C29WS.jpg (7544 bytes) Carlos Diaz the artist was born in Trujillo on the North coast of Peru. He spent his early years living and studying in the mountains and jungles of the region where he developed an understanding for the indigenous Indians and Mestizos. This would later influence his art.

His father's family came to Peru over two hundred years ago from Portugal while his mother's family was native Indian. Carlos’ father was an architect and encouraged his son to study architectural and mechanical drawing. He quickly found the discipline required by this kind of art too confining and was torn by a need to express himself in a freer style.

Carlos left Peru in 1966 for England where he first studied in St. Ives, Cornwall. He then traveled throughout Europe and attended art schools in Florence, Avignon and Barcelona. Upon returning to England he studied at both Chelsea and Putney Schools of Art before pursuing his ideas.


In the photograph to the left, Carlos is shown preparing to hang his work for a public exhibition at the Foreign Press Association, London in 1995.

While working as a pigment specialist, Carlos learned about the chemical composition of paint. He began to mix his own colours directly from natural pigments, as did the old Masters.

Carlos prefers to make his own colours because he can create unique and brighter ones than those commercially available. Carlos finds that he can also control the consistency of the paint. This knowledge of the paint composition has allowed him to experiment with industrial materials such as synthetics, metals, plastics and nylon papers as alternatives to ordinary canvas.

Carlos is also an accomplished dancer. He expresses his love for art through dance as well as painting. For Carlos, his Latin American dancing has become an inspiration to his work, the spirit of which can be felt throughout his creations. C33WS.jpg (8605 bytes)