HISTORY

I was born in Managua, Nicaragua. As a child I loved to draw. I spent much time drawing maps and became so good at it that I would fool my teachers. They could not believe that I had drawn them because of their high quality. When I was thirteen years old, on my way home from school I began to pass the house of a painter. I would stop and watch him paint on his patio every afternoon until one day we began talking. From that moment we became friends and ultimately he became my teacher and mentor. I began to paint using oil house paint until I had hundreds of pieces of work. My mentor advised me to enroll in art school and I started to attend a private academy called the Escuela de Bellas Artes while I continued my regular studies in the public school. In 1973 the famous Spanish painter Picasso died. This was a great tragedy in my country, and my English grandfather, who was a great painter himself, grieved deeply. Even as young as I was then, and without knowing that I would one day become a painter myself, I felt a great sense of loss. Picasso would become one of my influences as a mature painter, and to this day I greatly admire his contribution to modern art.

In 1979 my family decided to leave Nicaragua because of the political upheavals of the Civil War. We came to live in Camden, New Jersey, where I finished my high school education while also attending a private art school for the next four years. After graduation I entered the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts to further study art for the next four years.

THE HOWS AND WHYS

I paint because this is my passion and vocation. I was blessed with this talent and there is nothing I love doing more. As I mentioned, Picasso is one of my favorite painters and influences. I admire his figures and uses of colors. Vincent Van Gogh, whose work I consider to be so incredibly dense in movement and color, has also been an influence in my work. This is not to say that I copy their work, but rather, that in studying their paintings my own original style is enriched and propelled forward. As in the development of a writer who must read in order to see what has already been accomplished before him/her, so the painter must study the art of the masters in order to internalize the history and magnitude of his/her predecessors.

When I paint with oil I begin by making an initial sketch on the canvas. Then I paint the background first after which I start the foreground and give it color, always trying to give it more volume to get it where I want. This usually takes me between one week to a month, painting for 3 to 4 hours a day.

If I am using pastels I make the drawing by getting the approximate colors with touches, later working very gradually with even finer touches until I have arrived at the desired painting. The common themes in my work are semi-political, romantic, spiritual and musical expressions. I often use somewhat abstract forms and figures in a visual rhythm. For me music is an art form that helps relax us. When there are problems, art accommodates all of the qualities of the rhythms of colors and forms and takes us to a calmer, more spiritual place. When you visit a gallery or museum you leave with a sense of peace, full of the visual beauty you have seen. This is what I aim to accomplish in my art: to instruct, to express the feelings we all have, and to share the inner peace I feel when realizing my art.

GROUP EXHIBITION IN HONOR OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.

FEATURING:

AYIANA VIVIANA

PEDRO FULLER

OPENING RECEPTION

SEPT 14

4–8PM

EXHIBITION DATES

SEPT 14 ~ OCT 12

MOODYJONESGALLERY.ORG

107B S EASTON RD, GLENSIDE, PA, 19038

215-582-4496

Artist Bio:

Ayiana Viviana Porter (b. 1984) is a Philadelphia based emerging abstract artist whose work focuses on the exploration of thoughts, emotion and human connection. Most of her work begins with free-form lines which interconnect and allow room and space to dig deeper into the psyche as she explores personal storytelling in her pieces. Her art strongly encourages the observer to identify and perhaps unearth their own deep seeded thoughts and emotions.

Ayiana’s works consist primarily of acrylic based paintings and drawings on canvas or heavy weight acrylic paper. Her work is an overarching quest to find significance and meaning in the chaos of life and give personal significance to what we see and experience around us while fostering and encouraging vulnerability and human connection. Ayiana is also an avid writer and a photography enthusiast.

Artist Statement:

I’ve always been a storyteller. If memory serves me correctly, and sometimes I’ll admit, it does not, the first time I told a story with scribbles and words was when I was 6 years old. I approach my art with the same mindset by saying through my work, “Here is a story that needs to be told.” The way that presents itself in my work is usually in one of two ways. Either there is already a story inside of me inspired by a myriad of things in the world around me that I am wanting to tell visually. Other times, it’s a desire to create and the knowing that the story will unfold that becomes the driving factor in my creativity. Ultimately, these both honor my truest and fullest self as everything in me aims to exist in a space of continual creation. I create my reality by every thought I think, every word I utter, and every action I take. My art expresses the depths of that unfolding.

Moody Jones Gallery is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with an exhibition featuring the works of Ayiana Viviana and Pedro Fuller - Poder Latino - highlighting their journeys as artists and cultural advocates. The opening reception will take place on September 14 from 4-8 PM, with the exhibition running until October 12, 2024.

Poder Latino emphasizes cultural empowerment and highlights the significance of their individual experiences as artists as well as minorities. As a boutique art gallery, Moody Jones is committed to exhibiting and selling original works of art from both emerging and established artists, enriching the community with its diverse collection.

Join us for an insightful artist talk on September 27 from 6-8 PM, where we'll explore the journeys, creative processes, and motivations of the featured artist. You can participate in person or catch the live stream on Instagram @moodyjonesgallery.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the artists IRL!