Today we’d like to introduce you to Carla Mintz.
Hi Carla, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Carla Mintz and I’m the artist behind Arie Debren Art. I’m originally from Poughkeepsie, NY but currently reside in the Metro Atlanta area with my husband and two young sons. My business name is a combination of my middle name and my oldest son’s middle name. I mainly work in oil paint but occasionally dabble in acrylic and graphite drawing.
All my life I’ve been creative. As a child, I loved coloring books, any sort of arts and crafts project, and at 11 years old, I started my own business up-cycling glass bottles into flower vases (I didn’t even know what up-cycling was at the time). When I became a teenager, I found my love of drawing people, particularly Black Women. I would scour the pages of VIBE and The Source magazines, looking for the perfect reference photos. Through these magazines, I discovered how much the female form truly inspired me. I know from some people’s perspective these magazines, and others like them, don’t always portray women in a respectful way. But I find the black female form to be so beautiful and powerful. The gentle curves of our bodies, the softness of our skin, the way we can turn heads with just the right outfit and a sultry walk. What other species can do that?
Growing up, I used a lot of pencils and acrylics. In 2010, I saw someone create a portrait using oil paint, and I told myself, “I want to try that.” As soon as I was able to, I went to my local art store and got me a cheap oil paint set to start off with. Once I learned how to use them I was in love!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being an artist has not been a smooth road. I didn’t even realize I was an artist until I was an adult, married with a family, and working a full-time job as a 911 dispatcher, working 12-hour overnight shifts. By this time, I was stressed, depressed, anxious, and sleep-deprived. Art started out as a hobby – a way to for me to “find myself” outside of motherhood and being a wife. Eventually, I transitioned into making art my “side hustle” with the hopes of one day doing it full-time. But, my perfectionist tendencies and dream big mentally caused me to try to be Superwoman and build a creative business while working a full-time job. I’m not saying this can’t happen, but I personally was putting a ton of pressure on myself and trying to build too big too fast.
At one point, I was running seven social media accounts, taking commissions, participating in art shows and markets on the weekends, hosting paint parties, and running an online shop. During this time, I also took on new responsibilities at work (you think being a 911 operator is stressful? Try teaching someone to be a 911 operator!) and then Covid hit, and the kids were doing virtual school (FML). Eventually, I burnt out and just stopped – stopped painting, stopped drawing, stopped posting on social media. I just needed to step away and re-evaluate my life within the art world. I’m glad to say that I’m back taking commissions again and I’m participating in an art show at the end of July!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
To me, women are just more aesthetically pleasing to look at from an art perspective. The shape of our bodies are more organic than men. We typically have more curves, whereas they have more straight lines. I commonly use the analogy of the beauty of a flower and the beauty of architecture. I can appreciate the aesthetic of a well-built building, with its straight lines and occasional interesting intersections of those straight lines. But for me, that beauty does not compare to the beauty of a luscious flower. It’s soft curves force you to handle it gently so you don’t bruise it.
It’s possible that I paint and draw women the way I do because it is a reflection of how I want to be viewed or how I may feel at the time of creation. I am one of those girls who has not mastered the “come hither” look. I look like a complete goofball when I try. I can’t do it with a straight face. I’m sure I look pained when I’m trying to give “bedroom eyes” because I’m fighting with the muscles of my face to keep back the stupid Cheshire grin that’s battling to breakthrough. So it’s satisfying to know that I can at least accomplish this in my art (I hope, LOL). I think every woman wants to be viewed as and feel sexy and attractive. I’m just expressing my wants and desires on canvas.
Though my concepts may not always have a deep meaning behind them necessarily, I do want my art to reflect the person that I currently am on the inside. I aspire for my art to bring a sense of peace and serenity to all who look upon it. Also, I just like to create beauty.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The quality or characteristic I feel is most important to my success is my tenacity. Yes, there were times where I had to stop and catch my breath, but I never ever gave up. Even when I’m painting, things don’t always go the way I planned, but I keep persisting. Things always turn out alright at the end.
Contact Info:
- Email: ariedebrenart@gmail.com
- Website: www.ariedebrenart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arie_debren_art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ariedebrenart
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Carla_Mintz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCACe2Xwl7Wuu4WuEt2w9WwA
