Studio Visit with Fior De La Cruz - Inside Art with Michael Rose

Studio Visit with Fior De La Cruz - Inside Art with Michael Rose

 

The COVID era has impacted many local creatives. For emerging artist Fior De La Cruz, changes brought on by the pandemic meant a shift in career path and a renewed focus on art-making. In her active studio at Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket, De La Cruz creates with a style entirely her own. On a recent studio visit, the artist’s passion for creating and sharing was on full display.

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In a short space of time, De La Cruz has established herself as a collegial and community-focused artist who seeks to make connections between peers and introduce more people to the joy of making art. Raised in Cranston, De La Cruz had an interest in visual art from an early age and in high school participated in a Congressional Art Competition. She went on to study Fashion Merchandising at Johnson and Wales, where she graduated in 2019. Early in her career, the pandemic hit and she was forced to shift her focus from an industry job. She chose to pursue her passion for painting and has exhibited her work in exhibitions and festivals throughout the area.

 

 

Although her work as an artist may seem to diverge from her education in fashion, De La Cruz finds that there are many connections between the two. Asked how many elements overlap between her training and her practice as a painter, she states, “Now that I'm thinking about it, surprisingly a lot! My favorite part of fashion school was learning about textiles. With my practice, a big overlap is the assembling process. I get to play with fabrics all of the time! In this case, it's mostly canvas though. While stretching out most of the canvases, I'll have to measure out how much fabric I need and cut. At times, I'm left with scraps so I reuse those to make other items like bookmarks and paintings. It's definitely not as complex as textiles class, but it's cutting it close (pun not intended).”

 

She goes on to say, “Oh, and my whole life learning about color theory. Choosing colors for paintings is like second nature now. Other important things like - Visually merchandising my booth for markets, pricing my artwork for galleries and wholesale price, buying materials for projects and finding the items that are most cost effective.”

 

 

Asked what brought her to Hope Artiste Village and what she enjoys most about the community she’s found there, De La Cruz says, “When I started creating again, the one thing I’ve always wanted for myself is to meet a bunch of like-minded artists and have "art friends". I feel like having a space here has helped with that! I was able to create a comfy and safe creative space for not just myself, but for others to come together to fuel each other's creative energy. The art journey can sometimes feel a little bit lonely and difficult to navigate. But when you have other creatives in the same space, you'll feel seen. I love being here. For the most part folks keep to themselves but if you stop and chat, they are usually very energetic and kind!”

 

Reflecting on the broader Rhode Island art scene, De La Cruz’s outlook is also characteristically positive. She says, “It's small and growing, just like the state! But with it being small, it has its pros. There are so many new markets and festivals now, that it makes it easier to meet other creatives, appreciators of art, and collectors. Also, the folks I've come across so far are friendly and I'm constantly blown away by seeing their talents and the passion within their work.”

 

 

Looking ahead to 2023, De La Cruz is excitedly pursuing a range of new projects. Among these is a planned collaboration for a solo exhibition with Monument Square Arts in Woonsocket.

 

De La Cruz also aims to leverage her strong sense for artistic camaraderie in the new year. She says, “With these new projects there will be more collaborations with other artists. I am also working on a collection for my first solo exhibit (aside from "glow nights" I host in my studio). This year, a goal of mine is to host artist hangouts in different creative spaces and artist studios. These gatherings will be for creatives to share ideas, resources, set art goals, and to help motivate each other to reach these goals. So, if you're a creative and interested in finding more creatives, I will be posting dates on my social media soon!”

 

Fior De La Cruz is a young artist to watch, and one whose Pawtucket art studio is an energetic center for her own compelling creative journey.

 

Learn more about De La Cruz at her website www.fiordelacruz.com or on Instagram at @fiormdelacruz.