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Juan Carlos Collada Biography

JUAN CARLOS COLLADA (b. 1966)

“My art feels like the culmination of all the things I’ve done and all the places I’ve been.”

Juan Carlos Collada is a multi-media artist with creativity in his DNA. A Miami native, he studied Painting and Printmaking at Miami Dade College. He firmly believes that artists should experience and experiment with various mediums. He has lived and worked as a textile designer in Milan, a furniture designer in San Francisco, a decorative lighting designer in North Carolina and as a fashion stylist in Miami.

Inspired by nature, Collada is best known for his butterfly themed works, ethereal and graceful pieces that climb the walls and take on a life of their own. “When I see a butterfly, I always think it’s going to be a good day,” he said. When he was 6 or 7 years old, his mother embroidered an enormous butterfly on his favorite denim jacket. “It was the most beautiful thing. Unfortunately I don’t have it anymore but I can see it so clearly in my mind.”

As a child, Collada spent time in the Florida Keys enjoying a connection with the outdoors. He was heavily influenced by his surroundings, fostering a life-long love of nature. For him, “home” is the intersection of art, nature, and strong family ties.

Collada’s Collada’s art brings together his love of design and the natural world to create a stunning and unique effect. He currently divides his time between Toronto, Canada and Naples, Florida.