Hi, I’m Vannessa.
I am a Colombian Artist. My young life has been full of experiences, both good and bad, but all essential to my development as an artist and a woman.
After growing up under challenging circumstances in Bogota, I took off for a life of adventure and exploration, traveling the length of South America from Colombia to Argentina by motorcycle. I have since moved to the United States, basing myself primarily in Florida, Boston, and Seattle. Along the trajectory, I have supported myself with my greatest passion minus experience itself, which is my art.
Painting in oil, which is the medium I use for most of my paintings, I feel best allows me to express myself. The rich, fluid texture and profound colors offer a freedom and projection for my thoughts and feelings that to this point I have not found with other techniques. The colors in my paintings are directly linked to how I was feeling at the moment of painting, as all colors for me have very real emotional associations. Playing with perspective, through dimensions and creative uses of geometry, is also a great joy for me, and fundamental to most all of my works.
They have given me great inspiration, and have not just taught me about themselves, but about myself.
My work is often described as “visionary” or “surrealist” in nature, but I prefer to not classify myself. My paintings, as I consider myself to be, are versatile, ranging from expressions of feeling and personal experience to satire, to informative and deeply spiritual and representative of complex and beautiful cultures I have come to know. The last two years of my work have been focused much more on the later, as I have been studying the histories, traditions and natural territories of several native communities from Colombia. They have given me great inspiration, and have not just taught me about themselves, but about myself. I think everyone, especially in a modern “fast-paced” and “consumer” society can learn a great deal from the people that live in true unity with their land. My artwork is meant to reflect and communicate those beliefs.
Often my paintings are inspired by real stories, both from my life, and the lives that have touched my own. These stories principally come from extensive world travels and the resulting intimate experiences that were had with different cultures and pristine nature.
Satirical themes are central to many of my works, and I am not one to shy away from controversy. The world is full of hypocrisy, and I enjoy using my art to vividly expose this.
Animals and scientific exploration also inspire me greatly, and they can be found as the main focus, or compliments to the message I am trying to communicate, in much of my work.
I also find that more abstract and psychedelic pieces best communicate certain emotions and philosophies for living my life that I hold dear.
