Who am I and how did I get here?

“I wonder from these thousand of "me's", which one am I?” ~ Rumi

Hi. I am Diana, and the artist behind Sloppyperfect Art, and since I got a couple of questions recently I figured I’d share a little bit more about my art journey and what lights me up right now.

I love creating abstract paintings that are inspired by natural elements, seasons, the universe, and my travels around the world. I sometimes joke that I did a 180 degree turn in life. I went from working in finance with black and white numbers to bright colors and textures and paint brushes. I guess, numbers, colors and words are my favorite things.

I fell in love with making abstract art one sunny Saturday afternoon when I lived in Kuala Lumpur. A friend of mine decided to invite friends to her art studio for open studio hours, provided all the supplies and let people paint whatever they wanted. I had taken many workshops in her studio before that: painting peonies in watercolor, expressionist self-portrait, and even soap making and macrame class. I loved all of them, as I am full of curiosity and want to learn new things constantly, but I wasn’t in love with either one to keep going deeper. That Saturday afternoon everything changed.

For the first time, I let myself play with acrylics and palette knifes and abstract ideas, and at the end of the studio time after a few short hours, I had painted birch trees, which is still one of my favorite paintings. Time stood still those few hours and filled me with joy and possibility. I wanted to hold on to that feeling, so I immediately went to the nearby art supply store and stocked up on acrylic paints, palette knifes and canvas paper. Looking back, I am grateful that I bought professional grade supplies. I believe it added an additional invisible commitment to my new artistic endeavour. I celebrate that day every year and it’s in my calendar as my “art birthday”.

Since then, as a self taught artist, my painting process evolved to be mostly intuitive, as I love experimenting with texture and different mediums as well as combining soft and bold colors. The language of color and texture is infinitely fascinating to me.

I really want my art to evoke the feelings of joy and possibility in those who interact with it and for people to get inspired to try something new. I do believe in the energy of the painting and for the most part only want to paint when I feel joy. That means that I, just like seasons in nature, have my own seasons, some are long, some are short, but seasons nonetheless.

"Sloppyperfect" is the metaphor I chose for my approach to art, creativity and life in general. It prioritizes joy, embraces imperfection and allows us to explore and create without the pressure of perfection. It's like a whimsical cape we can put on and let go of our fears. It's about having a playful approach to life and creativity and taking small steps rather than getting caught up in overanalyzing or self-judgment like we sometimes do. Yes, it’s easy to say, but it’s also not so easy to do. As Jim Rohn once said “You can’t hire someone else to do your pushups for you”. It’s a journey.

One of my favorite surfaces to paint on is wood. I am specifically attracted to pieces of wood that have imperfections or blemishes which other may reject. It is in those imperfections where I see potential for beautify while others may see flaws, and it adds a distinct and personal touch. It’s a multi-layered process and it may take months to complete a painting. I sand the wood myself all while trying not to fix or cover up the knots that make the wood beautiful, and then I follow my intuition and listen to the wood itself and let the painting evolve over time.

My current project is painting on vintage sheet music and old maps while combining colors and textures with poetic references, which I will share more about in future posts.

And truly, it’s about more than the art you put on the walls. It’s about curiosity, an exploration, a story, a conversation… all infused with a feeling of joy and possibility and connection. It is a gathering place for those looking for inspiration and creative belonging.

Thank you for being here. I hope you enjoy the experience and join in the exploration.

And

Seek Joy in every season.