aNaMaRíA - artblog

A finding-balance break... Un tiempo para encontrar balance

2012-02-20T02:12:00.000-08:00

Hace rato que no actualizaba el blog!!!... pero ya estoy de regreso para continuar compartiéndoles historias y dibujos.... y ahora en movimiento!!!! porque estoy aprendiendo muchísimo en mi curso de animación.

Estas imágenes son del menú para mi página web, como pueden darse cuenta, quería estrenarla para navidad! Todavía tengo que mejorar unas cosas, pero ya casi está terminada!!!

www.anamaria-art.com

It's been so long since I last updated the blog!!!... and now I'm back to continue sharing stories and drawings with you... and now in movement!!! because I'm learning heaps in my animation course.

These images are part of the menu of my website, as you can see, I wanted to have it ready for Christmas! I still need to update a few things and get some details right, but it's almost finished!!!

www.anamaria-art.com

Feliz cumple Luisis!!!

2011-11-20T21:07:00.000-08:00

PASSAGES - Opening / Apertura

2011-10-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

Seedling Art Space

October 02, 2011

CHANGING PASSAGES
Text by Carlos Alberto Manrique Clavijo, September 2011

"(…) to exist is to change, to change is to mature,
to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly." [1]

Throughout her career, emerging artist Ana María Méndez Salgado has been exploring several interconnected concepts and fragments of her worldview through diverse media and techniques. Her curiosity about memory and identity has been nurtured by her interest in
the relationships between images and story-telling
while being constantly shaped by her own experiences as a migrant.

Within this context, her concern for transforming "memories into experiences, and experiences into objects", as she explains it, is reborn as the visceral need for making sense of a world in which sense is not necessarily something to be found, and less so, rationalised:
"Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent." [2]

In "Passages", the artist explores some of these concepts through an installation in a corrugated iron "pump shed". Within it, four digital screens display a looped, short-experimental animation surrounded by translucent prints of the animation frames which at the same time are stitched to handmade fibrous paper squares hanging on the walls.

In the words of the artist, "the animation, main piece of the exhibition, intends to illustrate the journey of the seed as it moves from one state to the other, passing through water, wind, fire and earth, while being used as a metaphor for new beginnings and constant regeneration." This 'passing through', is not to be only understood within the physical connotation of moving from one place to another but also as a process of transformation between states of being.
"A passage is a journey that symbolises movement, motion, transition,
development and more importantly: Change. (…)
[They are] episodes of time and verbs in action (…) so they are best portrayed by loops of moving, breathing images", explains Ana María.

The animation has four sections that tell a story of incubation, birth, evolution and transmutation in each one of them. Thus, she uses archetypal symbols that connect the four classical elements with the cardinal directions and the four seasons, while representing the stages of human growth, the steps involved in the creative process and the psychological and spiritual stages in a migrant's journey within four scenes of the animation. The art-making practice becomes a ritual where the artist connects with the mystical and in which moments in time are blurred into a continuum: "(…)" the abolition of time by the imitation of the archetypes and the repetition of the paradigmatic exploits.
(…) all sacrifices repeat the original sacrifice and coexist with it.
(…) through the paradox of rites, the profane time and duration are then suspended." [3]

But regardless of this timelessness, 'Being' is not something static; it is in motion. Being IS motion. But motion is not something that can be analysed and encompassed by reason. Hence, surrounding the screens, the small prints are frames within frames: analogies to the contrast between the tangible, real and organic fibres of life surrounding our virtual, technology mediated present. But furthermore, these static snapshots are opposed to the flow of images in motion, evidencing a strong influence of the notions of time and movement as understood by french philosopher Henri Bergson. By watching the animation, we flow with it, we happen and endure with it and thus, we get to an intuitive knowledge of what it embodies. But the mind is not always satisfied by this. And to be able to analyse and compare, it dismembers what life is (duration and movement) and freezes it into 'spatialised time': fragments of movement -which are not movement anymore- that can be placed next to one another and be compared.

Finally, the enclosing shed is a symbolic threshold between the physical exterior and the mental or spiritual interior. It becomes a 'container' in which one is invited to question one-self and muse on the nature of change since Ana María's art work is, in the end,
more about posing questions than dictating answers.

[1] Bergson, Henri, "Creative Evolution",
translated by Arthur Mitchell, New York, Henry Holt and Company, 1911, chapter I.
[2] Wittgenstein, Ludwig, "Tractatus logico philosophicus",
translated by C. K. Ogden, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & CO., LTD., London, 1922.
[3] Eliade, Mircea, "El Mito Del Eterno Retorno",
translated by Ricardo Anaya, Emecé, Buenos Aires, 2001.

The artist would like to thank Rob Farnan, David Colebatch, Jo Wilmott, Riyadh Abdoul Abdul-Hussain Gelawe, Lydia De Wolf, Geraldine Pope, Michael "Fazz" Farrell, Sam Hardy,
Carlos A. Manrique Clavijo, the Seedling Art Space commitee
and the support of Adelaide friends and art commiunity.

Acknowledgements:
The artist wishes to dedicate this artwork to her grandparents,
Salatiel Augusto Salgado and Irma Farías.

Photographs by Riyadh Abdoul Abdul-Hussain Gelawe

PASSAGES: Installation and conversation / Instalación y conversación

2011-10-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

And if you don't mind me asking... Why did you come to Australia?...
Y si no le molesta mi atrevimiento... ¿Usted por qué vino a Australia?...

What was it that made you leave your country?
¿Qué le hizo abandonar su país?

I looked at the gentle blue eyes and thought: "...I truly can't explain it any more!"
Me quedé mirándole esos ojos gentiles y azules y pensé:
"...honestamente ya no puedo explicarlo!"

We came, we left, we returned, we stayed.
Vinimos, nos fuimos, regresamos, nos quedamos.

It all started like a Walkabout. It still is.
Todo comenzó como un Walkabout, un ritual de paso. Todavía es.

Just like in Passages, I would have to study the fragments of my life, see myself and...
Como en Pasajes, tendría que estudiarme los fragmentos de la vida, verme y...

...describe who I was and why: an incomplete definition.
...describir quién era y por qué: una definición incompleta.

The whole is unexplainable, the pieces can't be quiet and still.
El total es indescifrable, las piezas no logran estar calladas ni quietas.

They ask, they never answer.
Ellas preguntan, nunca responden.

So the walkabout is being walked. And I am here.
El ritual de paso se está recorriendo. Y yo estoy aquí.

Existing in transition
En transición, existiendo.

Photographs by Carlos A. Marnique C.

PASSAGES: The table! / La mesa! :)

2011-10-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

Quise incluir estas imágenes porque también hicieron parte del proceso! Debajo de esta mesa pusimos la batería para los marcos digitales de la instalación. Pero el trayecto a pie, en el que generalmente nos nos demoramos 20 minutos desde la estación del tren hasta la galería, nos tomó UNA HORA!!! Mesa pesada y todo, esta es una de esas anécdotas que transforman la experiencia creativa en algo más real y tangible. Al siguiente día nos dolía todo... Todo por amor al arte!!! ...arte efímero, pero no tan efímero, como nosotros. Fue chistoso :)

I wanted to include these images because they also are part of the process! Under this table we decided to put the battery that would provide power to the digital picture frames in the installation. But the path from the train station to the gallery, that usually takes us 20 minutes to walk, took us ONE HOUR this time!!! Heavy table and all, this is one of those anecdotes capable of transforming the creative experience into something real and tangible. The next day everything ached... because of art!!! ...ephemeral art, just like us, not so ephemeral after all. It was fun :)

Photographs by Carlos A. Manrique C. and Ana M. Méndez S.

PASSAGES: building little windows 2 / construyendo ventanitas 2

2011-10-12T01:39:00.000-07:00

And here is the process of cutting, organising and stitching the frames onto the squares of paper. Each frame had been printed into semitransparent paper so the little light that came into the shed would expose to us the texture of the burnt paper underneath.

Y en estas imágenes se ve cómo corté, organicé y pegué con hilo los cuadros de la animación a los pedazos de papel que había preparado. Cada cuadro fue impreso previamente en papel semitransparente, para que la poca luz que entraba en la caseta ayudara a revelarnos la textura del papel quemado en el que estaban.

PASSAGES: building little windows 1 / construyendo ventanitas 1

2011-10-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

And so, here I share with you the creation process of the "little windows" that became essential for the installation. I decided to use fibrous paper squares which I carefully burned along the edges. There were 111 of them in total!!!

Y aquí les comparto el proceso de creación de las "ventanitas" que cumplieron un papel esencial en la instalación. Decidí usar un papel fibroso, cortarlo en cuadros pequeños y quemar cada cuadro por los bordes. En total resultaron 111 cuadritos!!!

PASSAGES: Animation frames :)

2011-10-08T00:37:00.000-07:00

Estos son algunos cuadros de la animación. Cada etapa (Aire, Fuego, Tierra, Agua) dura 11 segundos. A manera de reto y de experimento, traté de jugar con colores planos y formas simples, porque generalmente utilizo bastantes detalles, patrones y texturas en mis imágenes. Aún necesita trabajo en los diferentes ritmos de cada etapa y en el sonido (diseñado por Carlos A. Manrique C.) Así que muy probablemente se termine completamente para el 2012!

These are some frames of the animation. Each stage (Air, Fire, Earth, Water) lasts 11 seconds. As a challenge and as an experiment, I tried to play with flat colours and simple shapes, because I generally use many details, patterns and textures in my images. It still needs some work in establishing the different rhythms of each stage and polishing the sound (designed by Carlos A. Manrique C.) So it is very probable that it gets completely finished by 2012!

PASSAGES: Sketches 3 / Bocetos 3

2011-10-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

And these are the 2 pages I kept in mind while developing the animation. The style, colours, rhythm, storytelling and symbolism achieved in the final were based on small important notes I wrote on them.

For example, I constantly had to remember this little table:
AIR - spring - childhood - east
FIRE - summer - youth - south
EARTH - autumn - maturity - west
WATER - winter - old age - north

Y estas son las dos páginas que tuve en mente mientras desarrollaba la animación. El estilo, los colores, el ritmo, la narrativa y el simbolismo logrados al final, fueron basados en notas pequeñas e importantes notas que escribí sobre ellas.

Por ejemplo, tuve que recordar constantemente esta pequeña tabla:
AIRE - primavera - niñez - oriente
FUEGO - verano - juventud - sur
TIERRA - otoño - madurez - occidente
AGUA - invierno - vejez - norte

PASSAGES: Sketches 2 / Bocetos 2

2011-10-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some other sketches and important notes, considering Rob Farnan's and David Colebath's valuable advice in animation class. Fantastic experience!!!

Around that time I was also considering the tittle: Passages of Yakka and Kinwa, thinking of involving Latin American indigenous culture and South Australian aboriginal culture. It was important to talk about my origen and destination.

Here I share with you the meanings of both native plants:
KINWA: (Quechua) Mother of all grains.
YAKKA: (Kaurna) Constant and hard work.

But after analysing the animation I realised that this cycle of Incubation - Birth - Evolution - Transmutation is being performed in my life at many levels, not just as an immigrant, but as an artist and as a woman. And so the title stayed Passages :)

Estos son otros bocetos y notas importantes, considerando los consejos de Rob Farnan y David Colebath en la clase de animación. Fue una experiencia increíble!!!

Por esa época también estaba considerando el título: Los Pasajes de Yakka y Kinwa, pensando en involucrar la cultura indígena de Latino-América y la cultura aborigen del Sur de Australia. Era importante tener en cuenta mi origen y mi destino.

Aquí les comparto los significados de ambas plantas nativas:
KINWA: (Quechua) Madre de todas las semillas.
YAKKA: (Kaurna) Trabajo constante y fuerte.

Pero después de analizar la animación caí en cuenta de que este ciclo de Incubación - Nacimiento - Evolución - Transmutación se repite en muchos niveles de mi vida, no solo como emigrante sino como artista y mujer. Así que el título se quedó Pasajes :)

PASSAGES: Sketches 1 / Bocetos 1

2011-10-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

These are some of the sketches developed for the animation, main piece of the exhibition, which intends to illustrate the journey of the seed as it moves from one state to the other, passing through water, wind, fire and earth, while being used as a metaphor for new beginnings and constant regeneration. As you can see, there were many changes in the storyboard stage, and many hours were spent thinking about the connection between meanings, shapes, colours, movement and storytelling.

Estos son algunos de los bocetos realizados para la animación, pieza esencial de la exposición, que intenta ilustrar la jornada de la semilla mientras se mueve de un estado a otro, pasando a través del agua, el aire, el fuego y la tierra, como metáfora de nuevos comienzos y regeneración constante. Como pueden darse cuenta, se hicieron muchísimos cambios durante la etapa del storyboard, y el proyecto requirió de bastantes horas de trabajo especialmente dedicadas a establecer una conexión visual entre los significados, las formas, los colores, el movimiento y la narrativa.

PASSAGES: Thank you! / Gracias!

2011-10-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

Quiero agradecerles por el apoyo, la buena energía y la dulce compañía.
El trayecto no hubiera sido tan enriquecedor sin ustedes.
Gracias Neil, Geraldine, Fazz, Zoe, Kahlo, Jo, Catherine, Regina, Manal, Riyadh,
Sam, Suzanne, Dawn, Caroline, Diana, Kara, Yasir, y todos los otros nombres que no puedo recordar,
por venir y estar ahí, al otro lado del teléfono roto que es el arte.
Gracias Carlitos por prestarme tu tiempo, tus brazos, tus oídos, tu corazón.
Gracias abuelitos por sembrar las primeras semillas y por ese cariño que llega y llena.
Fué importante tener sus nombres impresos viajando por las manos de mi presente.
Que los pasajes compartidos sigan siendo muchos.
-Ana.

©2011 Photo courtesy of Carlos A. Manrique C.

I want to thank everyone for the support, amazing energy and wonderful company.
This experience wouldn't have been as enriching without you.
Thank you Neil, Geraldine, Fazz, Zoe, Kahlo, Jo, Catherine, Regina, Manal, Riyadh,
Sam, Suzanne, Dawn, Caroline, Diana, Kara, Yasir,
and all those other important friends and colleagues that I can't remember,
for visiting and being there, at the other side of this broken phone that art is meant to be.
Thank you Carlos for lending me your time, your hands, your ears and your heart.
Thank you grandparents, for planting the firsts seeds
and for that love that is capable of coming close and filling in the gap of time and space that separate us.
It was important to have your printed names travelling along the hands of my present.
To all of you a big thank you.
May we share many other Passages together.
-Ana.

The Pump Shed - Seedling Art Space

2011-09-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

Preparing everything for the opening... interesting place for an animation installation!
It's been a very challenging and enjoyable experience so far.
Hope to see you there!
:) Ana
...

"PASSAGES" - incubation, birth, growth, transmutation.

Art, nature, wine, food and music! Family and kids welcome :)

Opening on Sunday October 2, from 4pm to 6pm
Seedling Art Space - The Pump Shed
Blackwood forest recreation park.
cnr main rd & turners ave. Hawthorndene.

For more information on how to get there, please check the link below:
http://www.seedlingartspace.asn.au/contact.htm
Trains to Belair every hour on Sunday (from Adelaide 2:55pm to Coromandel 3:21pm)

I invite you to "Passages" - Opening: Sunday 2 Oct, 4pm

2011-09-20T23:35:00.000-07:00

Trains to Belair every hour!
from Adelaide: 2:55 pm - to Coromandel: 3:21 pm
Link: Seedling Art Space - location

Sirena cuadriculada

2011-09-18T02:00:00.000-07:00

No debemos imaginarnos que en el fondo del océano no hay nada más que arena amarilla.
"We must not imagine that there is nothing at the bottom of the sea but bare yellow sand."
-The Little Mermaid, Hans Christian Andersen

En los bosques / In the woods

2011-09-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

What grows and what falls inside the woods?

Women / Mujeres

2011-09-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

Mujer joven... inestable, frágil, disponible, torpe y sincera.
Mujer adulta... prudente, frágil, reservada, nerviosa y valiente.

Young woman... unstable, fragile, open, clumsy and honest.
Adult woman... prudent, fragile, reserved, nervous and brave.

Líneas y movimiento / Lines and movement

2011-09-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

Las composiciones en donde los ojos recorren el plano sobre líneas diagonales y curvas acentúan la sensación de movimiento. Por eso el cocodrilo está jugando.
En el proyecto de collage traté de utillizar estos principios también. Mientras que las imágenes de la directora de orquesta resultaron un tanto rígidas.

Compositions in which the eyes are invited to travel along diagonal and curved lines, are incredible effective in creating movement. This is why the little crocodile seems to be playing.
In the collage-project, I tried to use these principles as well. But the bottom images appear kind of rigid.

Passages: 02/10/2011

2011-09-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

Passages
experimental animation installation
Oct 2 (opening: 4-6 pm)

Seedlings Artspace - The Pump Shed
Blackwood Forest Recreation Park, Corner Main Road & Turners Avenue,
Hawthorndene, SA 5051

I've been working on an animation for an exhibition coming soon! It's been a while since I last used Flash and I'm getting used to it again. The animation is short, clumsy and colourful...
and I can't wait to share it with you all! :)

He estado trabajando en una animación para exponer pronto! Hacía un buen tiempo que no usaba Flash, así que me estoy volviendo a acostumbrar. La animación es cortica, torpe y llena de colores...
y me muero por compartírselas! :)

Becoming residents / Transformándonos en residentes

2011-09-07T02:00:00.000-07:00

Estos dibujos los hice durante esas últimas semanas de espera,
antes de recibir el resultado positivo de la visa.
El de la semilla... porque se está creciendo y muchas veces a ciegas. Incertidumbre y dolor.
El de la zapatilla... el pie de de otro "pasajero", porque no estamos solos en el proceso.
El de la falda a retazos... porque uno es eso:
retazos de recuerdos y de aspiraciones. Confusión pasiva.

I drew these during the last weeks of waiting,
just before receiving the positive answer regarding our residents visa.
A seed... because one is growing, and many times blindly. Uncertainty and pain.
A shoe... another "passenger's" foot, because we are not alone in this journey.
A skirt made out of pieces of fabric... because that's what one is:
fragments of memories and aspirations. Passive confusion.

Visiting The Happiest Show on Earth :)

2011-09-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

Some time ago I had the pleasure of meeting Dave Brown, artistic director of the Patch Theatre Company, a group of creative and talented people that work on productions for children between 4 and 8 years of age in Adelaide. I went to see The Happiest Show on Earth, and had an amazing time! I loved the lighting, the design of costumes, props and stage, and more importantly, the story. Kids loved it and were really engaged with it!
What an important and inspiring experience! It would be great to design some playful sets in the future :) Thanks Dave for sharing with me this wonderful work and for your valuable feedback regarding my paintings!

Here you can take a look at the work of the Patch Theatre Company

©2011. Waffles & Patch
Drawing made while waiting for some delicious waffles.
The store had a similar design on the wall, simple and beautiful.
Dibujé esto mientras esperaba unos waffles fantásticos.
La tienda tenía un diseño parecido en la pared, simple y curioso.

Hace un tiempo tuve la oportunidad de conocer a Dave Brown, el director artístico de la compañía de teatro Patch, dedicada a realizar producciones para niños que tienen entre 4 y 8 años de edad, en Adelaide. Fuí a ver El Show Más Feliz de la Tierra, y lo disfruté muchísimo. Me encantó la iluminación, el diseño de personajes, vestuario y escenario, y por supuesto la historia. Los niños estaban fascinados!
La experiencia fué importante e inspiradora!... Sería interesante diseñar escenarios de colores para teatro en el futuro :) Gracias Dave por compartir conmigo tu trabajo y por tus importantes comentarios acerca de mis pinturas!

Arriba hay un enlace para que conozcan más acerca de la compañía :)

Looking to the Right / Mirando a la derecha

2011-09-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

I was just looking at some of my last month's drawings and realised that a good quantity of the characters created are looking to the right! ...I'll try to work harder on the distribution of forms and layout within the white space, so I can explore other interesting possibilities :)

©2011. Director-pulpo

©2011. Espectador de gafas

Estaba recolectando imágenes del mes pasado y caí en cuenta de que muchos de los personajes están mirando hacia la derecha! ...Así que trataré de dedicarle más tiempo a la distribución de las formas y la composición dentro del espacio en blanco, para explorar nuevas posibilidades interestantes :)

©2011. Hombre-Edificio

Violinista y bebé

2011-09-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

Estaba tratando de dibujar lo que me transmitía la música, pero ese bebé está como miedoso :) Me gustan de todas maneras los árboles y el encuadre (tal vez sea una buena pintura con un bebé menos parecido a Chuky jiji)

I was trying to portray what the music inspired me, but that little baby is kind of creepy :) Love the forest and the frame though (it could become an interesting painting with a less Chucky-like little character hehe)

A small gift from Carlos / Un regalo de Carlitos

2011-08-31T02:14:00.000-07:00

Este es Carlitos trabajando en el documental para Nexus...
Y esto me encontré en en mi computador hace un ratico:

Cheshire Cat - Frame: Alice in Wonderland (Disney 1951)

`Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
`I don't much care where--' said Alice.
`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.

Puertas / Doors

2011-08-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

¿Qué hace que una puerta sea Puerta? ...Pensando en los bordes invisibles de las cosas, esos que se cruzan mentalmente y que separan habitaciones de tiempos paralelos.

What is it that makes a door A Door? ...Thinking of the invisible limits of things, those edges that can be mentally penetrated, those that are meant to separate rooms of parallel times.

Updating... Actualizando... !

2011-08-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

No he tenido tiempo de incluir imágenes en este blog, así que poco a poco les iré mostrando algunos bocetos que hice en Julio, Agosto y Septiembre :) Paciencia Yago, paciencia.

Unfortunately I can't seem to find enough time to include more images. But I'll be sharing with you, week by week, some sketches developed in July, August and September :)

And a last breakfast with Scattered Reveries!

2011-08-09T01:40:00.000-07:00

Some costumers of the cafe having a delicious breakfast last Saturday.
MY SISTER and WHAT GROWS WITH TREES? accompanying them... mmm!

(Photographs: courtesy of Carlos Manrique)

Algunos clientes del café desayunando el Sábado pasado.
MI HERMANA y ¿QUÉ CRECE CON LOS ÁRBOLES? acompañándolos... mmm!

Café & Water... the artist's book, el libro-arte!

2011-08-09T01:17:00.000-07:00

Departure (1st part of tryptic: Fragmented Adventures)
Partida (1ra parte del tríptico: Aventuras Fragmentadas)

This artist's book was finished in 2008. It describes my experience as a migrant, including the preparation for the trip, the arrival, and firs impressions. Creating it was part of the journey!

I loved the fact that many people were able to touch it and read it at the exhibition... I wish I had remembered to put a visitor's book somewhere to see what they thought about it! Oh well, next time!

Este libro arte se terminó en el 2008. Describe mis pensamientos como emigrante, narrando la preparación del viaje, la llegada y las primeras impresiones. Realizarlo resultó ser parte de la experiencia.

Me encantó saber que muchas personas pudieran acercarse, tocarlo y leerlo en la exposición... Si tan solo me hubiera acordado de poner un cuadernito para recibir los apuntes de los visitantes! Bueno, queda pendiente para la próxima!

Algunas imagenes de la expo... Some images from the exhibition...

2011-08-09T00:59:00.000-07:00

My Sister (Tittle of picture book)

Café & Water (pages and artist's book)

Purple Tree (Árbol morado) & Ladybug (Mariquita)

River rat (Ratita de río), Tortoises (Tortugas) & Pelican (Pelícano)

Window (Ventana) & Gestating (Gestando)

Y este es el Tincat... So this is the Tincat...

2011-08-09T00:47:00.000-07:00

Images of the Tincat Cafe.
The little paintings hung inside belong to MY SISTER,
the picture book that I really wish to publish soon.

Imágenes del Tincat Cafe.
Los cuadritos en la pared de al fondo son los de MI HERMANA,
el libro álbum que quiero publicar algún día.

Preparing the Tincat Show...

2011-07-25T05:45:00.000-07:00

©2011. Skippy

The frames finally arrived! Los marcos llegaron por fín!

Some of the paintings ready to go! Algunas de las pinturas listas!

Some details of What grows with trees? :)

2011-07-24T05:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the paintings that belong to the exhibition: What grows with trees? ...I'm hoping to build a book out of these in the future.
Estas son algunas de las pinturas que pertenecen a la exposición: ¿Qué crece con los árboles? ...Mi sueño es poder construir un libro con todas ellas en el futuro.

What grows with Trees? Challinger Gallery... map!

2011-07-24T05:04:00.000-07:00

Royal Adelaide Hospital, Level 5 - map

If you follow this map carefully, you'll be able to discover the Challinger Gallery... and with it, my artwork! The exhibition runs until August 8th, so take a look and let me know what you think :)

Text for the exhibit at the Gallery. (I had my hair loooooonnnger then)

Empty corridor of gallery.
Being in a hospital, images have to be hanged very high,
so children will need adults to be able to experience them!

Si siguen el mapa de arriba con cuidado, podrán encontrar la Galería... y con ella, mi trabajo! La exhibición continuará hasta el 8 de Agosto, así que todavía pueden echarle un vistazo y contarme qué piensan :)
También les comparto unas imágenes de la galería, con los cuadros colgados bien alto por lo que es en un hospital... así que los niños necesitan ayuda para poder verlos de cerca.

Amapolas de colores & Visa

2011-07-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

We have in our small studio a bunch of poppies, orange, cream, pink and yellow. Opening slowly with the sunlight, as if made out of wrinkled paper. And my white table, often busy with things that wanted to be created, today is resting. Still celebrating… more like contemplating.

(After almost 5 years of living in Australia, on the 20th of July -Colombian Independence Day-, we received our Permanent Residency)

...

Wonderful evening this 20th of July!

2011-07-20T23:14:00.000-07:00

… many things to be grateful for…

Let me see if I can remember everything…
Two pushbikes standing at the entrance.
A warm Tincat open and welcoming.
A busy wall with paintings and stories.
Sweet Claire making sure that everything went fine.
Michael Bollen talking about art, identity, healing, storytelling, my family,
my life, my Colombia, my Australia.
Beautiful, loved faces arriving with the most positive energy.
Creative, generous minds sharing insights, anecdotes, Stories!
“My Sister” being read, being experienced!
“Departure” standing on the window, asking to be completed
by “Initiation” and “Return”…because now I understand.
“Café & Water” being carefully handled by everyone,
as if not to disturb the past.
“What grows with trees?” small and playful, observing,
wanting to be published, loving to be able to reach so many.
And Carlos, supporting, helping, wonderful Carlos,
quiet and proud… mi compañero.
To all of you, people, stories and art, a big Thank you.
Ana
…

Tincat Exhibition OPENING!!! - Wed 20 Jul, 6:30pm

2011-07-17T02:22:00.001-07:00

Exhibition!

2011-07-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

All welcome to take a look at some colourful images at the Tincat Cafe. Opening night to be confirmed, but preview from July 13!
Come along, have a nice hot drink, and let me know what you think :)

Todos están invitados a ver unas imágenes llenas de color en el Tincat Cafe. La noche de apertura aún está por confirmar, pero la exhibición estará abierta al público desde el 13 de Julio!
Vengan, tómense algo bien calientico, y cuéntenme qué piensan :)

2011-07-01T00:42:00.000-07:00

TiC tAc
tIc TaC
TiC tAc
tIc TaC
TiC tAc
tIc TaC
TiC tAc
tIc TaC
TiN cAt
tIn CaT
TiN cAt
tIn CaT!

Preparing paintings and stories for the Tincat Cafe...
exhibition starting on July 13!
Wish me luck :)
Preparando pinturas e historias para el Tincat Café...
la exposición comienza el 13 de Julio!
A prender velitas :)

Prendemos la chimenea?

2011-06-27T04:49:00.000-07:00

Este es mi papá... conmigo... callado.
De él aprendí el arte de la contemplación, de la interpretación... del silencio.
De la chimenea y sus fantasmas, y de él.

Que las tardes de fogata por venir sean muchas, Luchito.
Felíz cumpleaños!
Con todo mi amor,
Ana
...

Me and my dad... the process

2011-06-27T04:09:00.000-07:00

Blossom of snow
May you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever

...

A seed planted by Gina

2011-06-26T21:41:00.000-07:00

Carlos, Gina and I were discussing the creative process, in particular the importance of "nurturing" our life quietly, before going through periods of active production. We were doing this while drinking some tea and hot chocolate -I love talking about art inside the real world with friends that I love, and feel that kind of support when addressing philosophical questions. After all, as Gina said, art is all about humanity! ...As a sweet dessert, she surprised us with her poem:

"And in the recess of your mind
a seed explodes
Led by the after image
it grows and blooms to a new reality"
- © Gina De Pieri Salvi, 1992

Click here to take a look at Gina's Art Reviews at Glam Adelaide :)

And here I share with you that bit of the book that Carlos had been reading and we were discussing: Art of Thought, by Graham Wallas,1926. In the Wallas stage model, creative insights and illuminations may be explained by a process consisting of 5 stages:

"(i) preparation (preparatory work on a problem that focuses the individual's mind on the problem and explores the problem's dimensions),
(ii) incubation (where the problem is internalized into the unconscious mind and nothing appears externally to be happening),
(iii) intimation (the creative person gets a "feeling" that a solution is on its way),
(iv) illumination or insight (where the creative idea bursts forth from its preconscious processing into conscious awareness); and
(v) verification (where the idea is consciously verified, elaborated, and then applied)."

I hope you find this useful, I did :)
...

Monstruico

2011-06-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

I just love this little monster! It is a friendly monster isn't it? I wonder what represents myself within the drawing... the fish, the lines, the castle or the paper?

Me encanta este monstruico! Es todo amigable ¿no? Me pregunto yo quién soy dentro del dibujo... ¿el pez, las líneas, el castillo o el papel?

:)

The river En la noche

2011-06-20T03:44:00.000-07:00

We walked at night to the city. On top of the bridge we saw two faces of the river: the shiny, inhabited, noisy part on our right, and the isolated, dark, silent and steady part on our left. We decided to contemplate our left side for a long time. We weren't alone.

Caminamos en la noche a la ciudad. Cruzando el puente pudimos verle dos caras al río: la cara brillante, habitada y ruidosa a nuestra derecha, y la cara solitaria, oscura y quieta a nuestra izquierda. Decidimos contemplarle la izquierda por largo tiempo. No estábamos solos.

:)

Turtles and Cronopios all the way down :)

2011-06-20T03:16:00.000-07:00

"A Brief History of Time begins with a striking image and a wonderful true story: An elderly lady attended a public lecture given by an astrophysicist on how the Earth goes around the Sun and how the Sun circles about with countless other stars in our galaxy the Milky Way. During the question and answer session, the woman stood up and told the distinguished scientist that his lecture was nonsense, that the Earth is a flat disk supported on the back of an enormous tortoise. The scientist tried to outwit the lady by asking, "Well, my dear, what supports the tortoise?" To which she replied, "You're a very clever young man, but not clever enough. It's turtles all the way down!" " - A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes, by Stephen W. Hawking, 1988

"Tortugas y cronopios: Ahora pasa que las tortugas son grandes admiradoras de la velocidad, como es natural. Las esperanzas lo saben, y no se preocupan. Los famas lo saben, y se burlan. Los cronopios lo saben, y cada vez que encuentran una tortuga, sacan la caja de tizas de colores y sobre la redonda pizarra de la tortuga dibujan una golondrina." - Historias de cronopios y de famas, Julio Cortázar, 1962.

:) Ricas casualidades!

Carl Vine & Shostakovich

2011-06-20T03:02:00.000-07:00

I've got such an interesting job at the Adelaide Town Hall as a theatre attendant! Whenever I've got a chance, I draw! It was a rainy night and while doing my shift outside the auditorium I did these.

Tengo un trabajo delicioso en el Adelaide Town Hall. Trabajo como asistente de teatro y en cualquier oportunidad que encuentre me dedico a dibujar en mi librito de bolsillo! Esa noche estaba lloviendo pero podía escuchar el concierto a través de la puerta del auditorio... y estas imagenes son el resultado :)

Manchas... Stains...

2011-06-20T02:43:00.001-07:00

Some times I spend long minutes looking at the stains of colour left casually on a watercolour paper! I just find them fascinating and inspiring! :)

Algunas veces encuentro fascinante e inspirador poder dedicarme a mirar de cerca las manchas de color derramadas casualmente sobre un papel acuarela! :)

Happy father's day!

2011-06-18T04:47:00.000-07:00

Felíz día para todos los papás que conocemos!
En especial para Luchito, Edilberto, Salatiel y Luis Felipe!
Un abrazo gigante con muchísimo amor!
Ana & Carlitos
...

Very soon at the Challinger Gallery :)

2011-06-15T00:34:00.000-07:00

2011-06-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

What grows with trees?
New artwork to be exhibited!!!
Jun 20-Aug 8, 2011
Challinger Gallery (1st floor, next to Cafeteria)
Royal Adelaide Hospital

It's finally happening! Por fín!
All welcome!!! Todos bienvenidos!!!
:)

Other sketches, otros bocetos

2011-06-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

Ciudades / Cities

2011-06-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

Ciudad Nocturna, Ciudad Caliente & Ciudad mojada.
Dark City, Hot city & Wet city.

"Tengo una carpeta para los objetos, una carpeta para los animales, una para las personas, una carpeta para los personajes históricos y otra para los héroes de la mitología; tengo una carpeta sobre las cuatro estaciones y una sobre los cinco sentidos; en una recojo páginas sobre las ciudades y los paisajes de mi vida y en otra ciudades imaginarias, fuera del espacio y del tiempo." - Italo Calvino: Las Ciudades Invisibles (p.4)
...

Finishing and framing :)

2011-06-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

Various creatures facing my studio in a very cold winter morning.
Monstruo come-galletas que me encontré cuando trabajaba de mesera,
niña en pijama que me regaló María José,

gato a rayas que me dió Vivi y una cuna miniatura que me salió en un huevito Kinder.

These are some other images of the process of finishing my drawings for the Challinger Gallery. You'll be able to see the colour tests, the black and white prints and the framing stages.

Estas son algunas fotos del proceso de creación de los dibujos para la galería. Aquí se ven las pruebas de color, las impresiones a blanco y negro, y el enmarcado.

What grows with trees? ...will have to wait :(

2011-06-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

Dear all,
Unfortunately the engineering staff who are in charge of hanging up the paintings at the Challinger Gallery (Royal Adelaide Hospital) are on strike. And so this beautiful exhibition that I was SO much looking forward to sharing with you, will have to wait until further notice!!! :(
I'll be letting you know when the situation is solved, fingers crossed it's soon!

Queridos todos,
Desafortunadamente el departamento encargado de colgar las pinturas en la galería Challinger del hospital está en huelga. Y me he visto obligada a posponer esta exhibición hermosa que he querido compartirles desde hace tanto tiempo!!! :(
Les estaré avisando cuándo se solucione el problema, crucen los dedos por mí!

...

Los Pitufos! The Smurfs! Les Schtroumpfs!

2011-06-03T06:08:00.000-07:00

Este dibujo me acordó de Los Pitufos, esas criaturitas hermosas que me gustaban tanto cuando era niña y que solía tatuarme en los brazos con calcomanías que venían en la leche condensada y en los helados de Cremhelado!!! Hoy me puse a jugar con Photoshop y después de colorear y colorear así sea lo último que haga... este fue el resultado :)

This drawing made early in May reminded me of The Smurfs! I was playing today with Photoshop and this is the result. I was reading a bit about these beautiful creatures that I loved so much when I was a girl, and here's an interesting fact:

The Smurfs (French: Les Schtroumpfs) The original term and the accompanying language came during a meal Peyo was having with his colleague and friend André Franquin in which, having momentarily forgotten the word "salt", Peyo (the author of the comic strip) asked him (in French) to pass the schtroumpf. Franquin replied: "Here's the Schtroumpf — when you are done schtroumpfing, schtroumpf it back" and the two spent the rest of that weekend speaking in schtroumpf language. The name was later translated into Dutch as Smurf, which was adopted in English. ....!!! :)

Some more of my studio... otras del estudio

2011-06-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

©2011. Photo of my studio with some images for another project.
Foto de mi estudio con imágenes que pertenecen a otro proyecto.

©2011. Photo of one of the first prints I took home to play with techniques.
Foto de una de las primeras impresiones que realicé para jugar con materiales.

©2011. Photo of prints with the first layer of watercolours, gouaches and ink.
Foto de impresiones con la primera capa de acuarelas, aguadas y tinta.

Colour tests... Pruebas de color

2011-05-31T05:22:00.000-07:00

I've been working in a group of images that will be exhibited very soon. Aaaaalll these drawings that I've been accumulating week by week, so I could share my days with you in this blog, are finally being upgraded to unique, tangible pieces of art!!! After many months of selection and distribution I finally decided to modify some images and print them on German Etching Paper. Then I had to make many-many tests using different techniques on this particular paper, which is kind of temperamental and does not like to be compared with the friendly watercolour paper. After this, I spent many hours doing trials and errors thinking of composition and colour temperature. And here I share with you some of the tests I did trying to define the final images :)
He estado trabajando en una serie de imágenes para exponer próximamente. Tooodooos estos dibujos que he acumulado poco a poco para incluir en el blog ahora comienzan a ver la luz del día!!! Así que después de meses de selección y distribución, llegué a la conclución de retocar y hacer unas impresiones de buena calidad sobre German Etching Paper. Luego vinieron semanas de pruebas usando diferentes técnicas sobre el papel, que además no se comporta como el papel acuarela, porque tiende a ser testarudo. Y luego vinieron muchas horas de ensayos y errores pensando en composición y temperatura de color. Finalmente aquí les comparto varias pruebas que hice tratando de definir las imágenes finales :)

Doco... Documental

2011-05-31T04:46:00.000-07:00

Carlos and I are now working on a documentary! We've been developing the project together with Nexus Multicultural Arts Centre, and it's going to be shot during this year and the first half of 2012. It's been such an amazing and rewarding experience! Thanks to the project we've been able to get closer to and learn from Muslim women coming from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Srilanka! I'll be letting you know about this wonderful opportunity later on -I'd love to keep a record of this creative process in this blog as well... There's so much to learn :)

©2011. En Tren
Carlos and I going in train to the community centre where the first part of the doco is shot.
Carlitos y yo en tren rumbo al centro comunitario en donde grabamos la primera parte del documental.

Ahora estamos trabajando con Carlitos en un documental! Lo estamos realizando en conjunto con Nexus, Multicultural Arts Centre, y se estará grabando hasta mitades del 2012. Es súper interesante porque gracias al proyecto hemos podido acercarnos y conocer las historias de mujeres musulmanas provenientes de Irán, Irak, Afganistán, Bangladesh and Srilanka! Luego les estaré adelantando sobre esta oportunidad increíble, porque me encantaría registrar este proceso también en este blog... mucho aprendizaje :)

NEXUS Multicultural Arts Centre :)

Otros bocetos de Mayo... others from May

2011-05-31T04:32:00.000-07:00

Estos son unos dibujos varios, sin ningún tema en particular... seguramente me daré cuenta en algunos meses qué es lo que quería transmitir. Muchas veces mi subconsciente decide por mí... y yo lo dejo.

These are some random drawings created without a particular topic in mind. I'm sure I'll be finding out the concept behind the imagesin a few months. In many occasions it is my subconscious the one that decides for me... and I let it do it.

Listening to Bizet, Rodrigo and Nigel Westlake :)

2011-05-30T03:46:00.000-07:00

I created these images while listening to the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra... they came spontaneously, as they often do when listening to music. The little bull reminds me of Ferdinand, that cute, sweet character that moves so smoothly in Disney's adaptation of the story by Munro Leaf. What do you think? The one with the guitar player was made while watching Slava Grigoryan play... Amazing! And the one with the naked woman was built while listening to Nigel Westlake's Antartica Suite: Wooden Ships. I was so taken by it, so inspired!... I'm sure it will be floating in the background of my studio during many creative days to come :)

Realicé estas imágenes durante un concierto de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Adelaide el 4 de Mayo. Empezaron a construirse por sí mismas, como suele suceder con el arte mientras se escucha música. El torito de la flor amarilla me acuerda de Ferdinando, el personaje de caminar ligero y pausado que protagonizó esa animación de Disney basada en la historia de Munro Leaf. ¿Sí se les parece? La imagen del guitarrista la hice mientras miraba con asombro a Slava Grigoryan tocando la guitarra... un talento increíble. Y el dibujo de la mujer desnuda empezó a tejerse solito mientras escuchaba Antartica Suite: Wooden Ships, de Nigel Westlake. No hay palabras para describir esa sensación... pero estoy segura de que en días futuros vendrá a habitar la atmósfera creativa de mi estudio :)

un 29 de Mayo...

2011-05-29T01:44:00.000-07:00

:)

2011-05-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

©2011. Exhibition invite - Royal Adelaide Hospital :)

What grows with Trees?
Jun 9 - Aug 8, 2011
Challinger Gallery, Royal Adelaide Hospital

WELCOME!!... BIENVENIDOS!!...

What grows with trees is an exhibition by the mixed-media artist Ana María Méndez Salgado, comprising a group of images dedicated to explore the idea of the tree as a symbol of personal growth and transformation using metaphors and visual poetry.

Inspired by the visual storytelling process, magic realism and colourful Latin-American Culture, Ana’s work has a dream-like quality and whimsical atmosphere, where extraordinary creatures seem to be comfortably portrayed in their parallel universes. She is interested in language, its context and meaning and wishes to explore the dislocation of its elements to achieve a more powerful communication. This exhibition contains a selection of images that are currently being produced as a response triggered by its existentialist question. These drawings have become witnesses of a sequential, intimate conversation.

What grows with trees?
Patience? Awareness? Awe? Haven? Love? Contact? Humbleness? Contemplation? Understanding? Life? Wisdom? Imagination? ...Identity?
Who grows with trees?

¿Qué crece con los árboles?
¿Paciencia? ¿Consciencia? ¿Asombro? ¿Refugio? ¿Amor? ¿Contacto? ¿Humildad? ¿Contemplación? ¿Entendimiento? ¿Vida? ¿Sabiduría? ¿Imaginación? ...¿Identidad?
¿Quién crece con los árboles?

:)

...

My table... Mi mesa...

2011-05-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

©2011. Fotos: Vaso de agua, Pinceles, Acuarelas.

And this is how the table at my studio looks when I'm busy working :)
Y así es como se ve la mesa de mi estudio cuando estoy trabajando :)
...

Around my studio...

2011-05-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

©2011. Fotos: Kookaburra, Atardecer.

I thought I'd share with you some of the things that inspire my work as well. So here is a blurred shot of a huge kookaburra that loves taking a bath with his family on our garden! We often put small pebbles at the bottom of the bird-bath to keep it balanced, but he usually picks them out and throws them away! I generally have to stop what I'm doing because I love looking at them :)

En estos días he pensado en compartirles también algunas de las cosas que inspiran mi trabajo. Así que aquí pueden ver una foto borrosa de un kookaburra gigante bañándose en nuestro jardín! Siempre tenemos que volver a llenar de piedritas el fondo de la piscina, porque a él y a su famlia les gusta jugar con ellas, sacarlas y tirarlas por todos lados! Generalmente paro de hacer mi trabajo para mirarlos :)
...

An artist's book in progress...

2011-05-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

©2011. Fotos Libro-Arte: LA PALABRA FAMILIA

This book is part of a future exhibition titled "Without Reflection". Have been planning it for a while now and I need to work a bit more on the conceptual structure so it can be displayed in a gallery. The idea is to tell a personal story with images, animation and an artist's book, so hopefully it will be ready for next year! Fingers crossed. I will later include some images of the development of this particular object :)

Este libro es parte de una exposición que estoy planeando titulada "Sin Reflejo". He estado trabajando en ella desde finales del año pasado y necesita todavía unos ajustes conceptuales para poder presentarla en una galería. La idea general es contar una historia personal utilizando imágenes, animación y un libro-arte, y mientras trabajo en otros proyectos a corto plazo, espero poder tenerla lista para el otro año! Dedos cruzados! Más adelante añadiré más imgágenes para mostrarles el proceso de creación de este objeto en particular.
...

A Skippy for Otto

2011-04-27T01:46:00.000-07:00

©2011. Skippy 1-5

Bocetos de nuestro vecino de cuatro patas amarillas. Tiene personalidad de Dingo así que es muy independiente. Le ladra al que no conoce y deja pasar calladamente al que sí, mientras observa desde las sombras. Me acuerda de Tony, un perrito que tuvieron mis abuelos durante mi infancia en Siberia. Y me acuerda de Luna, mi perrita... aunque ella sólo le ladra a los uniformados! jajaja. También me acuerda de los zorros de Otto Chin, un artista que acabo de conocer y al que admiro mucho. Aquí les comparto un poco sobre él :)

There is a little dog across the road, it's yellow and soft, has pointy ears -very much like Otto Chin's foxes, and has a free spirit. She's often outside, waiting in the shadows for people to pass, and then she jumps! and barks!... or comes slowly if you talk to her softly. Her father was a Dingo, which might explain her personality. I met her officially last Wednesday evening, her name is Skippy, like the kangaroo tv show, or the cornflakes that my husband and I eat every morning in Adelaide. Here I share with you a little bit about this wonderful artist that I mentioned before... I really admire his work :)

Otto Chin's work
An interview with Otto Chin

Que disfruten!!!
Enjoy!!!
...

Anzac Day - 25 de Abril...

2011-04-26T02:22:00.000-07:00

Some other random studies :)

2011-04-22T02:14:00.000-07:00

Random sketches :)

2011-04-14T01:41:00.000-07:00

Cello y músico

2011-04-12T01:36:00.000-07:00

Preparing exhibitions, preparando exposiciones :)

2011-04-11T23:15:00.000-07:00

©2011. Preparando Exposiciones 1-5
I have been terribly busy finishing some work for upcoming exhibitions.
But will be updating my blog soon! :)
He estado enredada de piernas y manos tratando de terminar imágenes para futuras exposiciones. Así que pronto podré actualizar mi blog! Paciencia Yago, paciencia :)

Jun 9 - Aug 8, 2011
Challinger Gallery - Royal Adelaide Hospital
North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000
...

Paleta de Colores :)

2011-04-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

This is one of my "coloured notes", in which I keep a record on how to achieve a particular colour. I usually keep one or two for each project. In this particular case I was using watercolours, gouaches and acrylics on paper.
Esta es una de mis "anotaciones de color", en donde escribo cómo logré algunos colores en particular. Generalmente tengo una o dos por cada proyecto. En este caso estaba utilizando acuarelas, gouaches y acrílicos sobre papel.

Here I share with you some other kind of "notes" taken from Margot Schulzke's book, A Painter's Guide to Design and Composition, which I find very useful:

Getting inspired
How to nurture that inspiration to get to the finished painting? (p. 64)
Be always on the prowl for potential subject matter.
Don’t wait for ideal circumstances to materialize. Work where and when you have to. Routinely carry a sketchbook and explore. Memory plays an important role as well.
Imagination is a big player, along with contemplation.
Plan –and plan –for success. Even if you have years of painting experience.
Choose the method of development that works best for you.
Experiment.

Become a Risk Taker (p. 125)
Approach every artistic effort as an experiment. Some fail, some succeed. Build upon successes and learn from failures.
Experiment with paintings that area “lost causes”. When the end result no longer matters, you’ll feel free to play.
Start fresh projects, with experimentation as the entire object. Try materials, surfaces and techniques you’d never dare try on an ordinary day.
Set the stage for creativity. Purchase the necessary equipment to allow you to paint unfettered. Establish a permanent, organized workspace.
Take the workshops you need.
Be willing to do something extreme –such as amputate.
Don’t operate on autopilot. Plan. Make thumbnails, value plans and colour studies. Explore possibilities in a non-final state when you have nothing to lose.
Make progress notes. Later you may forget how you got that great effect. Writing helps you retain ideas.
Play music in your studio that relaxes or jazzes you up. Suit it to the subject matter of mood you are striving for.
Always ask, “Why not?”

Margot Schulzke's Website

:)

Begining of April... Bello Abril (de Fito Páez)

2011-04-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

©2011. Reflejo TownHall, FlorMontañas, TrenzasViento.
Some drawings made at the Town Hall. The preliminary sketches are usually done before I start listening to the music, and the gesture of the lines is achieved by immersing myself into the mood of each particular piece. It's amazing how music guides your hand giving unexpected atmospheres and characters to your drawings :)

Algunos dibujos realizados en el Town Hall. Generalmente hago los bocetos preliminares antes de escuchar los conciertos, y el gesto expresado por las líneas resulta al dejarme llevar por las emociones sugeridas por las diferentes piezas musicales. Es increíble como la música nos guía las manos, sorprendiéndonos con atmósferas y personajes inesperados derramados en nuestros dibujos :)

Café & Water

2011-04-04T17:44:00.000-07:00

©2008. Café & Water 1, 2, 3, 4 y 5.
These are some of the various studies for my artist's book Café&Water. It was a very long project because of the quantity of images, the format, the materials used and the conceptual development. But I enjoyed every little detail, specially handling elements like threads, leather, fabric and paper!
The pages are meant to be memories from my first months in Adelaide and my last days in Bogotá (memories connected, semi-transparent, delicate and hard to manipulate). The viewer makes the connections between words and images, generating new meanings and interpretations. You'll find the images of the final book on my website :)

Estos son algunos de los muchos estudios y bocetos realizados para mi libro-arte Café&Water. El proyecto tomó bastante tiempo debido a la cantidad de imágenes, el formato, los materiales utilizados y el desarrollo conceptual. Pero disfruté muchísimo cada detalle, en especial manejando elementos como el hilo, el cuero, la tela y el papel!
Cada página representa un recuerdo de mis primeros meses en Adelaide y mis últimos días en Bogotá (cada memoria se conecta con otra, es semitransparente, delicada y difícil de manipular). El espectador crea nuevas conecciones entre las palabras y las imágenes, generando nuevos significados e interpretaciones. Y el resultado final puede verse en mi página web :)

Conejo Verde... Green Rabbit

2011-04-04T17:36:00.000-07:00

©2009. ConejoVerde 1, 2 y 3
This is a little character that wants to be the protagonist of a future story. He's very determined!
Este es un pequeño personaje que tiene ganas de protagonizar una historia en el futuro. Es súper presistente!

End of March, Final de Marzo

2011-03-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

©2011. GatoFlores, MujerDurazno, ArbolesOjos.
Some other drawings made while thinking of rhythm.
Otros dibujos realizados pensando en ritmo.

Adelaide.... first impressions, primeras impresiones

2011-03-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

©2007. TorreRoja, NiñosRojos, TechoRojo.
Sketches done at the State Library during my firsts weeks in Adelaide. :)
Bocetos realizados en la Biblioteca Estatal durante mis primeras semanas en Adelaide :)

Almas Santas Almas Pacientes

2011-03-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

©2006. VacaReja, TumbaTortuga, CruzLibélula, AlmasCementerio, AlmasBosque
These sketches and frames were done as part of a background design back in 2006 for Cecilia Traslaviña's whimsical and outstanding experimental animation: Almas Santas Almas Pacientes. I worked on transforming the graveyard into a forest, digitally, frame by frame on photoshop. It was hard work but I really enjoyed the process, learned a lot and felt blessed with the opportunity :)

Estos bocetos y cuadros son parte del desarrollo conceptual para un diseño de fondos en el 2006, como parte de la animación experimental Almas Santas Almas Pacientes de Cecilia Traslaviña. Mi trabajo consistió en transformar digitalmente, cuadro a cuadro en photoshop, el cementerio en un bosque. Disfruté muchísimo el proceso, aprendí cantidades y me siento muy afortunada por haber tenido esta experiencia :)

Here I share with you these very interesting links:
Aquí les comparto estos links fantásticos:
Almas Santas Almas Pacientes (2007)
Colombian Avant-Garde Animation
Moebius Animación

...

Notes from Shaun Tan's Essay on Originality and Creativity

2011-03-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

Mentoring and teaching art students has been a wonderful experience for me! I find myself learning so much from them! I've not only learned about techniques, composition, colour theory or concept development, but also about creativity! In every meeting I confirm that an art class is a place for self-expression, to feel free to create without judgment, and to explore one's curiosity about art and life. There's no room for perfection in art practice... only for experimentation :)

And so, this reflection reminded me of Shaun Tan, one of the artists I most admire, and of his generous way of giving advice to emerging visual-storytellers like me. Here are some quotations taken from his essay on Originality and Creativity:

My own experience is that inspiration has more to do with careful research and looking for a challenge; and that creativity is about playing with what I find, testing one proposition against another and seeing how things combine and react.

Often the most interesting stories are the ones which tell us things that we already know but haven’t yet articulated in our minds. Or more precisely, they encourage us to look at familiar things in different ways, as if to remind us of their true meaning; the way we live, the things we encounter, the way we think and so on.

I realised that what I had to do was to extend the metaphorical logic of the text even further, and introduce more unexpected ideas to build a parallel story of my own. Not an illustration of the text, but something to react with it symbiotically.

I’m often thinking of different things I’ve read, or particular words, while I draw and paint which best express the particular poetry of colour, line and form I am after.

For me, that’s what creativity is - playing with found objects, reconstructing things that already exist, transforming ideas or stories I already know. It’s not about the colonisation of new territory, it’s about exploring inwards, examining your existing presumptions, squinting at the archive of experience from new angles, and hoping for some sort of revelation. What really matters is whether we as readers continue to think about the things we have read and seen long after the final page is turned.

...

2011-03-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

On March 11, an 8.9 earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan near the city of Sendai. It is the most powerful earthquake they ever experienced. Artists Help Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Fund is responding to the immediate needs of survivors as well as short-term to long-term recovery projects undertaken by the affected communities.
Artists Help Japan

and My Sister ...last stages

2011-03-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

©2008. The Dog (My Sister series)
And this is how it got to the final image! It was exhibited together with other 11 images at the Adelaide Town Hall for the SALA Festival in 2008, at the Nexus Gallery in 2009, and at the Wild at Art Studio in 2010. I was trying to bring to the space the atmosphere of a bed-time story (a story that needs active interpretation).

Y así es como se llegó a la imagen final! El grupo de 12 pinturas que conforman el libro-álbum fueron expuestas en el Adelaide Town Hall para el SALA Festival (2008), en la galería Nexus (2009), y en el Wild at Art Studio (2010). Con esto quería invitar a la audiencia a sentirse en medio de una atmósfera tibia de lectura nocturna, mientras intentaban activamente interpretar el mensaje del libro, y como yo trabajo en el Town Hall, pude ver de cerca sus reacciones! Fue una experiencia increíble :)

My Sister ...first stages

2011-03-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

©2008. The Dog (My Sister series)
These photographs show the painting process for the first image of my picture book MY SISTER. The painting is 60 x 80 cm and was made using acrylics on wooden canvas. It took me between 9 and 12 hours to complete without mentioning the time spent on the conceptual development! I find that painting, as any other art technique, is a conversation between the artist and the artwork, and even though the final image does not look like the one I had in mind before starting, thanks to this conversation, this image is soooo much better!!! I really enjoyed working on it! :)

Estas fotografías muestran el proceso de creación de la primera imagen del libro-álbum MI HERMANA. La pintura mide 60 x 80 cm y la hice usando acrílicos sobre madera. En total me demoré entre 9 y 12 horas para completarla, eso sin mencionar el tiempo empleado en el desarrollo conceptual! Y es que pintar, como cualquier otro medio de expresión, es una conversación entre el artista y su obra, y aunque el resultado de esta imagen en particular no se parece al que tenía en mente antes de comenzar, es muuuchooo mejor gracias a esta conversación!!! Disfruté muchísimo y no me importan las canas que vinieron con el proceso! :)

Mi jardinero favorito

2011-03-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

©2011. Jardinero
Thinking of a beautiful man that has been planting trees all his life... Real and metaphoric trees.
He's currently taking care of hundreds of little trees so they can grow strong and healthy in a public place at the north of Bogotá (Colombia). A future forest in the middle of the city to bring back the birds and awaken the ankles of the mountains.

Pensando en un hombre hermoso que ha plantado árboles toda su vida.... Árboles reales y metafóricos.
En este momento este jardinero está cuidando cientos de árboles para que crezcan fuertes y sanos en un lugár público al norte de Bogotá. Poco a poco va germinando un bosque del futuro para traer de vuelta a los pájaros y despertarle los tobillos a las montañas.

Adelaide Chamber Orquestra.

2011-03-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

©2011. Músicos.
Mientras escuchaba... John Adams' SHAKER LOOPS... Increíble.
While listening to John Adams' SHAKER LOOPS.... Amazing!
"The title alludes to the American religious sect known as the Shakers, whose worship ceremonies flirted with wild states of consciousness; in the composer's words, Shaker Loops evokes an: ecstatic frenzy of a dance that culminated in an epiphahy of physical and spiritual transcendence." - ACO Program 2011 National Concert Season.

Indiferencia

2011-03-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

At the Adelaide Town Hall

2011-03-08T19:49:00.000-08:00

©2011. Esperando en el Town Hall a blanco y negro, color.
While waiting for my shift to start.
Mientras esperaba a que comenzara mi turno de trabajo.

Primer día de clase... y Cecilias!

2011-02-28T19:35:00.000-08:00

©2011. Primer día de clase, Cecilia.
On our way to Uni, Carlos and I found a group of beautiful pinkish cockatoos (Galah) with white head. They reminded us of Cecilia, Carlos' great aunt... and so, that's how we named them :)
Camino a la universidad vimos un grupo gigante de cacatuas rosaditas con cabeza blanca (Galah). Nos acuerdan mucho de Cecilia, la tía-abuela de Carlitos y desde que encontramos el parecido las llamamos así.

Esperando el bus!!

2011-02-28T19:32:00.000-08:00

Pink city

2011-02-28T19:22:00.000-08:00

©2011. Cudad a blanco y negro, Ciudad a color.
A quick sketch from the bus going south in Victoria Square. I used a monochromatic tonal study to create perspective.
Un boceto rápido desde el bus. Usé varias tonalidades del mismo color para añadir perspectiva atmosférica.

Tadi, de Etiopia

2011-02-28T19:15:00.000-08:00

©2011. Tadi de Etiopia, Señora.
A drawing of a very nice guy I met on the bus; and another one of a lady that wants to be animated.
Un dibujo de Tadi, que conocí en el bus; y otro de una señora que tiene ganas de ser animada.

Final image!!!

2011-02-27T05:21:00.000-08:00

Image making, Creando una imagen...

2011-02-27T05:16:00.001-08:00

Abstract compositions in black and white... Composiciones abstractas a blanco y negro

2011-02-27T05:06:00.000-08:00

©2011. Gente, Bote, Arbol.
Just practicing how to organize values in a composition:
"Not matter what the subject may be, a great composition is based on great relationships of abstract shapes." (...) "The best way to learn to see in black and white is to work on black and white."
- Stephen Quiller (Painter's guide to color, p.40)

Practicando el uso de valores en diferentets composiciones.

Value Scale & Intensity Chart

2011-02-27T04:45:00.000-08:00

I've been busy organizing a few things....
So besides working on my animation project, where I am finally practicing animation principles, I've been trying to find some exhibition opportunities and meeting great creative people to develop some artwork in the future! Also, I am now going to be teaching Painting for Illustration at UniSA!!! I'm so excited about it :)
The fish-bowl grows... and so, the fish must too :)

He estado ocupada organizando algunas cosas...
Aparte de trabajar en mi proyecto de animación, en donde por fín he podido sacarle el jugo a los principios y técnicas, he seguido buscando oportunidades para exponer y conociendo mentes creativas admirables pensando en arte para el futuro! Además resulta que esta semana comienzo a dictar clases de Pintura para Ilustración en la universidad de South Australia!!! Qué emoción :)
La pecera crece... y así mismo debe el pez :)

Sustos importantes... Important fears

2011-02-12T21:53:00.000-08:00

©2011. Mentes, Huesos de pez.
Can't only be "yang".
No se puede ser solamente "yang".

YIN: the passive principle of the universe, characterized as female and sustaining and associated with earth, dark and cold. (feminine, moon, shade)
YANG: the active principle of the universe, characterized as male and creative and associated with heaven, heat and light. (male, sun, positive)

Cantantets... Singers

2011-02-01T21:47:00.000-08:00

©2011. Viejito cantante, Cantantes.
Sketches inspired by one of the concerts at the Adelaide Town Hall.
Bocetos basados en uno de los conciertos del teatro en donde trabajo.

Hojas-rayas... Leaves-stingrays

2011-02-01T21:42:00.000-08:00

Possums

2011-02-01T21:39:00.000-08:00

The woods... El bosque

2011-01-27T20:42:00.000-08:00

©2011. Camino en el bosque.
I was admiring some of Miyazaki's artwork in watercolours and tried to reproduce Totoro's atmosphere... but I was in a rush that day. (Would love to keep on learning from him though)
Estaba admirando unas acuarelas de Miyazaki realizadas para Totoro, e intenté de afán hacer un mini-bosque... hay que seguir intentando!

En la playa... At Henley Beach

2011-01-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

Kookaburra

2011-01-21T20:26:00.000-08:00