I’m not one that enters contests. Contests are just not my thing. However, about a month ago so many friends from New York were emailing me about a Heineken art competition where finalists would get the opportunity to exhibit at the renowned PS1 in Long Island City.

Whoever wins gets to create four murals in New York, Miami and Los Angeles. I couldn’t go wrong by trying. There was one catch, you have to be a Tri-State area resident. I am always in New Jersey and New York.

I practically live there anyway, so I decided to enter. I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. I did an oil painting in a week and mailed it in. Turns out…things get there real quick and I was a finalist.

I feel that things are sometimes yours, even if there are rules saying what is accepted and what isn’t. I went for the gusto. I think everyone should live this way. I think I should live this way more often. Going after your gut feeling and let it take you.

So, there I was at PS1, hanging with so many great people. My friend and fellow artist Jose Mertz joined me. I was staring at my piece, thinking about all the great artists that have been in and out of the same doors.

I know more people then I thought, mad people were saying “Hey Kiki, you’re here…aren’t you from Miami?” So, once that happened three or four times I started getting a little nervous. People were blowing my cover! I didn’t care I was just happy to be at PS1.

Well I didn’t win the grant to paint the murals, but I won something very important. I went after something and new doors opened. The next day Jose and I explored across Manhattan. I saw a few people that were at the opening, and people said some very nice things about my painting. So that was cool.

Everyone has to look out for my homeboy Jose Mertz, he use to be one of the head designers for Parish clothing, but now he’s focusing on his own projects and artwork. I did some modeling for him with some of his designs. To see what he’s about make sure to check out his page. He’s currently updating his site so look out for that. I’ll make sure to fill you guys in on a few things coming up.
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posted Sept. 7

Here I am starting off the first entry in my blog for nocheLatina. This is the first I have given anyone a glimpse of my daily life for the public to read.

I'm a painter from Miami. No, I don't paint houses...I paint pictures. I'm an artist. No, not a hip-hop artist...and no I don't spray paint. I am from a class of old school to new school traditions. I don't use computers to articulate myself, although many great people are doing that these days. Just give me a stick/branch off a tree and colored mud and I can live.

I can say my career started by a fortunate mistake. For too long during the late 90's and early 2000's many complained about the lack of culture in Miami.

We are saturated with nightclubs and partying. Many see that as a negative atmosphere for creating art, because people simply don't care. Maybe this is true, but I am not one to sit around and complain about it.

My good friend Rene, use to do a Sunday night music and art event in Coconut Grove in 2002, showcasing music and art. I hated the idea of my paintings in deem lighting. I asked him If I could just create a painting instead. People liked it, and I was soon considered the “it” live painter in Miami. But then it got to the point people would call me the "live painter" which I know deep in my heart there is a lot more to me then that.

I don't perform, I create. I don't care about being a live painter. I care about leaving a mark that could change something or someone in this world. I took live painting from watching old videos of Picasso creating pieces and Keith Haring drawing in the Subway stations. That's where my idea came from.

Nightclubs were a wall barely touched in Miami. I took it upon myself to be exposed to that party world for the creation and development of my own art. It's been a long road and this year I've settled down on the live thing.

Just this past week I had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles and was asked by Brisk Iced Tea to create a painting for an event they were having at LA Center Studios. It was hosted by Charlie Murphy. It was pretty funny when he stepped on stage and he introduced all the people apart of the event.

He goes "Give it up for Ms. Kiki Valdes, she's doing her thing with the mural." I lost it! Everyone turned to me and were confused. I was a girl for that day! Normally I might have gotten a little upset, but shit...that's just funny.

I had a chance to hang with my family while I was in LA. We hit up all the spots. My childhood friend Ty Hodges came out to the event. We kicked it and I was glad to see him. If you don't know who he is, he's an actor. Look out for him because he's going to do very big things. He created a film last year with actress Megan Good called Miles From Home. I had a chance to see it last year in Miami Beach. It's a very powerful film with some really good acting. I didn't have a chance to see my good friend Jessica Sutta (she's a Pussycat Doll). We made plans to hang out but it never happened. She mentioned that she was going to drop by the Standard Hotel, I stopped by but she wasn't there. I really wanted to see her place because she owns one of my pieces and I heard it hangs right when you walk in. I missed her birthday party in Miami at SET, so my brother claims that's her way of getting back at me. Haha. I'll see her next time.

We kept driving by the legendary Pink’s hotdogs stand. So on the last day I was there we made it a point to check it out. My brother's a vegetarian, so my cousins, David and Bobby, and I, kept our order simple to three chili dogs. I must say, it was very good, very greasy and super non Kosher. One of our favorite spots was Jerry's Famous Deli, beats the one on South Beach hands down.

I’ve gotten tons of emails about getting back to the West Coast. So just to let you all know, it will happen very soon. Oh yeah, what's with all the Yogurt spots, berry this, berry that! It ain't all that, even though I tried it twice!

Anyway... much respect, and I will fill you guys in on all the crazy things coming up, so stay tuned.