painting was born.
You may ask, “How did she end up in Fort Worth?”
In December 2016, I traveled to Dallas for the wedding of my best friend. I was one of the bridesmaids, and at the rehearsal, I met Matthew, a groomsman who completely changed my life. We fell in love, got married and started our life together in Fort Worth.
I felt so encouraged by the art movement around Fort Worth and Dallas. Last year, I created @DosSantosPainting Instagram account and started posting about my paintings, the creative process, the causes I support. One thing led to another. Galleries like Fort Works Art, Gallery Dental and the TVAA gallery opened the door to me and people connected with my art and purpose. Today @DosSantosPainting is a community of 5.5K followers who love art, traveling, social causes.
Isn’t life an unexpected journey?
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My work is abstract and originates from my Psychology background along with a decade of cultural exchanges around the world. I started painting my travel experiences with acrylic and oil. I just wanted to show the world the beauty and the colors of cultural diversity.
At my first exhibition, “The Hues of the World”, people traveled abroad through the paintings. Each canvas was inspired by destinations I have visited. I wanted people to get lost from reality for a few moments in this exhibit. One lady said to me looking at a painting “I don’t know where in the world it is, but I want to be there right now”, I said, “mission accomplished”.
For my second exhibition, which is a work in progress, I am digging deeper and exploring with some Psychology concepts like Jung’s archetypes.
Through my work the essence stays the same: creating emotions; especially emotions that lead to cultural tolerance, creativity, and self-awareness.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
I think each artist has a different measure of success. I personally associate success with creating a positive impact on more and more people. I would love becoming an international artist that creates meaningful paintings and supports different organizations around the world.
As an immigrant from Venezuela, I can’t be successful and watch my people or people from other countries living through a tough situation and just do nothing. That’s my “why”. I think, knowing your “why” as an artist is essential to reach success.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Supporting Dos Santos Painting is supporting social causes. Currently, a portion of the artworks profits goes to Ladder Alliance, a non-profit that empowers women that fall victim of domestic violence and help low–income women with the educational tools.
You can find some of my artworks exhibited at:
Dallas: Texas Visual Arts Association Gallery.
North Richland Hills: Gallery Dental.
All the artworks and products are available online:
– Instagram: @dossantospainting
– Dos Santos Clothing Collection: https://dossantos.kincustom.com/
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dossantospainting.com
- Phone: 6823301627
- Email: vanessa.dossantosd@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dossantospainting/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dossantospainting/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DosSantosPainting
Image Credit:
Shannon McDonald
@shannonmcdee_photography
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