Meet Erik De la Cruz aka DELA | Artist & Muralist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erik De la Cruz aka DELA and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erik, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
Im inspired by nature, the cosmos, but mostly the human experience. Also environmental consciousness has played a vital theme in my work. The relationship humans have with our planet and how that can be a positive or negative exchange has always intrigued me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Having a unique, recognizable style sets you (or any other artist) apart from others. This is something I was always aware of, and I discovered my style by complete accident. That also taught me that embracing or accepting the accident are crucial. Look deep into the mistakes you might make on the canvas. Or just experiment, there’s so much hidden in the details, in the brushstrokes. I moved to San Francisco and soon after I found this style, it was honestly an easy path from there, once I had my style I felt I could do anything I set my art to. Before that, I started my career by hustling my art on the streets, on the floor of art walks or just trying to make a buck on a Friday night in a downtown city. It was a struggle, but I was too in love with creating and getting better. Also the constant buying from patrons made me work harder and harder on my craft. The main lessons I learned along the way was to stay humble. You may not remember everyone you’ve met along the way right now, but they remember that small interaction or sale you shared. I would like the world to know that although my color scheme will remain somewhat the same, the stories and the learning will never stop. It will always and forever remain in constant evolution.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Currently Im in Puerto Rico and Boulder, Colorado. While in Puerto Rico I would take them to the beach everyday, we would see sunsets everyday. Hike through forests and eating some local cuisine.. In CO I would take them on an epic hike during the spring. Not much of a winter person but sledding can be fun. I would also cook for them or we would all cook feasts every night. 🙂

Alright, so let’s jump right in! The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there a person, group, organization, book, etc. that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? Who else deserves a little credit and recognition in your story?
I dedicate my shoutout to 2 books I read when I was young. “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac and “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. The first book got me excited about adventure and travel, the second introduced me to the laws of the universe and the path to reach our destiny, our legend.

Website: delacanvas.com

Instagram: instagram.com/dela_artist

Facebook: Facebook.com/delacanvas