The Amazing Diego!

I have probably never met someone so genuinely enthusiastic as Diego Mendoza. Not regarding his art, but life in general. The vibrant pops and comic book style (art pop) of Diego's art work perfectly match him as a person. After spending sometime with him during the past few days I realized how positive he is a person and how excited he is for everyone to go see his artwork tonight at Dream Chasers Club. 
Diego started drawing at the young age of five and it was his mom who got him into painting. He looked up at the art she did for Lowrider Magazine and he then asked her to teach him. Diego's mom is one (if no the main) driving force behind his art. 
Diego opened up in saying "after she taught me how to draw and paint, a couple of months after that she ran away from us. I kept drawing and painting as a way to hold on to her. I just carried it with me." 
Besides his mother teaching him how to draw and paint, he took two art classes which he jokingly admits that he failed. He feels that as an artist he does not like being told what to do. Art teachers teach in their own way which reflects in what they are telling you to do. Ironically he was voted most artistic in high school. 
Diego has this thing where he goes about his day with his camera and a sketchbook with him and he tries to capture what he likes throughout the day that way he can go home to his studio and interpret it in his own way. 
I asked him what we would expect to see today at his Alter Egos ll show tonight and why he chose the name. He responded by saying, "Alter Egos comes form the fact that I am a graffiti artist and I go under various aliases and I like comic books. It's that concept that you can become somebody you want and do anything you want. Coming back again to El Paso to do a show made me take a new perspective. I was able to channel all those different thoughts and perspectives into the artwork." 
He mentioned that the main message for the show will start off with a biopic describing his life as a child and then explain the hellish past ten months of life so that people get a sense of where he is coming from. It describes how he lost everything he had like loosing his mother to one of the cartels to loosing the love of his life at the time as well. However, Diego, as mentioned, is a very optimistic person to the point that one would not have thought that he went through all of that. He just wants people to walk in and enjoy it and appreciate it all together.
"If you can't free yourself around people you are with then why are you dealing with that?" 

Diego hopes that everyone that assists tonight feels inspired. He appreciates that people take part of their day to come and feel and admire the art. 

I want to thank Diego for taking his time to do this interview.
You can go follow him on Instagram: amazingdiego1