How did you get into art?
I guess the beginning would be my mom. She saw that I was a hyperactive child and instead of giving me computer games she always bought me arts and crafts kits. She always gave me something to do. By the time I was old enough to ask for things, that’s what I would ask for. I was home schooled most of my life. I never had the opportunity to develop in high school art classes. When I got to college I took two key classes that changed my life, figure drawing by Jennifer Basil and Intro to photography by professor Tony Chirinos.
Meet Tesoro Carolina, born in New Orleans and raised in sunny Miami this young artist has always been a Miami girl, with some serious talent….
When did you start to take art serious?
When I was about 19 or 20. I knew when I started college that all I wanted to do was submerge myself in the arts. At first I was really apprehensive and I did not feel like the art world was for everyone, like only blessed prodigy children. Little by little I learned that I can do it, I can do what I like. I quit school and began apprenticing at a tattoo shop, I was able to learn from all different types of artist. I found work with amazing and talented curator Anthony Spinello, whom really opened up my artistic pallet as well as aid my thirst to create art of my own.
What medium did you start out with?
I started with what came easier to me and photography was the first thing that I could do. When I was a young girl I was always fascinated with the fact that you can capture moments like that. It was almost insane. It blew my mind. I started taking pictures and little by little I would just start drawing on the side.
Do you still do photography now?
Yes. My photography is mainly about people. I do not do scenery photography. It is all about portraits. One of my jobs is with the Miami New Times. They send me to events and I take pictures of people having a good time. I love it. I love the interaction with another person. Usually I have to tell them, hey I wanna take your picture, do you mind? And everyone is ready, posing and acting a fool. I love it! I am not really into catching people off guard just because I feel that it’s unfair. Usually people love it. As soon as I ask to take the picture they do not treat me like a stranger anymore. All of a sudden I become like their best friend. That is one of my favorite things.
When did you start painting?
I started painting when I was a young girl . It was not technically good. I would use sharpies and paint the wall. My mom would hate that. When I was five or six I picked up nail polish and painted a wall. I don’t know what gave me the idea but I remember doing it. I have been obsessed with it ever since. When I was 15 I painted a mural in my room without telling anyone.
Obviously you are painting more now and on a serious level. You mentioned your teachers and Anthony Spinello earlier. How did they encourage you?
Huge inspiration. Just by being themselves they encouraged me to be myself, too. When I worked with Anthony Spinello he never said, hey you should draw more. Just by him being himself would make me want to make more art and make me want to do my own thing. He is so strong in who he is that I wanted to be strong in who I was, too.
Many of your paintings and drawings feature women. Could you elaborate?
I always heard about Mother Nature. I always saw her as a womanly figure. All of us women are Mother Nature. All of us have characteristics that are natural. That was one of my biggest inspirations. Nature is a woman. Being a woman inspires me. It is a man’s world but I feel lucky and privileged to be a woman and that is what I want to portray.