Today we’d like to introduce you to Alberta Mirais
Hi Alberta, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began my love affair with visual art as a small child, expressing heartache and joy through crayon, chalk, paint and clay. Dancing though time into adulthood and continually learning from old books, à la carte classes, and the teachings of my artist mother and grandmother, I honed my skills and crafted a career after years of painting. It’s a pleasure and an honor to paint the people, pets and places that are dear to my clients.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have lived through deep loss as well as triumph, and life is sacred to me. I endeavor to express gratitude with every painting.
I was born at home on a warm November evening, to passionate, hard-working, low-income parents, who divorced a couple years later. I leaned on my raw instinct for survival – a curiosity and hunger for all things Art – to bring me through my wild-teen years. Through work in the service industry and showing art at cafés, I managed to travel around the country and into Europe, toured in punk bands, rented studio apartments, wrote songs and poetry, and with my cat Béla by my side, always painting.
I never felt comfortable in the confines of car life and continue to ride my bicycle everywhere, through all the seasons, to this day. This has given me strength and toughness and a true taste for city life in all its beautiful grittiness. I have experienced first hand how tough the world can be on women, on those of us with a low income background, and those who learn by gathering threads of knowledge through time, rather than in a traditional art school setting. I have lost things, and keep finding myself, and all the while, I keep painting.
My experiences improve the portraits I create because my heart has opened and my brow has wisened. My relationship with animals has strengthened through painting their many sweet faces, and my love of nature has grown through years of plein air painting along the Mighty Mississippi, Minnehaha Falls, and the shimmering lakes of Minneapolis.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My specialty is portrait painting – people and pets, as well as still life, city and landscape painting. I also paint locally owned cafés, restaurants and small businesses – portraits of Minneapolis and St. Paul buildings that I love, like the Hard Times Café, Modern Times and Matchbox.
I use acrylic paint on canvas, in vibrant color, with both playfulness and accuracy so that the works feel fun, personal, and true to life. I want to capture the breathing spirit of the animal, person, or place. The combination of intuition, emotion, pattern, and color as well as a true likeness is what sets my portrait work apart. I take my time, but I also paint fervently!
One of my unique specialties are Pet Patches. These are detailed, carefully painted 4-inch custom portraits of pets, painted on canvas rounds, and finished with a machine-embroidered edge. Clients sew them onto bags, jackets, or mount them in a frame. Pet Patches have become a favorite among repeat buyers and I’m usually working on one in my studio at any given time! They are easy to mail, so people often commission them as birthday gifts and I mail them straight to the recipient, with a personal note, inside a handmade card.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I love every commission I receive! I look forward to booking art shows at cafés, galleries, breweries, restaurants, and more. One of my favorite jobs these past few years has been painting locally owned businesses and having cards printed for sale there. Though we both make a small profit, the best part is spreading love for local businesses through art. I’m always happy to paint new places, people and pets!
Pricing:
- Pet Patches are $75
- Portraits on canvas start at $325
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.AlbertaMirais.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/albertamirais?igsh=MWViMHVxdzZxZ3UwNA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alberta.mirais
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXWqcr-sXRs
