Windows to the World - Educational Murals by Juan Diaz in Naples

JUAN B. 1981, Bogota, Colombia Juan was born in 1981 in Bogota, Colombia. His father graduated from Colombia's National University with an emphasis in fine art and recognized his son's natural creative intelligence and artistic gifts by age 5. After graduating from Naples High School in 1999, Juan studied art history, materials, and techniques independently. Jonathan Green Studios granted a three-year Artist Residency (2006-2009) to mentor Juan in administrative-management methods, and more recently, artist Marcus Jansen provides international art affairs advisory. Since the late 1990s, Juan has used painting and drawing to explore the human condition. He added performing art and installations in 2010 to investigate the relationship between life and death. His work reflects a constant search to express his understanding of the human experience and shows a desire to break out of his comfort zone. Juan’s work has been included at the Baker Museum of Art/Artis-Naples, The Naples Depot Museum, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Art Basel Miami Beach. Commissions include the government of Collier County, Florida, the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida, and The Naples Art Association. Juan was the recipient of the Southwest Florida 2013 FACE Award for Culture & Arts, awarded by Gulfshore Life Business Magazine, and the 1999 Porter Goss Award. His style, mastery of drawing, and use of oils has earned him a range of awards, including Best in Show and various scholarships.