Rising Stars: Meet Angie Diaz of Raleigh, NC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Diaz.

Hi Angie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey is really a story of how God can transform our deepest struggles into our greatest purpose. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia right out of college, which became a defining part of my story. In early 2024, I was in the midst of intense spiritual warfare, battling addictions like nicotine and marijuana that had controlled my life. It was during those desperate moments of prayer, when I was literally on my knees, that God not only delivered me from those addictions overnight but also restored my walk with schizophrenia, opening my eyes to something bigger.

Living with schizophrenia has been both a catalyst for the way I view and create art and for my spiritual journey. It’s given me a unique perspective on seeing beyond the ordinary, which now infuses every piece I create. Through a series of profound encounters – including an extraordinary experience with divine light that left me trembling in awe – God began revealing how He had been preparing me all along, using even my mental health journey as part of His greater plan.
I had design skills that I’d always felt were too personal to share, never confident enough in “my art” to put it out there. But I realized this wasn’t about creating visuals for myself; God was calling me to use design to make eternal truths accessible and beautiful.

What started as curiosity – questions about Scripture that sparked imagined dialogues about faith – has grown into The Urban Art Show. Through my TikTok @angelita.del.arte, these conversations have become a vibrant space where AI-generated art meets spiritual reflection. Each piece features conversations between a student and professor about Bible passages, turning these dialogues into visual art that makes spiritual concepts easier to understand.

The most important lesson I’ve learned is that God doesn’t waste our pain – He redeems it. He’s transformed my struggles with addiction and mental health into a powerful testimony and my professional skills into tools for His glory. This isn’t just a creative outlet or professional pursuit; it’s a calling. Every design, every conversation, every moment of inspiration is dedicated to glorifying God and helping others grow deeper in their faith and understanding of His Word.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not a smooth road. The biggest struggles have been internal ones. Being diagnosed with schizophrenia right out of college was life-changing, and for years I battled addictions that seemed impossible to overcome. There were times I felt completely lost and disconnected from any sense of purpose.

As a creative person, I also struggled with confidence. I had these design skills but was never confident enough in “my art” to share it with others. It always felt too personal, too vulnerable to put out there. That fear of judgment and rejection kept me from pursuing what I now know was my calling for a long time.

The intense spiritual and psychological struggles I experienced in early 2024 – which could be connected to psychosis, something I’ve been very familiar with since 2014 – marked probably the one of the darkest periods of my life. The journey has been long but worth every step up that mountain. Looking back, I can see how even those lowest moments were part of God’s plan. He used every struggle, every setback, every moment of doubt to prepare me for this work.

What I’ve learned is that God doesn’t waste our pain. He redeems every struggle and transforms it into something beautiful. The very things that felt like roadblocks – my mental health journey, my creative insecurities, even my addictions – have become integral parts of my testimony and the unique perspective I bring to this ministry.

The road wasn’t smooth, but every bump, every detour, every valley was necessary to get me to where I am today.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a mixed media artist, photographer, and content creator who works across multiple platforms and mediums. I serve as a photographer at my church while also creating content for The Urban Art Show, particularly those student-professor conversations that explore Scripture.

I think I’m known for my genuine love of art – it’s been my passion since as early as I can remember. Art and crafts was always my absolute favorite thing to do in school, which naturally led me to major in Graphic Design. Back then, I saw no other choice since art was so central to who I am. Since then, my interests have expanded into the world of artificial intelligence and using technology to make what I’m learning through Scripture more accessible to anyone who’s interested.

What started as personal curiosity about Scripture has grown into The Urban Art Show, reaching many through Instagram and TikTok. I guarantee that even if you’re just curious about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, you’ll resonate with some of these conversations.

I’m currently working on a book to house 77 conversations between the student and professor. After all, we’re all learning – we’re all students of this world. I like to say I’m a lifelong learner who has stayed curious throughout my entire life.

Art has always been my language, and now I get to use it to help others explore their own spiritual journey.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory related to art was in kindergarten when my teacher pulled out a yellow highlighter marker to help me learn how to write my name. She wrote it in that bright yellow ink so I could trace over the letters, and I remember being in absolute awe of how bright and pretty that marker was and how cool she made my name look.

That entire experience feels like it happened yesterday. I had never seen a yellow highlighter before, and I think I was hooked on art in that exact moment. It’s funny because that moment really was the genesis of my art style – bright, fun, and what some people call chaotic, but it’s always lots of fun.

There’s something about that brightness, that boldness of color that’s stayed with me all these years. Even now, when I create digital art for The Urban Art Show, I’m drawn to vibrant visuals that catch the eye and draw people in. That little kindergartener mesmerized by a yellow marker is still very much a part of who I am as an artist today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theurbanartshow.com
• Instagram: angelita.del.arte
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeladdiaz/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@urbanartshow