Artist Alex Mijares sees the relationship between the individual and the way their presence alters the overall energy of an environment in a very unique way. This Miami native has a talent for portraying the emotion and vibrant flavor of human beings (mostly women) with a lively blend of colors that come together in a psychedelic yet elegant style.
His paintings bleed with his passion for the wondrous yet mysterious settings that bring out the beauty of human interaction. Always an artist, Alex has converted his adolescent interest in sketching and graffiti into a desire to show the world what a gloriously animated circus of shapes we encounter each day.
Perhaps what drives Mijares to create is his hard working nature derived from his experiences running a family business, completing his MBA and traveling the world for new inspiration all at the same time. Elite recently interviewed this up and coming artist to find out more about his views on the art world and how his career path has effected his life.
Who are the people that inspired you to follow your dreams?
My family has always been a huge support system for me, so with them and all of my close friends behind me I’ve really been inspired to forge ahead in my career. The key players who really taught me about art and the art world who also gave me a big push were Alex Cesaria (owner of Unix Fine Art Gallery) and my close friend, art collector Tommy Morrison.
Was there a turning point in your life that led to your current direction?
Believe it or not, I was working in the manufacturing industry and had just finished my Masters in Business Administration when I moved in to an apartment and was looking for art for my place. The prices for the size I needed were outrageous, so I said to myself ‘I’ll just go paint my own painting.’ I ended up going to a store and buying a roll of canvas, one brush and some paint and painted my first piece. It was 5 x 4 feet, and the best part was that the paint kept bleeding and I had no clue why. I came to find out once I had finished that I had painted on the wrong side of the canvas, the side that was not primed. So that was an experience! And since then I have been hooked.
What kind of training and preparation have you gone through?
I’m self-taught. I only started painting a little over a year ago. And since then, I have held several sold-out shows.
What is your biggest tip of advice for artists?
Believe in yourself and it will translate through your art. Also, don’t try to compare yourself to other artists, you are you and your art and talent is based on how you see things. Showing others how you view something is the special part.
5, 10, 50 years down the line when you've achieved everything you aspire for today, where do you see yourself?
I want to be able to travel all over the world and spend some time in each location and paint. That way, I can constantly fill my work with experiences and the beautiful colors of the world. I tell people that my art is my diary.
Whose career inspires you the most?
I haven’t figured that out yet.
Preston Waters | Elite.
