[MrLuisDiaz]

Well Darkmoon the picture on the bottom is the ringmaster and the ringmaster is my father. I guess I put him there because he thinks he knows everything and now he is in the center, stuck and has no clue what will happen then. I guess that is why I am paying to see that with the foreground figure giving a ticket. As for the rest of the stuff it is just cool things I thought I would put in there like some creatures I have so far created like this character.

Snake Man

[hovair]

Wow!...very nice work. Is it all digital or are they painted on canvas by hand? some of them look like acrylic. can'y wait to see your web site.

[makotierra]

Hey there, seeing your threads all over the message boards, so I thought I'd finally reply to one! Very nice stuff, I love the dark stuff. My faves were the First one, the monkey surgery thing, the guy dressed up as uncle sam, and the pig with the guy in the center of the pig. The 9-11 tribute piece was nice, as well. Dang, that's a lot of favorites...anyways, can't wait till Halloween when your site opens.

[Frost]

That's some very nice material MrLuisDiaz. Very nice!

[Morbid Guy]

This is some great work! Very dark, just the way I like it.

[MrLuisDiaz]

My site is indeed schedule to launch on Halooween. Thanks for the replies guys and yes most of my work is acrylics and watercolors and oils and ...well I work in all kinds of media and sometimes digital like this one. Which is also a mixture of painting as well.

Angel in the Battlefield

[Ben Barker]

These are all excellent. It's always nice to have a new board member with exceptional technique. But it's even better to have one with a fresh style as well.

[Waldo]

I, too am extremely impressed with the quality of your work Mr. Diaz. Although the dark and morbid aspect is not what I usually strive for (I have my moments though), your craftsmenship with many mediums is superb. Your subject matter and compositions as well. Sorry if I missed this, but anything digital? And I'm also curious as to your background and education...

edit: spellar good me R
Have a great weekend all.

[ October 12, 2001: Message edited by: Waldo ]

[MrLuisDiaz]

Well I went to the Maryland Institute, College of Art and got a BFA in Illustration. As for some digital work this is one. The above was done in the computer as well.
Hellspawn

[Tinusch]

I LOVE almost all of these... The last two I'm not too crazy about, they look a lot less developed than the rest, but I really love the others.

[sirstudlymodugal]

A lot of anti American imagery in these images. I'm not crazy about the Statue of Liberty being portrayed in your way. Not that I find them controversial, because I don't. In fact I find your images typically juvenile in their over dramatics. I see your use of imagery as...self indulgent. Your young, I can tell that, if I have any advice for you it would be to be more observant and less introspective. Their are literally hundreds of thousands of art students in the US, all trying to express their inner most feelings, acting out vicariously through their work. Unfortunately it�s a tired subject. And craft has little to do with subject matter. Something being well painted carries very little value these days.

I do like the monkey image, it�s one of the only images that you�ve posted that empathizes with something outside yourself, it�s touching. And it touches on something that could make you a successful artist. ( Besides being one of the few images you posted that doesn�t look like it could be found on the side of a van.) It would be beneficial of you to study the nature of it and to repeat it. Don�t get trapped into trivial compositional or subject matter concerns, study how you approached the picture.

So before anybody drills me a new one, and thinks I am extremely presumptuous, I would like to say in my defense that if Mr. Diaz is going to be putting his work out there (Particularly in a fine art forum (Which I have considerable experience)) I have a right to see them as I see them, AND to be critical. I�m not just being mean. I had hoped that somebody would have done the same for me when I was younger, but nobody did, and I wasted a lot of time.

Good Luck to you.
sirstudly

[feebsaint]

Sirstudly, your way of thinking will aim this guy right to the poor house.

It doesn't matter that you try to defend yourself from the get-go, because you remain presumptious, regardless... at least, that's my presumption.

But honeslty, you do great work, sirstudly, but so does Luis. It's apples and oranges. I would never presume to so much, as to tell someone how to think... "to be more observant and less introspective" to me, that's opression. You can't tell someone how to think, where to draw inspiration from, or (again) PRESUME to call someone self indulgent, because of the subject matter.

On another level, what artist ISN'T self indulgent? Our existence as artists stem from our want to make money with what we love to do. Hence, every artist is self-indulgent, and if Luis' art is too dark for you, it makes him no less of an artist for it. You can't tell me that you draw your cartoons out of mere necessity of funds... you choose what you do, let Luis choose what he does... even if it's porno, or ultra violence, or (God forbid) portaits of Bett Middler. He's damn good at what he does, you're good at what you do, let's leave it at that, and cut it with the finger pointing.

I didn't want to stick my neck out on this one, but I didn't want to leave it unsaid, either.

All that having been said; I really love all of your work, Luis... don't change for anyone, unless it's yourself. You rock, and that's that.

[feebsaint]

PS: I love your work too, sirstudly.

[jcterminal]

diaz: an artist.

there's really no higher praise i can give, is there?

[MrLuisDiaz]

sirstudlymodugal and feebsaint. Wow!

[ October 19, 2001: Message edited by: MrLuisDiaz ]

[MrLuisDiaz]

And to both of you: I love your works. They each made me feel good inside differently. I felt hope with sirstudly and fun and caringness with feedsaint. I think we need each other. Ying and Yangs and Black, White and Greys. I don't think I am black. I think I am grey. Maybe with a drop more of black and purple and red. Sometimes I am in search of hope.--------L




[ October 13, 2001: Message edited by: MrLuisDiaz ]

[cybertoker2001]

Eloquently spoken Luis.

Your work kicks arsh Luis and don't let anyone tell you differently. I've got 1 or 2 haters out there among my few fans and their words do nothing more then fuel my desire to paint even better.


Take it easy,
CT2001

[Kwiix]

Question: Ummm...are those doctors helping or hurting that monkey??

[MrLuisDiaz]

I never thought of that K. I guess if I wanted the doctors hurting the monkey I would have painted them a little different. I wanted to show regular doctors rushing to put this monkey together. It was a piece inspired by the music of Prodigy and the particular track is Poison.

[eric_morrell]

Hmmm... perspective is a creul bitch but can always be seen in millions of ways. It is my belief that an individual is in control of their views on life and society and as such it reflects on them the most above anything else. I don't believe that you are wrong in saying that there is injustice but I believe that you are an anarchist in a way to have such views without solutions. In doing so you must recognize humanity and hate conincide to create history. Painting is strange and clever in its own way. Cultures from the beginning with large brows and big bones drew pictures and painted in colors and why? Your saying that it is because of a psychological response to the depression of images that stream through your eyes and become a stew of a dark, dank world only to be put on to a canvas or paper. I believe your wrong in this and that an existencialist will never make anything of themselves. Reactions are for wimps. Create the reactions yourself. I don't believe that your paintings are in anyway dark I think they are put together with a lot of thought and precision and I believe that your technique is above many other artists but I think that your pictures do not achieve their duty because all I see is a hell of sorts. There is no love in hell. On earth we see love and hell coexist and this is the truth and the only truth. I don't see love in your paintings and I think that this reflects on you the most. You should go fishing. Perhaps I'm right, perhaps I'm wrong, but maybe you'll at least think about it. This is not to say that I don't like your paintings I'm just against your theory.
Eric

[MrLuisDiaz]

Well I don't think I am anarchist. I think sometimes in my artwork I try to show we as people can do something if we don't like the way things are done. Thanks for the replies and keep them coming.----------------Luis Diaz

[ October 19, 2001: Message edited by: MrLuisDiaz ]

[The_Anarchist]

Sombody say my name?
Just kidding around. One small question.
Have any of you read Chiam Potok's "My Name is Asher Lev" ? It's a great book about art.

[sirstudlymodugal]

Hey Cybertoker,

I am in fact not a hater of Mr. Diaz's work, I am in fact indifferent....which is far far worse.

I don't find the work shocking or difficult. Sue Coe's work is much harder to look at if not a bit too preachy and political for my liking.

Spend some time browsing through hundreds of New York's galleries and you will find difficult subject matter is sold by the pound. Damien Hearst's display of a cow split right in two and floating in firmaldihide, isn't pretty. But even it manages to seperate itself from the artist to say something more profound then narcisistic, which Mr. Diaz seems to have a hard time doing.

That doesn't mean I hate his work, I just don't care.

sirstudly

[sirstudlymodugal]

Mr. Diaz,

I am glad you feel so....well so many things. But what I said and what I am saying is that I believe that you are acting out through your work so vicariously it makes the work appear narcissistic. In other words you are bringing TOO much personal baggage to your work. Which is what immature artist have a tendency to do.

And I don't know how to say this any clearer, I don't find your work "dark". That's your term, not mine. I'm sure you aren't just going for shock value. ( I never said that) I had hoped you would find my observation more poignant and subtle. That's probably fault with my ability to express concepts in the written word.

Listen, these are the days of Marilyn Manson videos on MTV. That's what you are competing with these days, that is if you care or you empathise with you're viewing audience at all.

Good Luck
sirstudly

[Enayla]

I don't really post at Sijun anymore but I feel the need to say something.

How can you bring too much personal baggage into your work? Isn't it up to every individual artist what kind of message - if any - they want to convey?

I believe it's wonderful to see an artist that is so personally involved in what he is doing... and doesn't necessarily cater for everyone else. It is up to Luis Diaz to draw what he feels like drawing. If we don't like it, so fine. If we do - wonderful. I absolutely adore his images. Some of the best work I've seen in a good long while. And his art touches me - which is more than I can say for a good many of the images I view every day.

So he reached someone at least.

Maybe you don't agree with his art... so fine. But don't claim that you know what people feel when they're watching his work. I don't find this art immature. I do find it somewhat immature, and presumptious, to go around claiming that his work is narcissistic just because he has his own personal message that he wants to convey. I think that's wonderful.

Enayla out. *heads off again*

[MrLuisDiaz]

Love



[ October 16, 2001: Message edited by: MrLuisDiaz ]

[jamonch]

Hey Luis,

Just wanted to add that it's good to see a local Miami person on this board. Your work is good and I agree with Enayla's comments.

Keep up the great work!

jam

[c]

i get very depressed reading this thread.

yea, i like to slam people i dont 'care about' too.

[jcterminal]

if he didn't really care, he never would of said anything.

personally, for me, the object of art is to create a reaction. good or bad. it's a reaction.

and that's why i called mr. diaz an artist.

he creates. and what he does creates as well.

[Bob the Newt]

ok, diaz, your art is amazing, but format your posts so they are readable please. giant no space paragraph = not cool