LORETTA PENA
ART PIECE BY PEACE

Loretta Pena is a self-taught artist based in Union City, California United States.  She began her journey after working for a fast-paced company more than 20 years.  The stress from working for this company was so overwhelming she had a severe anxiety attack that caused her to rethink her future.  She eventually parted ways, began therapy and painting which she now uses as her coping mechanisms.  Loretta has said many times "you really don't see yourself until your therapist holds a mirror in front of you."  She gives credit to both, painting and therapy, for saving her life.  She now creates art full-time.  Her paintings will take you on her life's journey.  Loretta's paintings are at times dark and emotional, to happy and uplifting.  She also paints to express her current mood and her views on world topics.  Her mission is always rooted in helping others who have had similar experiences to hers, and to reassure them that there is a better life waiting for them.  There is no subject she will not touch, and she is unafraid of criticism because her paintings are created from within her soul; her soul being her security blanket, if you will.  She has once said being self-taught feels free and independent, without worries of color representation and style and this is evident in her work.  Most of her work is created with acrylic paints on canvas.  The tools she uses are brushes, scalpels and anything she feels will give her the effect she needs such as plastic wrap, paper towels, fabric swatches, rubber tubes, fingers, etc. She loves to paint and feels very grateful to be on her journey and hopes that her creations will mean something to someone someday.