About

David Barreda

David Barreda, the artist behind UKM Blue

I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that everything around us once existed only in someone’s imagination.

Growing up in Guatemala, I was surrounded by color, architecture, craftsmanship, music, and culture. This sparked my curiosity about how things were made, not just physically, but emotionally. Why certain spaces make us feel something. Why objects can carry energy, memory, or inspiration. Why some creations stay with you long after you experience them.

A big part of that came from watching my grandfather work as a carpenter. I spent countless hours in his workshop watching ideas slowly become tangible things through sketches, measurements, materials, and instinct. There was something powerful about seeing him create from nothing but vision and feeling. It taught me that creation is more than making things but a way of seeing the world.

I create because I believe inspiration matters. I believe the things we surround ourselves with, the spaces we create, the music we listen to, the objects we keep close, the energy we carry, the stories we tell ourselves, all shape the way we experience life.

More than anything, I want my work to remind people that they don’t have to build their lives around trends, expectations, or validation. That there is beauty in trusting your own perspective. In imagining differently. In creating a life, a space, or a feeling that genuinely resonates with who you are.

We are all creators in some way.