Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolina Amat.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My dream since I was a young girl was to become an artist like my grandfather. He was a great artist and I would often paint with him; he has been my inspiration all of my life. The scents of his oil paintings continue to flood my memories today.
I am a first-and-last generation Venezuelan from a family that immigrated from Spain and has since returned. After the Spanish-Civil War, my grandfather left his home with my grandmother, mother, 3 aunts, and my uncle to flee the Dictator Franco and begin a new life in Caracas. At that time, Venezuela was considered a land of opportunity and peaceful prosperity for many. My grandfather had a successful business and would paint art during his few free hours. I would often watch him, and am sure was a bit of a distraction with all of my many questions about what he was painting, how he decided what colors to use, and what kind of technique he would use to convert his brushstrokes into what I considered a “grandpa masterpiece”.
After high school, I wanted to apply my creativity at university, and chose architecture as my major for 3 years. However, due to the changing nature of the economy as well as my family needs, I had to put my creative dreams on hold and instead finished university with a more pragmatic but less interesting degree in accounting, and reluctantly began a career as an auditor. It was sufficient to provide for my family, but left me void of my true dream to become an artist.
After significant political, economic, and security changes in Venezuela, some of my family began to look for new horizons in Spain, while my family and I left for Scotland. The land of new opportunity brought a chance for me to begin my quest to become an artist. In Scotland, I began to take art classes at Grey School of Art in Aberdeen. I thought this was the best way to deal with a radical change in climate, culture, and language while following my artistic drive.
After 6 fantastic years in Scotland, my journey continued with a move to Houston and was able to continue my study of art at the Glassell School of Art. And, I was also able to open my first studio at Winter Street. It was an exciting time for me, as I was able to integrate more with the art community in Houston, and some of my works were selected to be shown at the annual student juror exhibition.
Soon after, I had the opportunity to live in Billings, Montana and study Fine Art at Montana State University. A highlight there was winning the annual student art competition with one of my paintings, and getting an honorable mention with my very first sculpture.
After a short time, I returned to Houston, and was able to re-open a studio at Silver Street and re-enroll at Glassell School of Art. I am happy to be back in Houston, a diverse city rich with a culture that can appreciate my abstract works of art. Most recently, I became one of the founding members of the “Latin American Art Women of Houston”, (LAWAH) a group of devoted artists with intent to have our works and voices heard in this diverse and dynamic city.
Please tell us about your art.
My purpose as an artist is to communicate through each painting by inducing or intensifying the viewer’s natural desire for contemplation without the benefit of a specific guiding principle, other than the viewers’ imagination of their memories.
The inspiration to create a piece of art has been changing over time in my life as an artist. Initially, my works were colorful abstracts of landscapes where the mix of bright and warm colors used reminded me of growing up in a hot and tropical climate. These pieces were acrylics on canvas. Later, I created a series of works entitled ‘Sailing in My Memories’. This series provided a means to express my good memories and hope to connect to other viewer’s memories. These pieces were acrylics on wood boards
To represent stronger and weaker memories, I draw vivid realistic images that are superimposed with several layers of paint manipulating which part of my memories are stronger or weaker with colors and texture to provide the desired impression of more or less vivid memories. In almost every piece, I include the color blue because it represents my spiritual connection with my past life when I lived near the Caribbean coast in Venezuela, the blue of the sea; the blue of my soul.
In some of my work, my architectural experience is used, as I try and to integrate realistic scenes with fictional elements. For example, cities that become abstract introducing fictional elements using solid shapes, lines, and geometric forms with acrylic marks and pencils.
The greatest challenge inherent to this work is how to express through paint the reality of memories, which are at times figments of our own imagination tattered with elements of truth. In the future, I would like to become more effective at expressing imagination through abstraction with a touch of reality interpreted at a given point of time. Through this, the memories can become what we want to express today.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
For me, nothing defines success more than someone who appreciates my works enough to have my art be a part of their homes or offices. I pour my spirit into each piece, and hope that others sense something positive as they view my works. With this, I hope to also have a tribute to my grandfather, that provides another sense of purpose in my life. I relate very well with the quote below, from another artist, Brenda Goodman: …I won’t stop painting what is in my heart, and I will never retire! Anyway, have you ever heard a painter say they have retired? No. They just paint till they can’t anymore.”
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
The easiest way to see my work is to visit my website that shows some of my pieces of art at cilamat.gallery However, the best way to see and experience my work is to visit my studio at Silver Street at 2000 Edwards Street, Houston, 77007. I love to visit with anyone about each piece and listen to the impressions they have of my art. In addition, there are events with the Latin American Art Women of Houston (LAWAH). All of these helps to inspire me to continue, as I hope to make an impression with everyone who sees my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: cilamat.gallery
- Email: carolinalauver@me.com
- Instagram: art.carolinamat
Image Credit:
Friends
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