Hello,

During the first months of the Grant, while going deep in my thoughts looking for answers to some of the questions my mentor asked me, and exploring new techniques and mediums, I also continued working on my series of cities.

Latest pieces of cities…

Here are some of the paintings I did during that period. I select each place because of a special connection, a memory, or the energy, the feeling, kind of a vibration that you feel when you are there.  

The connection is something pretty deep but I ‘ll try to give some context in a few words:

• London, UK (this one is of Picadilly Circus): my sister lives in London and we are very close! She is my best friend and I miss her a lot!! A few years back my dad

  

  from Brazil and I visited her and created so many wonderful memories of this family trip!

• Paris, France (Moulin Rouge, Louvre and Place du Tertre): My husband is french. That’s where he proposed to me. Where everything you eat and drink is such a pleasure. Where I had a portrait done on a rainy day… we have lots of friends there and come back whenever we can!
  
• New York City, NY (The High Line): Can’t explain how much I love this city! All the things to do, how easy it is to move around as a tourist. How many wonderful buildings and public places to enjoy. All the art!! OMG, the museums are amazing- MOMA has my heart! I’ve been there on some occasions. With my husband, with friends and more recently on a trip with my sister. She had just come from London… More amazing things to

  

  remember and to paint!

The connection I have with these places and the feeling I have when I am there. This is what I feel throughout the entire process of creating the piece.
I imagine the angle, draw the lines, fill up with colors… Then, I hang them and disconnect a bit in order to regain some kind of objectivity. Probably lost after having been so much “into” it.  It can take weeks before I finally put them back on my easel for the final changes. And only after this final step that I sign and varnish…

While exploring new horizon…

But the reason for me to talk about this series of places today is because of the current context all around the world. The reason I love these places is because of the movement, that vibration, that energy of the people that I am interested in. Seeing all these wonderful places completely empty makes me think and realize what is going on…and it scares me a bit. And this craziness came at the same time that I was kind of lost thinking about my own process, the reason I paint and what is important to me… and at the exact same time that I realized… Would I paint any of these without people?? No. The moment they are empty, they lose their soul. And I lose my inspiration and will… So, while my beloved cities are empty, I turned myself to another source of energy…

 I will talk more about that on my next post.

Hope to see you all outside soon enjoying our beautiful cities and while that is not possible, stay safe and enjoy your families!

Patricia