Talisa Almonte of Almonte Studio is a muralist, illustrator, and visual storyteller. Known for her playful compositions and surreal floral landscapes, she creates work that transforms spaces and invites people to see the world more brightly. We spoke with Almonte about color, her heritage, artistic vision, and more. 

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Almonte Studio is a reflection of your personal story and heritage. How does your Afro-Dominican background influence your work? 

My heritage is something I’m very proud of. A lot of my Latin-inspired artwork stems from experiences or food/pantry items I grew up with. Whenever I add to this series of work, I aim to share the beauty of my Dominican heritage and the shared experiences of the Latin community.

Color is a key element of your designs. If you could assign a color to represent an important moment in your creative journey, what would it be, and why? 

I think there would be two colors. I’ve always loved mint green because it’s the perfect mix of blues and greens. Before I rebranded to Almonte Studio, this was the color I used as my main branding color. It is essentially the color that started it all.  

I’ve been slowly evolving my branding colors to include more of the fun combinations that I use in my artwork. With that transition, I would also pick cobalt blue. I first fell in love with this shade of blue when I used [it] in my first large wall mural on Steinway St. in Astoria (Queens) and then a similar shade in my first asphalt mural, also in Astoria. The color was so rich and vibrant, and I loved the way it interacted with other colors.

Your art brings a sense of inclusivity and joy. How do you balance staying true to your vision while making sure your work resonates with a wide variety of people? 

Thank you for saying that. I honestly sometimes struggle with that very idea of wanting to create work for myself but also work that people will love. Most times when I’ve created work for myself or explored something I’m passionate about, I find that those pieces tend to do the best with customers. I find that people are attracted to the passion and love behind the work. Of course, there are always some works that don’t resonate as much as others, but they are still special, and I think their audience is out there somewhere. It’s all part of the journey of being an artist.

What’s the most unexpected source of inspiration you’ve found for your designs, and how did it influence your work? 

Overheard phrases. Whether it’s something a friend said, [or] from an article, or even from film or TV. I think this ability to visualize an entire scene or image from a few words is something I really love about being an artist. This ability and vision is what makes all of us unique. No two creatives will ever visualize something in the same way.

If you could collaborate with any artist (or artists) from our collection, who would it be and why?  

It would be so cool to collaborate with Joana Vasconcelos. I loved the crochet piece Viriato (2005). The colors are so perfectly balanced, but I also love the concept of testing the boundaries between “high” and “low” art. I love collaborating with people whose style or medium is different from my own because that’s where the most interesting artworks can come together. I think it would be so cool to create a work where parts of it would be covered with her crochet. I also think some of the bold colors I use in my work would be so interesting to see in the crochet format.