Chicanx Latinx Art and Artists: Avila, Andrew (Wiki Draft: Vanessa Ayala)

VANESSA AYALA

Early Life and Education

Vanessa Ayala is a Colombian American Artist based out of New York. Ayala received her education in the arts from the California College of the Art in San Francisco, where she was classically trained in fine art and motion graphics. She went on to graduate with a BFA from the California College of Art in San Francisco, and later began to amass a following on social media ranging over 25 thousand followers. Today she is a full time visual artist, entrepreneur, and singer/songwriter signed with the label 2 Strong Music.

Notable Art, Career, and Influence

Much of Ayala’s art is influenced by the world of pop culture, and her art is largely a reflection of her generation. She believes pop art has the ability to capture the attention of the masses and further connect people regardless of age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. She describes her style as an observation of pop culture inspired by celebrities, primarily female entrepreneurs & influencers. Some of her biggest inspirations include: Andy Warhol, Kat Von D, Selena, and La India to name a few. Ayala frequently enjoys painting large portraits of glamorous female celebrities and Latina pop culture icons. Ayala has painted portraits of figures like Selena, Jennifer Lopez, Frida Khalo, in addition to many others.

Philosophy

Ayala believes that each of her ‘Ayala sisters’, as she affectionately calls the female followers who support her art, are artists in their own right. Her brand, ‘By Ayala’, is a larger collective of indigenous, and non-indigenous identifying artists that create across a variety of media. Her work seeks to inspire those born into, and identifying with, Latino culture to decolonize and reclaim Native, Racial identities. ‘By Ayala’ is about pushing the boundaries of representation for first generation Latin Americans who are proud to be ‘Indigenous owned’.