Persephone Preciado says she taught herself how to paint from YouTube videos; she has already completed 17 murals for homes and businesses throughout the West Valley
LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. — At just 18 years old, a West Valley artist has already built an impressive portfolio.
Persephone Preciado has been dedicated to turning blank walls into colorful murals that reflect her love of Arizona’s landscapes and inspire the communities around her.
“I want people to see the work I do and smile,” Preciado said.
Preciado discovered her passion for painting when she was 8 years old. Without a family background in art, she taught herself by watching YouTube tutorials and practicing on her own.
“I got my first painting kit for Christmas,” she said. “So, I started painting when I was mostly 11.”
Her appreciation for Arizona’s scenery eventually became the foundation of her artistic style.
“I’ve always had a love for sceneries, landscapes,” she said. “I love taking pictures of them and that’s how it started. And then I started to paint them how I like to see them,” she said.
Preciado’s first commissioned mural came four years ago when one of her father’s coworkers asked her to paint their backyard wall.
“I’m so grateful for that because I had nothing under my belt,” Preciado said. “And she still was like, ‘Go ahead.’ She still loves that mural and I’m so surprised because I don’t think it looks that good anymore.”
That first opportunity (as well as motivation from her father) helped build her confidence. At 15, she took another leap by participating in a Goodyear pop-up event.
“I was scared, but I thought, ‘I’ll do it,'” she said. “When they saw my work, they wanted to hire me. I was 15, I couldn’t even sign my own contract.”
Since then, Preciado has completed 17 murals for homes and businesses throughout the West Valley. She says she views each project as an opportunity to share her perspective on a variety of things, including Arizona’s beauty.
“I can change what people see and change it to how I see it,” she said. “I can show people how beautiful it is to me. That’s the best part of learning how to paint. You can change the perspective of what things look like.”
She hopes her artwork encourages, inspires, and maybe even challenges people to see things differently.
“I do semi-realism,” she said. “I use textured paints and flowy paintbrushes. Each is meticulously carved out. There are no harsh lines. I don’t like harsh lines. It looks soft but at the same time has this bold color to it.”
Her largest project to date is a mural at a Chick-fil-A near Estrella Parkway and Interstate 10. She says it was completed in just 12 days.
“Hands down, one of my favorite jobs,” she said. “I thought it was so creative. And I did that by myself at a large scale in little time.”
She also has completed numerous residential commissions as well as the teen room at the Goodyear Library, the Goodyear Rec Center and the new Litchfield Park Library.
“I do care about researching what the mural is about,” she said. “[At the Litchfield Park Library] That peacock is from 1952 when they infiltrated the area. We think about the jets that used to fly above Litchfield. I want my work to be pretty, but I want it to mean something.”
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Many of her commissions have been during her time with Catitude Arts, a non-profit that offers students and young adults a mural mentoring program. She says it’s been a joy to be a part of.
“Every time I get a commission, I get so excited,” she said. “I think, ‘Yes, someone likes my work.'”
While she enjoys creating eye-catching artwork, Preciado says every mural is meant to have a deeper purpose. And as her portfolio grows, so do her ambitions.
“I’ll know I made it if I get a 60-foot mural in downtown Phoenix on the side of a skyscraper,” Preciado said. “I’m striving to get larger and larger murals.”
She also hopes her journey encourages other aspiring artists to believe in themselves.
“Be confident in your abilities,” she said. “If you think it looks bad, it looks beautiful to someone else.”
For more information on where to see Preciado’s murals, or to commission a piece of art, go here.
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