Redefining the Gaze: Painter Cora Quiroz on Women, Strength, and Femininity
By Contagion Media
Being vulnerable in authenticity is key to becoming an artist with cultural impact. Leaving behind a world with strict boundaries, Cora Quiroz chose uncertainty instead, trusting that if she kept working on her passion for painting, something real would emerge. Years of relentless creation shaped a voice and visual style that now paints women as powerful, skilled, and fully present. This film about painter & artist Cora Quiroz is about what happens when you listen to yourself, even when it costs you everything familiar.
Video Transcription
Hello, my name is Cora Quiroz and I'm a painter. I used to be a Jehovah's Witness until I was shunned because I didn't want to create only religious art, upon being disfellowshipped. I was in, early college program, so I was taking art classes, and I was able to complete all my high school classes at, like, 16 years old. And then the rest of that time I was taking art and welding full time.
And then after graduation,I worked as an apprentice for a muralist and I did that for a long time, and I really thought that was all I wanted to do was murals, because I had such a great time doing it. Later on, I moved out here to Arizona from Michigan, and I decided to finish my college bachelor's degree. And throughout that time I was continually painting and working on my art. But I wasn't always the best, but I just did it relentlessly.
If I were to describe my art to someone who's never seen it, they’re oil paintings and they are portraiture, but to go into more detail, it's usually, portraits of women who are not an object in the painting. They're not to be just ogled at for their beauty, but also appreciated for what their abilities are, their skills, and what they do. Being beautiful and feminine. While, you know, working with their hands.
And like especially, I think the easiest comparison is often when we think of women in cars, we think of a woman in a bikini, like leaning against the car for the male gaze. And I want my paintings to do the opposite of that. I want the car to be an accessory to the woman, and she is an active participant in the environment.
The most difficult thing for me about becoming a professional artist is all it has to do with the computer, but the problem for me is still like having to go on to Instagram and other social media and posting and creating content, because that's not usually where my mind is. Especially when I'm painting. I don't really think about, like, taking a video. So that's been a difficult thing for me about becoming a professional artist. Is the expectation to be on social media and post every new painting.
I think the take away from the paintings I want, like my audience to have, can be very different depending, being a man or a woman, for men, I want them to think about their family and their friends who are women and just like the average woman walking down the street, not to doubt them, just to try and, like, rewire men's brains because they can be like, they can be sexist even when they don't realize it.
And, so I want them to see the paintings and really just like, imagine the endless possibilities that women have too. For women. I just want, I don't know, I just think about my childhood self who was like oppressed and I didn't realize it. And I was oppressing other women and didn't realize it.
And I want them to be inspired and, you know, have the courage to, like, just do whatever they want and like, have the craziest dreams and not let anyone you know say, that sounds really hard. Or are you sure I want other women to kind of have that same attitude that no matter what, we're going to get to our end goal and, you know, accomplish our dreams.
The Artist’s Impact
Cora’s paintings quietly change perspectives—on women, strength, and possibility. They invite reflection without demanding it, reminding us how often power and femininity are misunderstood or overlooked. For some, her work challenges assumptions; for others, it feels like a powerful recognition. Either way, it leaves you with a simple truth: keep going, even when the path is unclear, and trust that your voice matters. You will not regret it
Edited by KBR on January 13, 2026
