I've been attending Santa Ana's art walk for the past three months (with a fellow artist partner in crime), and have met some wonderfully talented and humble creatives. Dino Perez is one of them. You can see him chatting it up with attendees, smiling, and freely sharing stories on his process and inspirations.
There was this one piece that caught my attention:
I kept looking at it at Dino's booth, and asked myself, "What does it remind me of? Why do I like it so much?"
And then it hit me: The Little Prince!
We shared a mutual love for The Little Prince, and I appreciated the honesty and genuineness Of Dino's story (I might have jumped once or twice after finding another adult who enjoys this book as much as me). Dino read this book as a child, and has gone back to it over time as an adult. He shared that,
"There are some things that stay with you."
He also shared one chapter that especially resonated with him. It was about an adult who collected stars and was visited by the Little Prince. The Prince asked about the stars, but the adult was busy collecting and checking his inventory of things. The adult had no idea what he possessed, and was focused on accumulating things instead of experiencing them.
Dino wholeheartedly spoke on how this has stayed with him and has shaped his perspectives in life. I appreciate his work because he weaves optimism and joy that children naturally have into his process. He also layers a darkness and color palette that brings the work balance. We ended our conversation agreeing on many things. We agreed that it's rare and difficult for many of us adults to keep our inner children alive, and we agreed that there is a beauty in creating work that reflects the humanity and playfulness that life gives us.
“For the travelers the stars are guides.
For others they are nothing but tiny lights. “
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Thank you for the conversation, and thank you for the art, Dino. I look forward to seeing you and your work at the next art walk.
Titles of work:
"Happy Valentine's" acrylic paint on wood panel - Winter 2015
Day of the Dead 2014 edition of hand painted wooden coffins and framed paintings on wood
"Dream Chasing" acrylic paint, ink, and wood burning - Winter 2015
"When You Will Not Open Your Eyes" acrylic paint on wood panel, Fall - 2014
For more of Dino's work:
Instagram DinoPerez
Etsy | DinoPerez
