Our conversation with Lorena Fria delves into the authentic and evolving journey of an individual who discovered her artistic calling in an unexpected turn of events. Originally pursuing an architecture degree in Monterrey, Mexico, Lorena's exposure to art during a workshop in Florence marked a pivotal shift in her path. This narrative is not just about the transition from architecture to art, but a deeper exploration into the realms of self-discovery, passion, and embracing the unconventional. Lorena's story is a vivid illustration of how life can lead us down unanticipated paths and how embracing these changes can lead to fulfilling and enriching experiences.

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At what point in your life did you firmly decide to pursue art, and what were the pivotal factors in making that decision? 

I’ve loved art since I was very young and I’ve been drawing my whole life, however I didn’t really know people could actually make a living out of art until pretty late, when I was around 23 years old. At the time I was halfway through my architecture degree in Monterrey, Mexico, when I took a 6 week intensive workshop at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, which encompassed drawing in graphite, charcoal, and an introduction to oil painting. Before that, I didn’t know anything about oil painting but I had been very interested in learning for a long time, and after the workshop I fell completely in love with it. It was during this workshop that I realized pursuing art was a real option, which before that, I didn’t know was available to me.

 

The universities in the city I live in are very much engineering oriented and that’s why I never thought about seriously pursuing art, and instead chose architecture since I felt it was a good combination between art and math (which I really like). But once I saw art was a viable option there was no way back. So I talked to my parents and told them that I was going to complete my degree and then I would pursue art full time. They were very supportive and 2 years later I finished my architecture studies and I’ve been drawing and painting full time ever since. I knew that it was a risky choice, and less stable than choosing to work at an architecture firm, but I was willing to try. I am so happy that I did because it has been a dream come true and I feel like my inner child still can’t believe that I get to draw and paint every day for a living!

Discuss how your art comments on or reflects contemporary social, political, or environmental themes. In what ways does your artwork reflect or comment on current social, political, or environmental issues? Can you give specific examples from your works?

I’ve always really admired art that reflects on important social, political or environmental issues because I love the way they use art as means to address big, impactful themes. And that’s why I sometimes feel like my art is a bit selfish since I create mostly because I feel the need to make my ideas physical through painting. When I get an idea in my head I have the urge to paint it otherwise it is stuck on the back of my mind and I can’t focus on anything else. I usually paint what I would like to see hanging on my walls and think about art as a way of self expression.

 

For me painting alone is such a personal experience, that the work I create is equally personal and I just feel that it is amazing to have a way to make your ideas, thoughts, and emotions so tangible through painting. So in the end, even though I don’t have a specific agenda or message that I would like to transmit with my work, and even though the reason I create art is a bit selfish, whenever I share a new work and someone buys it or simply reaches out to tell me how it made them feel, I feel like my art isn’t trivial and is actually contributing something to the world. I believe that both, using art to reflect on greater themes and using art merely to express yourself, are completely valid approaches, I just resonate more with the latter. I always find it so interesting when other people connect to my work and discover different meanings in it. It feels great being able to share your point of view and then having people interpret it so differently to what you could have thought.

Describe your artistic process from conception to completion. Could you walk us through the steps of your artistic process, starting from the initial idea to the finished piece? How do you develop your concepts, and what are the key stages in creating your final work?

With my creative process I usually start with a free flow of the mind in the earliest stages, which is usually when I define the general idea, the potential color palette, and the overall mood of the painting. I then further develop the idea by photographing my subject and choosing a few reference images which I believe align the most to what I have in mind. After selecting the final few images, I explore each one of them through photoshop. This allows me to alter the colors, try different backgrounds, and just experiment with different compositions in each one of them. I love this part of editing in photoshop because so often ideas that seem great in my mind look absolutely terrible when I try them out. I find it very practical to make these explorations digitally because if I were to do it physically on the canvas, it would take more time and resources. Once I have the final editions, I just trust my gut and pick the ones that excite me the most to use as final reference images for my work.

 

After all this planning, I finally begin with the painting phase. In contrast to the previous stage, which included a lot of decision making, while I’m painting I really feel like my mind is blank, there is just a lot of painting going on. The image I choose to use as reference is a great starting point and allows me to not think while I paint since I’ve already made most of the composition decisions and now I have a clear sense of direction, even though I still remain open to adding or taking away elements from my painting. So while I’m painting I can allow myself to get immersed in the moment and simply try to make the best work I can. After each painting session I usually photograph my work and analyze the things I like and the ones I don’t so I know exactly what to work on the next day when I get to the studio. For me, it is always a challenge to determine when a painting is done but usually when I feel like anything else I add on the canvas will take away from the painting, that’s when I stop.

Share your sources of inspiration. What are your primary sources of inspiration? Do these come from personal experiences, observations, history, nature, or other artists? Can you give specific examples of how these inspirations have manifested in your work?

I feel inspired by so many things! Everything from nature, to photography, music, film, and other artists, amongst others, carry so much inspiration for me. However I think I am mostly fascinated by color theory and portraiture or figurative art. I was in drawing lessons when I was about 7 or 8 years old and since then, I don’t think I’ve ever stopped drawing, especially portraits. But I had always wanted to learn how to paint. It is funny how many people assume that if you know how to draw, then you automatically know how to paint, but that wasn’t at all my experience.

 

When I had my first approach to painting I felt so lost and overwhelmed with all of the new aspects that I didn’t have in drawing such as hue and chroma. Even though it was very challenging, I quickly fell in love with color and color theory. I guess I had been making art in black and white for so long that color just captivated and opened my mind to this whole new world I knew nothing about. It really inspires me when I make a new painting and there’s just so many vibrant pigments, like quinacridone magenta, that I really enjoy including in my work. I love to explore possible color combinations and their potential and how the color affects the atmosphere of the painting. That’s why I think of my work as an exploration of color through portraiture, because I want to see how much color is capable of and apply that to each of my paintings, which are portraits or figures for the most part.

 

On the other hand, I am deeply inspired by people, particularly their faces. It will never cease to amaze me how different we can be even though we all share the same features and I love to try to capture this uniqueness in each portrait I make. And of course, I find never-ending inspiration in art history. I think it would be impossible to pick my favorite artist but among them are: Monet, Degas, Sargent, Caravaggio, and sooo many others. There’s just so many things to learn from them!

Discuss your methods for entering a creative state of mind. What specific techniques or practices do you use to get into the right mindset for creating art? Do you have any rituals, routines, or a particular environment that helps stimulate your creativity?

For entering a creative state of mind, I believe there’s no better way than playing the right music, podcast or audiobook. I love getting in the studio with my coffee, choosing whatever I’m going to play, and then it’s go time. I really enjoy audiobooks and podcasts, but sometimes I just go for music because I often zone out while I’m painting and miss out on a lot of the information of the podcasts or audiobooks. Plus, I love how different music can set a completely different mood, and I usually choose something that goes in line with how I am feeling or how I want to feel. I will typically listen to podcasts or audiobooks when the stage I’m working on in the painting is a bit more technical and doesn’t require as many creative decisions.

 

Once I have something to listen to, I begin to do the premixes and this usually takes a while, about 20 minutes. I find that this time that I spend mixing colors helps me wind down and get into the art mindset. It has become a routine that I really enjoy and that I feel is so worth it because even though I would love to get in the studio and start painting right away, mixing colors as I go, I have found that taking the extra time to be prepared before I paint then gives me more freedom while I’m painting. Also, the overall look of my paintings feels more cohesive when I premix colors. I have the luck that my studio has a beautiful view of the mountains and I love to take breaks just to stare at them because they are so stunning and stimulating.

Describe how your approach to art has evolved over time. In what ways has your approach to creating art changed over the years? What have been the significant influences or learning experiences that have shaped your evolution as an artist? 

Since most of what I’ve learned in painting has been through short workshops, books, or online videos, at first I was really focused on getting a good grasp on the basics and working on the proper technique for oil painting. I guess this reflected in my paintings because I was very detail oriented and trying to make my paintings look real. Since my favorite subject to paint is portraiture and figurative art, at first I was trying to capture every subtle transition in skin tones and every detail that my eye could catch.

 

However, as I began to gain more confidence in my painting ability, I allowed myself to explore other ways or techniques that better allowed me to express myself. Rather than having a laser focus for details, I began trying to synthesize information and leave more space open to interpretation. I also made an effort to become more loose with my painting. I wanted my work to feel fresh but I was used to many layers of paint, which can end up looking a bit stiff, so I began exploring that painterly quality which I’ve always found so mouth watering.

 

I think that as I make more creative decisions and stop trying to follow each rule I’ve learned, the work begins to feel more personal and is a truer expression of myself. Another aspect that I’ve seen change over time is my color selection. At first I used a somewhat limited palette because that’s what I was learning in the books and workshops, but once I had some control over those hues, I began to add more and more different colors. I have always really enjoyed the impressionists’ color palettes and recently I’m just loving to experiment with very bright and vibrant pigments! 

List five key insights or lessons you wish you had known when you started your artistic journey. 

✧ Pursue ideas that excite you.

 

✧ Don’t let the fear of making mistakes hold you back from exploring new ideas, techniques, etc. More often than not, mistakes bring you closer to developing a style truer to yourself.

 

✧ Don’t believe that each new piece you make will be the one piece that’s pivotal to your career. Learn to let go of your work and always know that if you hate it, no one needs to ever see it. Paint for yourself.

 

✧ There is no one right way for making art, find out what works for you. 

 

✧ Learn to trust your gut! Either to choose a composition, to determine what work to pursue, to decide when the work is finished, etc., listen to your inner voice.

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Lorena's experiences and insights shed light on the multifaceted nature of creativity and the diverse paths to personal and artistic growth. Her story underscores the joy and fulfillment found in honoring our true selves and the boundless creative potential that lies within each of us. It's a vivid affirmation that when we courageously follow our heart, we can not only discover new aspects of ourselves but also contribute uniquely and meaningfully to the world around us.