I was raised in Lima Peru until the age of 6, after that I grew up in New Jersey. My earliest picture of my childhood is being surrounded by my older cousins, not much older than me, perhaps by 5-7 years older than me. Being the youngest of them, playtime involved playing around the house and often trips to the beach which was so nearby, so the scent of the salt water ocean is something that really brings me to my childhood.
2) Did you always create art as a kid, or did you come to it later in life?
As a kid, i didn't think I was creating art; art arrived later in life in the form of photography.
3) Which artists have influenced your work? Why and how?
When I was doing plenty of studio work at the university, Avedon influenced me on how to navigate with my sitter as we are composing a picture, I can say every person I photographed in the studio was always a pleasant one. Later when I worked in the newsroom for about 5 years, photographers like Stieglitz and Henri-Cartier came into play because working in the newsroom I had to photograph the most common things, but since learning about them in college it helped me more in being in the moment.
4) any other influences (people, places, ideas)?
Because of work much later with photo agencies I had the great opportunity to travel, to really admire the landscape.
5) tell me about your practice—how do you generate ideas, what medium do you use?
I use photography. I like to tell a story if possible invite you to the moment I interact with the person or place.
6) is your art more concept-driven or image-driven?
More image-driven
7) why do you make the art you make?
I never thought of it as making art. Often thought of it as wow this is amazing! Let me capture this. Excitement. Your blood rushes really fast and you only have few moments to capture it.
8) does your art influence your life, and vice versa?
I didn't think so, although because I wanted to capture the flight of the Condors in the Colca Canyons in Peru, let to many many more trips to Peru to that affect it did influence my life.
9) what do you think about the notion "the lonely artist"?
I think that is choice. Perhaps lonely artist because only you and only you can see what you create and later try and reveal to others what you see or create, so the process can be lonely.
10) does your art connect you to the world in some way, or does it help you navigate the world?
Currently it helps me connect to the entertainment world but that's the work part of "art" work.
11) do you make art for yourself or other people?
I make it for myself, it's an eye opening experience. I have a lot more of travel to do.
12) what purpose do you think art serves today?
I believe Art can be used as therapy, to tell great stories, and is highly educational.