Peachy recently had a chance to chat with Charlotte artist, Diego Alba. His extraordinary work transforms imagined interiors, landscapes, and memories into deeply personal works of art.
WRITTEN BY Delia Welton McMullen
Peachy sat down with Charlotte artist Diego Alba recently to discuss his work.
Q: Your Indigo Room, Green Room, and Violet Room paintings have a striking atmosphere and color palette. What inspired these works, and what were you hoping viewers would take away from them?
A: My recent series features predominantly monochromatic interior paintings that celebrate the nuances of contemporary domesticity. These works are derived from imaginary geographies—primarily inspired by Mediterranean settings, where my focus shifts from the literal to the experiential; I paint the feeling of a space rather than the idea of one. By consciously disregarding the classical rules of perspective, scale, and color, I aim to translate the emotions I experience when visualizing these environments. My practice is deeply informed by the sensibilities of Henri Matisse, Édouard Vuillard, and Pierre Bonnard. Ultimately, I want viewers to connect with these interiors on a personal level, whether through a nostalgic memory or a shared desire to inhabit these spaces.
Q: As a Colombian-American artist, how have your cultural background, family history, and personal experiences influenced your artistic style, subject matter, and perspective?
A: I grew up in Colombia during the 80s and 90s, but I eventually fled the country due to persecution related to my sexual orientation. The trauma I experienced through street violence and bullying caused me to detach, to some extent, from my Colombian roots.
However, I remain familiar with the diverse ecosystems and biological richness that define the country. Sometimes, I draw on those memories of nature to create stylized or abstracted elements that adorn my landscapes and interior paintings. I am now looking forward to visiting Colombia with my husband. I want us to experience the country together and create new, positive memories. I hope that this eventual reconnection will inspire future work that incorporates more direct cultural nods to my home country.
Q: You are largely self-taught as an artist. Can you tell us about your journey, including any mentors, artists, travels, or pivotal experiences that helped shape your artistic voice and career?
A: My family is full of people who are artistically inclined, spanning fields like music, writing, painting, and architecture. I think much of my love for the arts and the creative process grew out of that early exposure.
After years of working in corporate America in the visual design industry, I have now transitioned to being a fine artist full-time, and I could not be happier with the experience of wearing the many different hats required of a self employed artist. By leveraging the skills I learned in the corporate world, I interact with clients, manage my own web design, handle marketing, and oversee my own photography.
A pivotal experience for me came in 2024, when I was selected for the ArtPop Street Gallery class of 2025 cohort. This incredible organization selects 20 artists in the region each year and sponsors advertising opportunities through physical and digital billboards, signage, and social media in Charlotte, other prominent U.S. cities, and most notably, Times Square in New York City. Seeing my art in Times Square and across the city throughout 2025 gave me the external validation I needed to commit to fine art as my new career.
Since then, I have exhibited my work in numerous galleries in the area and across other states, including The Mint Museum in Charlotte. I have also had the privilege of forming a fruitful partnership with Counter–, the first Michelin-starred restaurant in North Carolina.
Q: When you begin a new piece, do you start with a clear concept, or does the story reveal itself as you work? What do you hope people discover about themselves when they spend time with your art?
A: Sometimes I start with a clear vision or a digital sketch, but at other times, the work evolves and takes form on the canvas. I enjoy both approaches, and the choice simply depends on my mood, the subject matter, and my current inspiration.
Ultimately, I want my art to move people, and I hope viewers find elements that connect with their own stories and personal preferences. I also enjoy surprising people with subtle details I sometimes place in my paintings, or with witty, linguistic titles that give a new layer of meaning to the work.
Q: As your career has grown from murals and public art projects to gallery exhibitions and national recognition, what keeps you creatively motivated today, and what new artistic challenges or directions are you most excited to explore?
A: Motivation and inspiration come in many unexpected forms, ranging from the work of other artists to nature and fashion. For example, one of my most recent pieces, Looking Glass, is my interpretation of the exuberant beauty of Looking Glass Falls in North Carolina. I based many of the colors and patterns in that work on Alessandro Michele’s Gucci Fall/Winter 2018 Cyborg collection.
Seeing new techniques and witnessing the incredible creativity of others, whether in ceramics, sculpture, dance, or painting, infuses me with energy and a desire to create new work. I am currently leaning toward large-scale projects, and I would love to explore more neutral color compositions while collaborating with commercial clients in the interior design and architecture spaces. I hope to reach new markets in other cities as well.
“My art is not meant to simply look pretty on a wall. Every piece I create carries a narrative.” —Diego Alba
Q: When you’re not creating art, what does life look like for you?
A: When not creating, I am usually thinking about creating. I spend most of my time in the company of our Goldendoodle, Barkley. He is my emotional support animal and my little studio assistant. I love being in nature, whether that means working in our ever-evolving backyard or visiting the mountains.
I also enjoy spending time at home, relaxing, learning something new on YouTube, or listening to audiobooks. I have always struggled with depression and anxiety, so it is a daily decision to reframe my old ways of thinking about life and myself. I strive to live in the present moment, as Eckhart Tolle and my dog have taught me, and to simply accept what is.