Artist Statement
Creating your own identity is an act of courage. In a world eager to define who we are, my art becomes a space of resistance; a voice that challenges the labels, expectations, and limitations society places upon us. Each character I portray carries a story of struggle and self-discovery, a reflection of how identity is not given, but forged through experience, resilience, and truth.
The Diva attitude is knowing our particular value without seeking approval.
With my work I explore what it means to stand unapologetically in your difference, to embrace the imperfections that make you whole, and to find beauty in the fight to simply be yourself. All these narratives of the characters I chose to portray have a deep sense of admiration and respect for what they have done or who they are.
Growing up I was always inspired by the human figure: superheroes, portraiture, nudes, and sculptures. From the classical Greek and Roman period to the masters of Renaissance, Neoclassic art, and finally Pop-art and comic books.
In a way, I’m still representing the same old gods from Western culture that other artists portray before me. The “new gods” we follow in social media, magazines, movies, music, and TV.
I always admired beauty, but not only in the obvious stereotype. I could find beauty in the oddest of subjects. Color, lines, composition, and style are also important things when I chose an image or character to portray.
What I realized in my journey so far, is that accepting life begins with an understanding that what makes us equal is the very thing that makes us unique.
Leonardo Montoya
Dame Edna/Barry Humphries 1934-2023 Mixed media on canvas 48″x60″ $17,500
Barry Humphries was described as one of the greatest raconteurs and stand-up comedians of his age. But his achievements as a writer, painter, actor and scholar were overshadowed by his most monstrous creation, the shrill toned and sequined Dame Edna Everage. From her humble suburban beginnings in the mid 1950s, plain Mrs Everage morphed into a global superstar, spreading her homespun philosophy and piles of gladioli wherever she went. In 1955, Humphries introduced Mrs Norman Everage, the housewife from Moonee Ponds, a suburb in Melbourne, to a university production.
It was the first iteration of the irrepressible character that would define his career. Humphries said his creation was supposed to last only a week. Instead, it blossomed into Dame Edna, his gaudy, sharp-tongued comic alter ego who would leave audiences in stitches in Australia and beyond for decades. She became more outrageous as the years went on, and was famed for her lilac-rinsed hair, flamboyant glasses and catchphrase: “Hello possums!”
Sir Elton John. Mixed media on canvas 48″x60″ $17,500
Sir Elton John is one of pop music’s great survivors. Born 25 March, 1947, as Reginald Kenneth Dwight, started to play the piano at the early age of four. At the age of 11, he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. Dwight teamed up with Bernie Taupin lyricist and changed his name to Elton John. He became the most successful pop artist of the 1970s, and he has survived many different pop fads including punk, the New Romantics and Britpop to remain one of Britain’s most internationally acclaimed musicians. In the 1970s and 1980s, he suffered from drug and alcohol addiction and bulimia but came through it. He is well known as a campaigner for AIDS research and he keeps his finger on the pulse of modern music. He was knighted in 1997.
Iris Apfel 1921-2024 Mixed media on canvas 36″x48″ $8,500
The matriarch of maximalism has died, aged 102. ‘More is more, and less is a bore’ was her mantra, and her unique style and wisdom brought joy and inspiration to many.
The “geriatric starlet” – as she sub-titled her biography – who remained sparklingly bright and larger than life to the end. Iris Apfel, the US businesswoman, interior designer, fashion designer and actress, died on 1 March at her Palm Beach home aged 102.
This is a smaller reproduction of “Audrey Hepburn with a bullet hat” from 2018. Audrey Hepburn (born May 4, 1929 in Belgium—died January 20, 1993 in Switzerland)The Belgian-born British actress known for her radiant beauty and style, her ability to project an air of sophistication tempered by a charming innocence, and her tireless efforts to aid children in need throughout her life.
The Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I. She was executed by firing squad in France; however dubious her real-life espionage career was, her legacy became that of the quintessential female spy, and her name evoked mystery, seduction and duplicity. Movie portrayals involving such stars as Greta Garbo only added to the Mata Hari legend.
Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000) was an Austrian-American actress and inventor who pioneered the technology that would one day form the basis for today’s WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth communication systems. As a natural beauty seen widely on the big screen in films like Samson and Delilah and White Cargo, society has long ignored her inventive genius. Lamarr’s beauty was simultaneously classic and exotic, making her the perfect model for Disney’s Snow White. Lamarr was also the inspiration for Catwoman in the original Batman comics.
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country’s popular culture she employed a naive folk art style to explore questions of identity, postcolonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society. Her paintings often had strong autobiographical elements and mixed realism with fantasy. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist.
Vivien Leigh (1913-1967) Her portray of Scarlett O’Hara as she will be remembered.She earned a reputation for being difficult to work with and for much of her life, she had bipolar disorder, as well as recurrent bouts of chronic tuberculosis, which was first diagnosed in the mid-1940s and ultimately led to her death at age 53.
Esther was an American actress. She is best known for her role as Florida Evans, on the CBS television sitcom Maude, for two seasons (1972–1974), and its spin-off series Good Times, for five seasons (1974–77, 1978–79)Despite the success of the series, Rolle clashed with the Hollywood producers because of their depiction of the oldest son character, J.J. as a buffoon. From the very beginning she fought for the series to have a good representation of the black community.
There really hasn’t been a face as perfectly suited to the famed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar as that of Rossy de Palma. Often compared to Picasso paintings, given her asymmetrical features and distinctive nose, Rossy has been an Almodóvar chica for over twenty-five years, stretching all the way back to Pedro’s crossover hit Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. During the recent Almodóvar retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, the actress sat down for a lively Q&A after a screening of the 1993 flick Kika, for which de Palma earned a Goya nomination for best supporting actress as La Juana.
The British actress and humanitarian is once again my muse. Recognized as a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend in Golden Age Hollywood and was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame.
More than her beautiful physique she had a soul and kindness that I always admired.
She quoted: For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.
Yalitza. Mixed media on canvas 36″ x 48″ $7,500
Yalitza Aparicio is a Mexican actress who made her film debut as Cleo in Alfonso Cuarón’s 2018 drama Roma, which earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019. Her parents are of indigenous origin; her father is Mixtec and her mother is Trique. She is not, however, fluent in the Mixtec language and had to learn it for her role in Roma. Aparicio was raised by a single mother who worked as a maid. She does not have formal training in acting, but rather has pursued a degree in pre-school education while already holding a degree in early childhood education. She won her first acting role just prior to qualifying as a teacher. She also appeared in the Vanity Fair 2019 “Hollywood Issue” cover.
I want to portray her beauty and pride with this piece.
Depicting Cleopatra’s manipulation of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony in her ill-fated attempt to save the Egyptian empire. The most famous and powerful love triangles to be captured on film. What Taylor did capture, brilliantly, was Cleopatra’s unmatched, enduring allure. The Romans were fascinated by the spectacle of an exotic woman in their midst. They gossiped about her relationship with Caesar, and criticized her for her extravagance and licentiousness. Elizabeth Taylor’s screen portrayal gave us the same spectacle, the same opportunity for gossip, and the same exemplar of a femme fatale.
Lupita. Mixed media on canvas 36″ x 48″ $ 7,500
Lupita Amondi Nyong’o is a Kenyan-Mexican actress. She had her first feature film role as Patsey in the film 12 Years a Slave (2013), for which she received critical acclaim and won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Nyong’o’s career progressed with her role as Nakia in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Black Panther (2018)
In addition to acting, Nyong’o supports historic preservation. She is vocal about preventing sexual harassment and working for women’s rights and animal rights. Nyong’o was named among Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women in 2020.
Dame Lesley Lawson is an English model, actress, and singer widely known by the nickname Twiggy. She was a British cultural icon and a prominent teenage model in swinging sixties London.
Twiggy was initially known for her thin build and her androgynous look consisting of big eyes, long eyelashes, and short hair.
Yayoi. Mixed media on canvas 36″ x 48″ $ 7,500
Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese contemporary artist who works primarily in sculpture and installation but is also active in painting, performance, film, fashion, poetry, fiction, and other arts. Her work is based in conceptual art and shows some attributes of feminism, minimalism, surrealism, Art Brut, pop art, and abstract expressionism, and is infused with autobiographical, psychological, and sexual content. She has been acknowledged as one of the most important living artists to come out of Japan.
Kusama moved to New York City in 1958 and was a part of the New York avant-garde scene throughout the 1960s, especially in the pop-art movement. Embracing the rise of the hippie counterculture of the late 1960s, she came to public attention when she organized a series of happenings in which naked participants were painted with brightly colored polka dots.
Iris Apfel is famous for her eclectic style. She pairs layers of bright colors and oversized glasses and jewelry together with such flair that she was the subject of an exhibit at The Costume Institute in The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
An American original in the truest sense, Iris Apfel is one of the most vivacious personalities in the worlds of fashion, and interior design, and over the past 40 years, she has cultivated a personal style that is both witty and exuberantly idiosyncratic.
I like to experiment with different mediums and really enjoy mixin bright colors.
I want my audience to embrace diversity, to find beauty in the unconventional characters.
Audrey in a pink hat. Mixed media on canvas 16″ x 20″ Donated to Housingworks.org
Aseel teal. Mixed media on canvas 18″ x 24″ Sold! Aseel orange and lilac available for $ 1,700 each
I met Aseel back in 2018 at RAK Fine Arts Festival and immediately she was a source of inspiration. She’s a very unique Muslim woman with a high sense of style.
I felt very accomplished to be able to connect with another culture through my artwork; It’s probably the biggest achievement of my career so far.
The phenomena of sexism and misogyny are global—not peculiar to Islam, or to the Middle East. The double standard relative to human rights violations is a global issue. The hypocrisy of politicians and religious powers against oppressive regimes in the world, it’s dark and full of contradictions.
The Emirates now are talking about tolerance and diversity, probably due to the mayor numbers of immigrants and the opportunities that globalization now offers to the world. There is still hope for this world.
Audrey Pink. Mixed media on wood 42″ x 72″ Sold
Ava Pink. Mixed media on canvas 36″ x 48″ Sold!
Another great character and really a beautiful woman, Ava was a big star during the 1940s/70s
This piece is full of glamour and fashion and it has the nostalgia of the golden years of Hollywood films.
Andrea Lilac. Mixed media on wood 36″ x 48″ $ 7,500
An icon of the Rock en español era, Andrea Echeverri is one of the biggest Colombian artist that represent these genera.
She has a particular personality that is often resembled in her looks.
Again I’m using different materials to add a 3D effect, making every piece unique.
Rosi news mixed media on canvas 36″ x 48″ Sold!
Rossy de Palma’s first major role was in 1988 in Pedro Almodóvar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. She became a model for designers Jean-Paul Gaultier, Thierry Mugler, and Sybilla. She then appeared in Robert Altman’s 1994 satirical fashion film Prêt-à-Porter and in the music video of George Michael’s “Too Funky” song. Today, she is a theater actress, charity spokesperson for the Ghanaian charity OrphanAid Africa, and the face of luxury ad campaigns.
Born in Palma de Mallorca, she was originally a singer and dancer before being discovered by filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar at a café in Madrid in 1986. She is best known for her roles in Almodóvar films like Law of Desire (La ley del deseo), Kika, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios) just to name a few.
Frida Green. Mixed media on canvas 11″ x 14″ Sold!
Kahlo’s work as an artist remained relatively unknown until the late 1970s when her work was rediscovered by art historians and political activists. By the early 1990s, she had become not only a recognized figure in art history but also regarded as an icon for Chicanos, the feminist movement, and the LGBTQ+ movement. Kahlo’s work has been celebrated internationally as emblematic of Mexican national and indigenous traditions and by feminists for what is seen as its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form.
Andrea Orange. Mixed media on wood 42″ x 72″ $11,500
Colombia’s Andrea Echeverri is best known as the outspoken leader of the Grammy-winning Latin alt-rock/trip-hop outfit Aterciopelados; she’s also a Latina who sideswipes stereotypes. For all her feminist fire and subversiveness, though upon the formation of Aterciopelados in 1990, the pierced and tattooed Echeverri stunned her conservative country by singing a song about her unwillingness to ruin her silhouette by having children; her voice is renowned for its enveloping purr and warmth.
Audrey with a hat. Mixed media on canvas 48″ x 72″ $ 18,000
Audrey Hepburn the timeless beauty of actress, it’s once again the inspiration for this piece. Recognized as a film and fashion icon, Hepburn was active during Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Hepburn was noted for her fashion choices and distinctive look. Her humanitarian career helped in some of the most needed regions of Africa, Turkey, Latin America, etc. Her contribution to the world was priceless.
With this artwork, I was awarded “Artist of the Year” at Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival in 2018. I felt very accomplished as an artist to be able to connect through my work with the middle east audience and to be the face of the 2019 RAK Festival.
Audrey Magenta. Mixed media on wood 42″ x 72″ Sold
Kumari Girl. Mixed media on canvas 10″ x 10″ Sold
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and versatility in the entertainment industry. Her philanthropy and activism focus on mental health awareness and LGBT rights; she has her own non-profit organization, the Born This Way Foundation, which supports the wellness of young people.
Rossy Blue. Mixed media on canvas 36″ x 48″ $ 7,500
Rosa Elena García Echave, known professionally as Rossy de Palma, is a Spanish actress and model. She is well known for her roles in films by Pedro Almodóvar such as Law of Desire, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Kika, The Flower of My Secret, Julieta, and Parallel Mothers.
Maria Bonita. Mixed media on wood 36″ x 48″ $ 7,500
Maria Felix, La Doña was one of the most important female figures of the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. She was considered the most successful actress of the 1940s and 1950s. One of the most beautiful actresses of Mexican cinema, her taste for the finesse and strong personality garnered her the title of diva early in her career. She was known as La Doña, a name derived from her character in the film Doña Bárbara (1943), and María Bonita, thanks to the anthem composed exclusively for her, as a wedding gift by her second husband, the Mexican composer Agustín Lara.
Annie Lenox Diva. Mixed media on wood 42″ x 72″ $ 7,500
Frida Blue. Mixed media on wood 42″ x 64″ Sold
Amazing Grace. Mixed media on Wood 31.5″ x 48″ $ 6,500
Audrey Orange. Mixed media on wood 42″ x72″ Sold
Rosi Red. Mixed media on canvas 30″ x 40″ Sold
Diva what better word to describe the talent and the unique beauty of Rosi de Palma profile picture.
The sense of fashion and glamour is part of her personality.
LEONARDO MONTOYA ARTIST 