ARTIST SPOTLIGHT VIOLETA GALERA
I am a painter and a mother of two magical twins. My first childhood memory is drawing and I can’t live without painting. Painting is my therapy, a ritual in healing myself. I spend my days in the studio, in the wilderness of the mountains in Ibiza and honestly I can't imagine my life without my brushes and getting my hands dirty of paint. I truly love what I do and I like to craft my paintings with acrylics, pencil, oils and ink. I also adore working with recycled materials, giving trash a new life is a form of resurrection.
Tell us about your greatest inspirations or influences
I find inspiration everywhere, nowadays my kids and my experience as a mum is my deepest source. The way my kids paint and play with colors with total freedom inspires me a lot. I also find inspiration from my mental state of being, and personal experiences in life , particularly life in Ibiza. My art is really an expression of my feelings, my soul connections, spiritual experiences, dreams and my fears. My work is very introspective- I also have many books on ancient cultures and their symbolism. I would also say that my time living in India has made a big impact visually on how I view and perceive colors.
How are the current trends in technology and innovation affecting your work as a creative?
Social media is a super powerful tool to organize and share my work with the world. I like to connect with other artists internationally. I use it for the positive and enjoy using social media to share my work, and communicate with people who ask me questions and engage with other creatives but normally I prefer to spend my time focusing on painting in my studio!
We’d love to hear more about your creative process.
I try not to plan too much, I follow my instinct , no sketching, I really like the organic feeling that spontaneity gives to my work. I have developed a personal language in the past twenty years painting, I paint and I just continue to work on it, until I feel it is finished, it is really something very personal to me. I love when I am painting and my mind just goes far away. Painting is my way of disconnecting and connecting with myself. For me the creative process is a sacred moment, or a Ritual. I normally light incense and candles and listen to music when I paint.
Anything coming up that we should know about?
I’m currently working nonstop on my solo exhibition for next year. This is my biggest goal - 30 new paintings and I am also working on a collaboration with a fashion brand to present some pieces created with my paintings at the contemporary art fair Zonamaco 2023.
What does wellbeing mean to you?
Wellbeing for me is trying to enjoy life to the fullest everyday and feel inner peace in my heart. I try to have good habits- I am thankful for life every morning and I try to do everything with love. I try not to focus on the problems and life situations that I face, but I work on being optimistic and look at the problems as opportunities to grow and transform myself into a better person every day.
