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	Juan Diaz Juan Diaz is the eldest child and only son of three children born to a closely knit family in Bogotá Colombia, South America. His father was a professional sculptor and ceramist in Colombia who graduated from the National University in Colombia with an emphasis in fine art. When Juan was a child, his father recognized his son’s natural creative intelligence and artist gifts within the first five years of his life. While his father worked at his drafting table, Juan as a small child would often sit on his father's lap and was encouraged to draw whatever came into his mind. At age nine, Juan was encouraged to watch his father work while sculpting ceramics and soon learned to work with clay and create three dimensional objects. This gave him a unique insight into dimension and perspective few children learn at such a young age. His father helped Juan create and use armatures that served as a foundation for this young student to mold with clay and understand the fundamentals of anatomy. This naturally led to Juan starting to use watercolors and oils to expand the basics of his artistic skills. It was during these early formative years his father taught him the skills of viewing others and the natural environment through studying the movement of shadows and seeing the range of colors rather than copying from photographs or merely imitating the works of other artists. At age 13 Juan accompanied his father when he moved to the United States. Shortly thereafter, his mother and two sisters joined Juan and his father who were residing in Naples, Florida. Upon entering high school in Naples, Florida Juan’s art teachers soon recognized his outstanding artistic talents and strongly encouraged him to continue drawing and working in oils. Juan experienced initial frustration in his art as he was often more advanced than many of his instructors and therefore felt he had to find greater assistance in learning materials and techniques outside of high school. Juan participated in classes offered by the VonLiebig Art Center in Naples and submitted works for exhibitions at the VonLiebig Art Center and the Marco Island Art League in Florida. Juan’s style and early mastery in drawing and the use of oils earned him a range of awards for Best in Show and various scholarships from the VonLibeig Art Center and the Marco Island Art League. Following graduation from high school Juan continued to independently study the works, styles, and techniques of master artists from the United States, Europe and South America. In early 2006, an artist associate of Juan’s arranged to have him meet and show his art portfolio to the international artist and juror, Jonathan Green who residee in Naples, Florida. Mr. Green was impressed with his composition skills and his outstanding use of geometric planes and understanding of perspective. At that time, Mr. Green and his business partner offered Juan an internship with Jonathan Green Studios, Inc. in Naples, Florida. When Jonathan Green moved his studio and gallery collection to Daniel Island, South Carolina in July of 2009, he chose to continue to represent Juan's art through his studio.
	Exihibits
	Oct. 2, 2009 - Jan. 10, 2010 Naples Museum of Art. Naples, FL. Latin American Painting Now
	May, 2009 - June, 2009 Naples Museum of Art. Naples, FL. Florida Contemporary: Paintings and Photographs
	August, 2008 - September, 2008 Cross Cultural Reflections Jonathan Green Art Collection Gallery, Naples, FL
	October, 2007 - November, 2007 Art Expressions of Latin America Museum of History, Fort Myers, Florida
	September, 2007 - November, 2007 A Latin Art Affair Harborside Event Center, Fort Myers, Florida
	May, 2007 - December, 2007 Cross Cultural Currents Jonathan Green Art Collection Gallery, Naples, Florida
	May, 2007 Naples Group ExhibitionGallery Journeyman Gallery - Naples, Florida,
	December, 2006 Solo Exhibition, "Life, Death, Freedom, Silence" Journeyman Gallery, Naples, Florida
	1999 Group Exhibtion of Naples Artists The Von Liebig Art Center, Naples, Florida
	1999 Jade Reidel Scholarship Exhibition Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, Florida