Artists Selection: Misty Avila Ovalles

Mitsy Avila Ovalles (1978-present) is a Mexican-American painter known for her collage-type works and portraits of Latino celebrities. 

Mitsy Avila Ovalles was born on July 1st, 1978 in Santa Clara, California. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and grew up in San Jose, California. Having a deep appreciation for the arts, from a young age she’s had aspirations of becoming an artist. These wishes were realized in 2004 when she officially received her BFA in painting from San Jose State University.

Mitsy’s identity is probably the greatest contributor to her art as she often pulls from many

autobiographical moments to produce artworks. Her works are also influenced by Mexican and American pop culture, celebrities, food, and other aspects of her lifestyle. Being a Dodger fan, she also makes sure to include sports in her projects. Beyond these influences, Ovalles is also able to compose art based on events that occur within the society and her community.

With the range of her artistic palette, she is able to incorporate a variety of mediums into her artistry. Some of these mediums include painting, sculpting, crochet, digital, wood-burning and many more. Often, she crafts her own objects which she then includes in other pieces. 

Her creations have been showcased in various places around the globe including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Mexico.