Pope Ariza: A Prolific Painter Based in Atlanta

Art can be found almost anywhere and within anything. From childhood to adulthood, perceptions of the world around us are transmuted into art that stimulates the mind and invigorates the soul. A phenomenal artist who understands the power of staying in touch with all stages of yourself during development is Pope Ariza, a sensational Colombian artist residing in Atlanta. I had the opportunity to speak with Ariza to further understand her artistic process and inspirations.

A self-taught artist, Ariza started painting approximately 2 years ago. When discussing her influences, she praised Fernando Botero, another Colombian artist with his own signature painting style known as Boterismo. Drawing on internal emotions and intuition, Ariza’s paintings often use vivid colors, but her achromatic work has been immensely popular. Nostalgia and love are some of the emotions she draws from. Stillness, an achromatic painting that parallels the tranquility that comes with inertia, sold out on Ariza’s website. Pope revealed that there have been times in which she only discovered things about herself after seeing them reflected in her artwork.

As a relatively new artist, Ariza is still in the process of understanding her own creative process. A flowing spring of untapped creative energy is steadily being tapped as Ariza gains more time as an artist. Already garnering considerable success and acclaim in the art world, Ariza has her sights set on Art Basel, a prominent series of art shows that are held internationally. The Miami Beach Convention Center is the home of the North American stop for Art Basel. Having her artwork displayed in premier museums is also something that Ariza aspires towards. By deriving artistic inspiration from her own psyche and continuing to hone her creative process, Pope Ariza is poised to become even more of a credit to not only Atlanta’s art scene, but to art of the world at large.