The Art of Love: A Journey of Passion and Transformation
Updated: May 5
My name is Ariel Quiroz, a Chilean-born artist now living in Maui. I am an independent artist passionate about sharing my love for art with others. Embark with me on my lifelong voyage, where I share my deeply personal journey as an artist, driven by love, passion, and transformation. During my life, I've found that art has an incredible connection with love, and this has deeply influenced my personal and artistic development.
As you venture through this journey, you'll witness how the intertwining themes of love, intuition, and beauty have influenced my artistic evolution and guided me to a life of joy, inspiration, and fulfillment.
Early Beginnings and Education
Born in Chile under a dictatorship and amidst extreme poverty, I feared not poverty itself, but the lack of education that my parents had experienced. At the age of 13, I realized that I wanted to pursue a professional career in art. This passion led me to apply and be accepted into the prestigious L.E.A. Art School, an alternative school dedicated to nurturing the talents of young artists. I remember my pride and excitement when I received the acceptance letter, knowing that only 11 of 300 kids qualified that year, this opportunity would change the course of my life.
My time at L.E.A. provided me with a strong foundation in visual art techniques, specializing in painting and graphic arts. I made friends from different social backgrounds and artistic disciplines, and I learned from them as much as I learned from our art teachers. This education set me on a path toward a career in art, and in 2006, I graduated with a degree in Visual Art from UPLA University. In 2010, I earned two more bachelor's degrees, one in Education and the other in High School Art Teaching from U.N.A.B. University. Although I have taught private classes, I have not yet had the opportunity to work as a high school teacher. I still vividly recall the sense of accomplishment I felt as I receive my diplomas, knowing that I had overcome numerous obstacles to reach that point.
First Steps as a Professional Artist
Throughout my journey, I have held various jobs since childhood in order to support myself and fund my education. It wasn't until I began drawing caricatures on the streets of Viña del Mar, Chile that I earned my first income as an artist. This experience solidified my passion for art and motivated me to continue pursuing a career as a professional artist. I'll never forget the first time someone handed me money for my work; the realization that I could earn a living doing what I loved was both exhilarating and humbling.
From Chile, my journey took me to Brazil, where I continued to explore and develop my artistic skills. In Brazil, I got new experiences, challenges, and opportunities to grow as an artist and as a person. One of my favorite memories from Brazil is doing live portraits alongside fellow artists on the vibrant Calçadão de Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, soaking in the local culture and exchanging ideas and techniques.
My early works primarily focused on realistic portraits, showcasing my skills in capturing the essence of each subject.
Evolving Artistic Style
As I relocated to Maui, my artistic style evolved, as I began to integrate Animals, Hula Dancers, and Lovers into Hawaiian landscapes, capturing the unique beauty and spirit of the island. I was really captivated by the vibrant colors and natural beauty of Maui, and the cultural heritage of Hawaiian and Polynesian people, and I found myself compelled to incorporate these elements into my art. I remember the first time I painted a Hula Dancer on a piece of packing paper; her fluid movements and the gentle sway of her hands and hips, it was just a sketch, but my wife still loves it and kept it for our wall.
During this time, I also explored the Alla Prima Technique and Plein Air paintings, which allowed me to further expand my artistic repertoire and skills. It's a challenging and exciting experience painting en plein air, as I try to capture the fleeting beauty of a scene before the light changes, my favorite time to paint is right at sunrise.
Love and Inspiration Across Borders
As I ventured to Florianopolis, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and later to Playa del Carmen in Mexico, my travels exposed me to diverse landscapes, cultures, and people, each influencing and inspiring my artwork. It was in Rio de Janeiro that I met and fell in love with another foreigner originally from California. Our love story eventually led me to move to Maui, where we married in 2015 and now live together in Lahaina. I love to remember the warmth of her smile, intense physical chemistry, and the feeling of butterflies in my stomach as we shared our first dance together under the moonlit Cristo Redentor in Rio. This powerful connection has continued to be a driving force in my life and my art, as it is a testament to the transformative power of love.
Art, Intuition, and the Power of Love
For me, art is an expression of love, beauty, and joy, enabling connections with others and sharing these potent emotions. Intuition plays a crucial role in recognizing and embracing love, not only in personal relationships but also in the creation and appreciation of art.
Capturing Love Through Live Wedding Paintings
My life with my wife on the beautiful islands of Hawaii, our friendship, and the romantic connection I share with her has been a constant source of inspiration for my art. This inspiration, coupled with the love and joy shared by couples and their guests during weddings, led me to start offering live wedding paintings as part of my artistic services. By immortalizing these special moments and the love that permeates these events, I am able to create unique, meaningful, and heartfelt keepsakes for couples to treasure forever. The first live wedding painting I did was a gift for a couple of friends, I remember feeling the excitement as I captured the emotions of the couple on canvas, knowing that this piece would hold a special place in their hearts for years to come.
My past travels have exposed me to different landscapes, cultures, and people that have inspired and influenced my identity, images, and colors. My experience as a teacher, art consultant, and artist demonstrated to me that "Art is always related to Love." There's a love relationship between art and beauty. We are born with the necessary intuition to be attracted to what is good for us because our basic instincts tell us that it's beautiful. The night in Rio de Janeiro when I met my wife, I was lost in the intense feelings of true beauty and natural attraction, beyond what is psychological or physical; it was spiritual. After more than 10 years, she still proves to me that my intuition was right, and I love her more and more. I am grateful, and I want to use this same intuit