East Meadow art show focuses on the roles of women

The art of Uniondale artist Tiza Perez celebrating the power of women will be on display next month at the East Meadow Public Library.

Perez, 64, has spent much of her life traveling the world. But before she began painting, art was all a dream for Perez.

She hails from the Dominican Republican, and as a child, recalls her mother telling her to be serious about her career — and to pursue a job as a lawyer, doctor, nurse, or engineer — something more common for women of her area.

Perez eventually came to the United States, and chose to follow her own dreams with art. But it wasn’t until 10 years ago that she finally began to paint.

“When my mom died, I realized that’s what I wanted to do,” Perez said. “And right now, I’m sitting here talking to you — I’m 64 years old. And I would like to just paint and do nothing else. I believe I’ve done what I needed to do. And, you know, that’s my time now.”  

The East Meadow library will display Perez’s work throughout October with an opening reception set for Sunday, Oct. 8 at 1:30 p.m. The library is located at 1886 Front Street, East Meadow.

“Her artwork displays our uniqueness and sameness with a focus especially on the conditions of women,” the library’s September and October newsletter describes. “Tiza celebrates women for they are the ones holding family, society, economy and country together. Their efforts are Tiza’s main focus.”

Having most recently traveled to French Polynesia, which she returned from Aug. 22, Perez paints freely, using mostly acrylics to capture the essence of women all around the world in her work.

She said she chooses to focus her work on the women working in open air markets and selling goods along the street — a labor that she deems as some of the most important work in society. 

“To me, that’s more important than a president of a company, or CEO, or whatever it is,” Perez said. “To me, this is life. This is real life. And that’s why I want to honor it.”

Whether women are selling goods in local markets, in their homes across the globe, or working as a CEO in the United States, Perez said she finds that everyone is more similar than they are different. Everyone wants to be heard, she added, and everyone wants to be seen.

Her art, she explained, is meant to share her feelings and emotions, things that are important to her. Perez said she hopes to showcase the joy of women in societies all over the world through vibrant colors and lively works of art. She also learned to accept that though scary, viewers will see her work differently and interpret it in their own way.

“It’s not really the lines of the brushstroke that is important,” Perez said, “It’s what you have put into it.”

For more information on Perez’s exhibit and her opening reception, as well as future events and art shows at the library, visit EastMeadow.info.