Meet Karina Diaz | Filmmaker & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karina Diaz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karina, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
That if you want to make a living you should pick anything that isn’t the arts. And that the arts are a hobby, not a sustainable career. After I spoke with many of my fellow artists on their beginnings these expressions seemed to be a widely held theme and attitude. This very attitude is the reason why it can be such a challenge to make the arts your career. Public perception on what constitutes an actual career versus craft time. The arts like any profession require skill, talent, dedication, and innovation but often it’s met with this label of it being just fun time and leisure. While creating something with your very own hands is thrilling and fun there is still a great deal of labor involved. I believe that many would agree it is a shining example of what a labor of love is. Now, a career in the arts is not easy and I know to be true as a filmmaker and painter. However, any artist out there knows that if they must dedicate themselves to anything as a career they would rather “the struggle” if it means they can honor their heart. So it’s time we put the starving artist narrative to bed and instead nurture students early on that show interest in it like we do STEM.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I believe that in order to know my art you first need to understand me and my story.

As a child, I had more of an opportunity to partake in crafts and artistry through school and at home. From an early age, it was clear that the arts is where my heart is. Whether through creative writing, school plays, dance, and paint/craft to name a few. My abuela Cristina saw the artist in me and would push me to lean more into it. My parents would also buy me pastels, sketchbooks, and colored pencils galore. I didn’t have any sort of formal training in sketch or painting but they saw how much I loved it. My “teacher” would really be my abuela as she took art classes in Mexico and whenever she’d visit me she’d tell me all of what she learned. She would show me the beautiful Alcatraz “calla lilies” flower she painted along with trinkets like Talavera tiles she had brought back. Flowers and Talavera tiles would later become major inspirations in my artwork for Divina Halos as a connection to my ancestry.

And then somewhere along the way I just stopped. From my teens to young adulthood I spent my time really dedicating myself to my studies and extracurriculars like dance, sports, fashion, and film club. All things that would look great on a college application. However, I would neglect time to grow my passion for painting and even forget about it completely. It would be well over a decade before I sat down and focused on painting.

Flash forward to the Fall of 2020, I was a recent college graduate that had no luck with employment as a filmmaker as Hollywood had temporarily closed its doors. The world stood still and the looming fear of where life would go or even look like was anyone’s guess. It was especially difficult for someone like me as I am immunocompromised and exposure was especially dicey. Thankfully, I lived with my parents and my mom has the same condition so we supported one another in this fearful time. With the normal hustle and bustle of life being non-existent I finally was free of any distractions. And that’s when my love for painting started calling me back as an avenue to bring color back into my life.

What started as a one-off experimental birthday gift for a friend would quickly turn into a small business from my kitchen table. Still in its early stages is where I decided that if I was going to go anywhere with it it needed to be more than just a pretty thing. I began to brainstorm on the name and what kind of connection it should invoke. So, in true Chicana fashion, I went with Divina (the Spanish word for divine) and made the second part, “halos” in English as a fun mixture of Spanglish. I knew I’d want the halos to reflect on what it’s like to be of two worlds like me and my grandmother and how art created a bridge between them. Now I can confidently say that the halos are a reflection of being Mexican by blood and American by birth. They are a bridge between the two countries that warmly invite you in to explore and appreciate them. The influences behind my halos range from boho, art deco, women, and Mexican culture, especially Talavera, and sprinkled in between is some Catholic imagery to name a few.

As for what sets us apart from anyone else that also paints on fedoras there are quite a few ways. I created from scratch a personal collaborative experience for commissions where I invite my clients to be artists too! They will tell me general elements that interest them and through my own style, I’ll create an original design. The variety of ways to customize your very own unique halo allows for our styles to expand and offer diverse styles. Another way we stand out is by making the halo act as a beautiful frame for the living work of art that is our Divinas. It’s more common for the designs painted on the back of the hat and I find it distracts from the wearer and ends with many photos of your back. Negating the person wearing it and only exhibiting the art. Our placement of the designs being a frame to the wearer’s face all come back to our intention of having these pieces complement them. Every piece is personal, especially the commissioned halos which Divinas use to honor their truths, themselves, loved ones, memories, and more. All those very human experiences have been explored through elements I’ve painted but could have only created the art through their sharing of stories.

This is yet another way we set ourselves apart. We don’t seek to be yet another store focused on only transactions but rather cultivate a space and community for anyone to express themselves. To show us what your being “Divina” looks like to you which is why we exhibit everyday people on our social media. We welcome our Divinas to submit photos or videos as well as share their stories on who they are and what their halo means to them.

At the end of the day, my focus is connecting with the Divinas, hearing them out, or helping them on their journey rather than,” Did I sell out all my hats?” Maybe that’s a bad businesswoman but a good human…we’re still here almost three years later. I must be doing something right. We even have loyal Divinas who have grown their own collection of halos and credit us with quality and talent that is equally matched with care and connection. In turn, they refer us to more of their friends and family as well as even help get the word out by utilizing their platforms. I find pride in having created this Divina movement that has connected Divinas far and wide. It brings me joy to hear that two people out in a flower field just so happened to be wearing their halos and connected immediately because of it. Two complete strangers now bonding over this shared experience and what their halos mean to them.

Getting to this point in our small business was not easy but in the end worthwhile. Every hurdle along the way only acted as an opportunity to evolve. Originally, we only operated online as it made the most sense to keep costs low and work from home. We realized that we were losing out on reaching Divinas in person and learning about the connection of the Divinas to the pieces. Bringing Divina Halos to in-person events was a shot in the dark since online we’re referred through an algorithm. At the markets vendors often pay high fees to attend, buy all sorts of materials/equipment needed for the pop-ups, and commute over an hour to high-traffic areas. The gamble is that you may not even make what you paid to be there if not enough people show up or the right kind of clientele. Even to this day, it is trial and error to see which new markets we should try versus sticking with the ones that have been great for us. We’ve worked in the San Diego area as well as Orange County with different event coordinators and have had both outcomes in our markets. Now they’re much more calculated risks as we have more experience under our belt. When you’re starting out it is so important to have confidence in what you create and know that sales do not directly affect the worth of what you’ve created. Although it does feel amazing when you sell out or sell multiple items in just a few hours you can’t lose sight of why you do it.

If there’s anything I’d want the world to know about Divina Halos it’s that we are here to create a piece that celebrates you. Each person has such a unique light to them that it is easy to lose sight of. These halos are so much more than a beautiful and unique accessory that is hand-crafted for you. They are an opportunity to delve deeper into the conversation of self-love and honoring yourself. And though it’s wearable art the way the halo is meant to be worn quite literally makes you keep your head up. So let this token be a conduit to not transform you into someone else but rather step into your most authentic self. And know that you are radiant, art, worthy, enough…you are Divina!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Just like I do with Divina Halos, I’d connect them with all the local small businesses I adore! To get a good idea of the taste of San Diego I’d do breakfast with them at Holy Matcha, Communal. or Lovesong Coffee. All of those spaces have the perfect blend of the cafe and artistic scene that I know they’d love. They’re cozy and inviting as well as they often have their own little shops within them. Continuing on the artistic theme I would take them to Pigment which is one of my favorite stores and has an array of trinkets from jewelry, clothing, home decor, and botany. There you can actually spend time putting together your own arrangement. Close by is Verbatim Books which has a lot of small press books, zines, and an eclectic space to explore.

Being a lover of music I’d take them to one of the coolest new spaces in North Park that has my heart when it comes to vinyl and musical experience. It also happens to be a bar that has immersive sound and constantly shuffling genres depending on the DJ at the time of entry. They have their own record shop in the back where you can explore a diverse collection of sounds.

We’d definitely catch a movie and see what’s playing at Digital Gym as they play experimental and indie films. There’s always so much conversation to be had about the carefully curated films they exhibit. Then we’d go to Harumama for the tastiest ramen and bao buns I’ve ever tried.

Taking in Little Italy is a must as it is an authentic San Diego experience. Rows of restaurants, desserts, and shops offer great ways to spend your time.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Of course, a big thank you to my family for joining in on Divina Halos and offering their support. My sisters give me the confidence to be bold and really go for it. They’re always there ready to meet whatever I put out there with love and support. A special thank you to my immigrant parents for being the blueprint for taking a chance on a dream and making it a reality; to them, I am eternally grateful. Whether it’s helping me pack and carry orders to the post office or setting up my display with me, they have all become part of Divina Halos.

To my fiancé, Joshua Velazquez Salgado who takes care of the numbers side of Divina Halos, I am so thankful for you. But more than just doing numbers he has always been such a supporter of my dreams. Behind every posed photo of me in the hats is him clicking the button and my being my stand-in for when I frame it up. He’s right there alongside me at the markets, the first to always lend a helping hand and the one who reminds me even when sales are slow that what I do and who I am have so much more value. I couldn’t possibly do anything like this without him taking care of logistics and taking care of me.

To all my friends that have been models for us to show the many faces that can be a fellow Divina, I appreciate you. Whether it’s helping us get the word out to others or cheering us on, all that you do means the world to us.

To all of our Divinas that share us with their community whether influencer, small business, or media entity we have been blessed to have them in our corner. They are the reason we are still around today! And they are the reason I do what I do.

And last but certainly not least, God. For putting dreams in my mind and passion in my heart to touch people with the gifts, He has given me.

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DivinaHalos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divina_halos/?hl=en

Other: Tik Tok: Divina Karina

Image Credits
Kassie Layne Photography Jaimee Morse Michelle Espinoza Photography Britt Lyons Chelsea Lawyer