Diana Mendoza

Diana Mendoza was born in Junin, Peru. She attended the National School of Fine Arts in Lima and graduated in 1969 as a Professor of Painting with one of the highest awards ever given in painting and drawing. Before devoting all of her time to painting her famous “modern icons”, she worked as a teacher and as a designer. Her unique style, and the beauty, skill, and sensitivity with which she paints her subjects, have won her international acclaim and many devoted collectors. Her experiences as a mother of three children have had a profound impact on her life and work, and she often explores the powerful and complex bond between mother and child in her paintings. She believes that “viewers relate to my paintings because they touch their inner emotions about their own relationship with their mother or child. ”Diana explains, “In general, I try to project the complex sentiment of love through my paintings. I believe in love, and the sensitive and beautiful figures I portray are designed to send a message of love. Life is intricate and hard, but I believe that if we offer unconditional love, we can find happiness.”

“I admire many classical artists and was strongly influenced by several, including Boticelli, Girlandajo, Bouguereau and Klimt. To me, Boticelli was the first master to project an image of perfection combined with a sacred aura that allowed him to paint angelic faces. From Girlandajo I took exceptional composition, elaborate décor, and architectural technique. Bouguereau gave me a sense of humanity, and the beauty if the human figure, like no other artist. Finally, Klimt inspired me in the use of gold in a contemporary painting.”

She adds, “My painting is the result of several factors. The first is my studies at the School of Fine Arts in Lima that gave me the fundamentals to build my work on. The experience I acquired in the studios there was critical because it gave me discipline. Later, my independent, in-depth studies of old European masters and the Cuzco School of painting were very important. Finally, my experience in graphic arts and design provided me with the precision required for the style I use in my work. My technique starts with the preparation of the canvas by hand. It then goes through different stages that include drawing, decoration, and enhancement of the textural quality, and ends with the application of the oil paint that results in work that I hope captures the power of human emotion.