Funky, Fresh, Dressed to Impressed, Ready to … Paint

Sitting in a dark corner of a Brooklyn café with her back facing the audience, Diana Reyes reaches for a slender paintbrush and carefully dips it into a vibrant shade of blue. A local poet recites one of her favorites from Audre Lorde, giving thanks to all women of the world in every shade and size. A soothing blend of jazz and soul music emanates from two speakers in the opposite corner. As the crowd listens to the poet, Diana’s brush has, in a short span, created a black silhouette of a woman whose hair reaches out to the sun and sky. The frame almost emerges from the canvas, set against a blend of pastel blue, sexy pink and luminous yellow. As the poet closes, the audience diverts its attention to the woman in the corner, in awe that what was once a blank, white board is now a painting that comes alive and speaks volumes in its creation.

It wasn’t unusual for the 26-year-old Canadian native to pursue a career in painting. Her father, now a retired artist from the Philippines, made a living from it as well. But, after falling short in selling his work, he retreated to a life of “normality,” giving up his passion for art and instead working to earn a blue-collar living. Reyes, also known under the moniker Fly Lady Di, knows she has a knack for drawing an audience into her work and appearance. Though a quiet soul, she shines through her outrageous dress, usually donning colorful 80s eye wear and a multitude of colors in shirts and dresses. Although her father’s fire slowly dimmed over the years, Reyes passion and persistence to drive her art into the heart of urban New York ignited.

SM: You recently said that art, in general, is a derivative of pain. How much of your personal pain is reflected in your work?

DR: My art is used as an outlet. I’ve been saying recently that every painting is like a window into my thoughts, my soul, my love – everything. I don’t like to censor myself and one of my goals this year was to be more full and honest in my work. When it comes to art, it’s always been that way. I think that drives it harder to come out. It gives me a focus like none other. I channel everything through art and dance. I also like to say that my paintings are like poems I can’t write down and songs I can’t sing. It’s my way of expressing – and there’s no better way to put this – what I feel inside.

SM: What’s your earliest experience of knowing that you wanted to become a painter?

DR: One of my first memories as a child was watching my father at the dinner table paint. He was also going to night school at the time. And I remember thinking, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ Frida Kahlo said in her autobiography that she watched her dad paint and knew as a child that that would be her someday. And I thought the same thing.

SM: Is your father still in the Philippines?

DR: No, he’s in Toronto. He’s been there for the past 30 years.

SM: What made him lose his passion for painting?

DR: He got laid off and then he got depressed and never pursued it again. He doesn’t have a tough skin; he sort of succumbs to the circumstance. He doesn’t fight to get out of it – unlike myself.

SM: So, where do you get your confidence?

DR: I’m just really hungry to create!

SM: Do you think part of that motivation is being surrounded by like-minded people in New York?

DR: My reason for being here, ultimately, is to pursue these things. There is a great support system and inspiration here. And you have resources like a motha! It’s just a great breeding ground for art to emerge.

SM: How do you balance dancing and painting? Are you still dancing?

DR: Right now, I’ve left dancing alone for a while because art has consumed so much. I became inundated with all these projects and a lot of people were interested. It gave me a momentum to push my art even further. I thought, ‘Why not try to capitalize off it?’ I’m also trying to make a name for underground art and women of color, especially in live painting. There are other live artists out there, but we have a strong collective in New York City.

SM: Do you think some of your best work is done through live painting or at home?

DR: To be honest, my best work is something that took several months to complete. The journey within the painting itself is definitely a part of the finished project. But, I also enjoy live painting. Some of the work I’ve done live has even impressed me.

SM: How do you get into the moment?

DR: When someone asks you to paint live, you’re aware of the all circumstances. There’s going to be loud music, crazy lighting, and it may not be organized, so you have to adapt to those situations. I try to think of ideas ahead of time. I always like to have a visual concept in mind prior to starting because distractions are plenty. It’s almost like chaos.

SM: What were some of your struggles when you came to New York?

DR: It’s a funny story with me and New York. I first came here to pursue dance and then I got held back a year in Toronto. I wasn’t able to come back to the States for a year and when I came back, I took a year to build a foundation and get acquainted with New York and how to survive. The thing I struggle with the most, is that [live painting] is so new to people and they don’t really know what it takes to get your canvas and paint in a club and then start painting, and then have to find a way home afterward with a canvas. They don’t realize that we need money from it – for supplies and transportation. All of these are conditions that people just aren’t aware of.

SM: So, do you consider yourself to be a pioneer in live painting and introducing it to New York City?

DR: Definitely not. It was being done before I got here. But when I got here, I just became one of the front runners. People like Sean Bono puts together art battles and he brought it to MTV as well. Concep, who is a good friend of mine, was the first person I knew who did live painting.

SM: Who are some of the artists (old and new) that inspire you?

DR: Ibrahim, Concep and Picasso. I definitely feel like a part of him [Picasso] lives inside of me. And Frida Kahlo for sure!

SM: Do you get your inspiration from Frida in regards to using all of the vibrant colors?

DR: You know, the colors just come to me – it’s almost like they pick themselves. I almost don’t want to take responsibility for what I create. It’s a mystical, transcendental experience when you’re in front of the canvas and it feels as though God is creating my work – not me.

To view more of Fly Lady Di’s art, visit http://www.myspace.com/flyladydi