Blurring the Line with Valentina Benaglio
As a self-taught artist, Valentina brings a raw honesty to her practice. She speaks openly about not having a formal art degree, and how that has allowed her to stay curious, experiment freely, and create without the pressure of rules.
Her identity as a Mexican-Italian artist living in Brooklyn is layered, and it shows up in her subject matter and color palette. “The bold, fiery colors in my work pull from my Mexican roots. The sense of movement and expressive strokes nod to Italian art history. And the blurred, dreamlike quality mirrors the experience of migration, of constantly shifting between cultures.”
Valentina has always felt a beautiful clash within herself. It's in this space, where cultures collided, that she found her voice through art.
We were excited when Valentina reached out to us and were immediately impressed by her distinct perspective and focus on capturing the complexity and strength of women. Her work also carries a spiritual and philosophical undertone that makes her “why” feel universal.
Her latest series, It Was All a Blur, explores memory, dissociation, and transformation. These are portraits, yes—but more than that, they are emotional landscapes. Painted with expressive strokes and bold contrasts, the works invites the viewer to embrace ambiguity and find fragments of themselves.
“I want people to feel my work before they try to define it,” she says. That sentiment is core to her practice, and perhaps why her work resonates so deeply. The paintings are intimate, textured, and alive with motion. Faces drift between recognition and obscurity, much like dreams themselves.
In the above painting, “Ephemeral Dream,” we see everything that defines Valentina's visual language: movement and emotion. It's a painting that makes you want to stand still to observe the duality.
The piece above, "Sunset Whispers," carries that power unique to portraits. When you see someone clearly, it almost feels like you’re being seen too. Whether her work is on paper or oil on canvas, it invites presence.
We hope you enjoy Valentina's thoughtfulness in the full Q&A below as she shares more about her process and journey, and how it has evolved over time.
What would you like people to know when they first come across your artworks?
I want people to feel my work before they try to define it. My paintings are an invitation—to step into the blur, to embrace both clarity and distortion, and most importantly, to find pieces of themselves within my stories. My latest series, It Was All a Blur, is about memory, disassociation, and transformation. The blurred portraits I create are not just about what is seen, but about what is felt; moments that are slipping away yet remain intensely present.
As a Mexican-Italian artist based in Brooklyn, my work is deeply rooted in emotion, cultural identity, and personal experience. I challenge traditional portraiture with bold contrasts, expressive strokes, and a sense of movement that makes the subjects feel alive. Whether it’s an original painting or a print, I want every collector to connect with my work in a way that feels intimate—because art is not just something to look at, it’s something to experience.
When thinking about where you are in your journey, what are you most excited about and what keeps you inspired for the future?
I’ve been painting for years, but only recently made the leap to fully immerse myself in the art world. It’s been a wild ride. Just two months after deciding to pursue this dream formally, I exhibited my first oil painting in a gallery in NYC’s Lower East Side. Since then, I’ve met the most incredible people, built a growing community, and felt a kind of creative energy that keeps pushing me forward.
What excites me most is the unknown and the endless possibilities of what’s next. I’m exploring new techniques, experimenting with scale, and finding ways to merge traditional and digital mediums. I want my work to evolve, to take on new life in different forms, and to keep surprising me. I trust the universe, and I know that as long as I keep putting in the work, showing up, and staying true to my voice, the right opportunities will come.
If you could go to dinner with any artist, who would it be and why?
Without a doubt, Gustav Klimt. His work has always captivated me, especially the way he portrayed women with such richness, symbolism, and depth. His use of gold, intricate patterns, and sensual compositions make his art feel almost otherworldly, yet deeply human.
I’d love to sit down with him, a glass of wine in hand, and ask about his creative process, his influences, and what it felt like to push artistic boundaries in his time. How did he see the women he painted? Did he view them as muses, symbols, or something else entirely? And most importantly, would he be down to collaborate on a piece if he were alive today? (A Klimt x Benaglio crossover sounds like a dream.)
What is the best piece of advice you've been given?
“Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s.”
It sounds simple, but it’s one of the hardest things to live by, especially in the art world. It’s easy to look around and feel like you’re behind, like others are getting opportunities you’re not. But the truth is, everyone’s path is different, and everything unfolds in its own time.
Instead of comparison, I focus on showing up for myself and my work every day. As long as I pour my heart into my art and stay consistent, I trust that I’ll end up exactly where I need to be. The art world is not a race; it’s a lifelong conversation, and the only voice I need to focus on is my own.
What is one thing you wish you'd be asked in an interview?
I wish more people asked about how my background and culture influence my work. Art is always a reflection of the artist, and understanding where someone comes from gives deeper meaning to their creations.
As a Mexican-Italian artist living in Brooklyn, my identity is layered, just like my paintings. The bold, fiery colors in my work pull from my Mexican roots, the sense of movement and expressive strokes nod to Italian art history, and the blurred, dreamlike quality mirrors the experience of migration, of constantly shifting between cultures. My work is deeply personal, yet universal—it speaks to memory, emotion, and transformation, experiences we all share, no matter where we come from.
How has your practice evolved over time?
I started with acrylics, but moving to oil painting completely changed my process. The richness, depth, and flexibility of oil forced me to slow down, to be more intentional, and to embrace the unknown. I’m still learning every day, but that’s the beauty of it—I never want to stop evolving.
I also don’t have a formal art degree, and I love that. I’m entirely self-taught, which has given me the freedom to experiment without rigid rules. I believe the best artists are the ones who never settle, who keep pushing their craft, and who aren’t afraid to make mistakes. Art is about curiosity, about trying new things, and about letting intuition lead the way.
What music are you listening to these days?
I’m obsessed with The Marías, they’re my all-time favorite band. Their music is this dreamy blend of indie, R&B, and soft psych-rock, and the way they mix Spanish and English in their lyrics hits home for me as a Latina.
They’ve been gaining more recognition lately (especially after collaborating with Bad Bunny and opening for Billie Eilish), but I’ve been a fan since day one. Their sound is sultry, nostalgic, and hypnotic—perfect for painting sessions where I just get lost in the flow. There’s literally not a song of theirs that I skip.