Born and raised in Chile, Flo Mena has been attracted to art since she was a small child. At the age of 14 the young artist underwent art therapy as a form of coping, where she found her true language of communication with the world. It was then that she began to discover a deep yearning to create. Art became her source of healing and self-realization. Influenced by movies, nature, and traveling, she has used drawing and painting as a method of self-discovery and personal expression.
Although Flo studied architecture, she continued to feel moved to search for her own artistic calling. Pursing art was discouraged by her family and culture, yet she continued her exploration of other artistic mediums through her travels. Unsatisfied after graduation, she began to realize that her career and country would never fulfill her dreams, so she took the leap to move to LA in search of a new freedom and methods of expression. After a couple of years of studying 2D & 3D digital art and illustration, she decided to explore a more formal, yet non-traditional foundation. She enrolled in the Milan Art Institute where she found her voice and the techniques, she had for so long searched for. With so much suppressed by fear, she realized that she’d never felt the freedom to be who she really was. Her art has now conquered these frustrations and fears and inspired her to create for the inspiration of others to do the same. She spends her time developing her expressive style through mixed media achieving empowerment, independence, and finding new endeavors in the art world.
“We need to embrace ourselves in all our forms, and not to be afraid of who we are. We all have talents, and we need to stop following paths imposed by society or what people think of us. The truer to ourselves we are, without fear or doubt, the freer we will be. We should believe in ourselves to follow our instincts by going out and exploring the world where our surroundings open a realm of possibilities.”
Originals by Flo |
