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Monday 7 July 2014

Derivaciones del JKPP (2): Primeros Jueves / JKPP Offshoots (2): First Thursdays

First Thursday at Caixaforum
First Thursday at Caixaforum, by Sean Cronin
Una de las características de la Fiesta del Retrato organizada por Julia Kay es su capacidad de adicción. Una vez comienzas a dibujar caras, no puedes parar. Y aunque en estos momentos el grupo de Flickr ofrece una copiosa base de fotografías aportadas por sus más de 850 miembros, no tarda en surgir la necesidad de dibujar retratos del natural. / One of the main features of Julia Kay's Portrait Party is its addictive nature. Once you start to draw faces, you can't stop. And besides its rich pool of ref photos provided by more than 850 members, you soon feel the need to draw portraits from life.
 
La troupe at Caixa Forum for RPD and JKPP
La troupe at Caixa Forum, by Arturo Espinosa
En el caso de Barcelona, la actividad se extendió muy pronto más allá de lo virtual. En julio de 2011 se organizó un primer encuentro al que acudieron miembros del JKPP de Barcelona, otras ciudades españolas e incluso otros países. Durante un día nos dedicamos a dibujarnos unos a otros en la librería La Central de la calle Mallorca. Después, los barceloneses del JKPP nos quedamos con ganas de más y decidimos repetir la reunión una vez al mes, lo que dio lugar a las sesiones de los Primeros Jueves, que se han sucedido sin interrupción hasta el momento. / In Barcelona, the practice extended soon beyond the virtual sphere. In July 2011 we had a first meetup attended by JKPPers from Barcelona, other Spanish cities and even other countries. We spent one day portraying eachother in LaCentral bookshop. Following this, the organizers of the Barcelona meet decided to repeat the event in a smaller scale once a month, which led to the current First Thursday sessions.
 
Al principio continuamos viéndonos en la librería La Central de la calle Mallorca, un lugar muy agradable pero que tenía el inconveniente de que podía estar ocupado con presentaciones de libros. De ahí pasamos a la cafetería del CaixaFórum, donde nos hemos reunido durante más de un año y donde hemos tenido el placer de recibir las visitas de Maureen Nathan y de Sean Cronin. Además de permitirnos combinar la sesión con una visita a las exposiciones, el hecho de estar en plena cafetería daba pie a miradas curiosas, peticiones de retrato de los camareros y multitud de anécdotas. / At first we used to meet in the same bookshop. It was a nice place but sometimes it hosted book launches, so we eventually moved to the cafeteria of CaixaForum, where ve've received foreign visitors as Maureen Nathan or Sean Cronin. Besides allowing us to visit the center exhibitions, the use of the cafeteria was a source of inquisitive glances, portrait requests and many amusing anecdotes.
La mesa
Session at Joan Ramon's exhibition - La mesa, by Roberto Pla
En junio de 2013, coincidiendo con una exposición de Joan Ramon FarrPrimeros Juevesa el envailinga (si el primer jueves coincide con festivo) o de lugar de encuentro, el grupo JKPP pero que ne algé, la sesión se celebró en la biblioteca Jaume Fuster, en la plaza de Lesseps. En esta ocasión contamos también con la visita de Maureen Nathan, siempre bienvenida. Desde entonces los encuentros del JKPP se han sucedido en esta misma biblioteca, salvo el de marzo de 2014, cuando nos visitó Julia Kay y nos trasladamos puntualmente al espacio La Fontana. / In June 2013, on the occasion of an art exhibition of Joan Ramon FarrPrimeros Juevesa el envailinga (si el primer jueves coincide con festivo) o de lugar de encuentro, el grupo JKPP pero que ne algé, the session moved to the Plaza Lesseps library. This time we had again an always welcome visitor: Maureen Nathan. The First Thursday sessions have been celebrated in the library since then, excepting in March 2014, when we had Julia Kay with us and we moved to a different venue: Espai Jove La Fontana.
 
Special session of Retrats Primers Dijous, with the presence of Julia Kay.
Special session of Retrats Primer Dijous with the presence of Julia Kay, by Joan Ramon Farré

Los encuentros de los primeros jueves, además de ser útiles para practicar el retrato del natural, son una buena ocasión para conocer a otros aficionados al dibujo. Las sesiones han tenido gran éxito y el grupo ha ido ampliándose. A menudo han acudido amigos de amigos, que no siempre conocían el JKPP pero que en algunos casos han terminado incorporándose a él y comprobando personalmente su poder de enganche. / The First Thursday sessions, in addition of being useful to enjoy portraiture from life, are an opportunity to meet other sketchers. The event has been successful and the group has grown. The new participants didn't always know the JKPP group, but in many cases they have joined it and have had a first-hand experience of its addictive nature.


INFO: Las sesiones del Primer Dijous se celebran cada primer jueves de mes, entre las 18 h y las 21 h. Para posibles cambios de lugar de encuentro o de fecha (si cae en festivo), podéis consultar la página del grupo en Flickr o enviar vuestro email a Joan Ramon Farré para que os mande los recordatorios. / The portrait sessions are held every first Thursday. To keep track of possible changes of place or date, refer to the Flickr page or give your email to Joan Ramon Farré to be included in the mailing.
 

Enlaces relacionados / Related links
By Daniel Castro:
By Omara Igualdú:
By Roberto Pla:
By Shiem:
By Swasky:

Monday 29 April 2013

Derivaciones del JKPP - JKPP offshoots (1)

Derivaciones del JKPP - JKPP offshoots

1. El grupo de autorretratos / The self-portraits group


El grupo de Flickr creado por Julia Kay en 2010 ha tenido un crecimiento espectacular (más de 750 miembros y casi 33.000 imágenes en el momento de redactar este post) y ha dado lugar a varias ramificaciones: desde la página y el grupo de Facebook hasta los encuentros a pequeña o gran escala en diferentes países, los grupos de Flickr creados por miembros del JKPP o el blog donde se publica este post. Todo ello refleja el entusiasmo suscitado por la idea de Julia y la fuerza inspiradora que comporta la posibilidad de retratarse unos a otros. / The Flickr group created by Julia Kay in 2010 has had a dramatic growth (more than 750 members and almost 33.000 artworks at the time of writing this post) and has led to several offshoots: from the Facebook page and group to the small and big meetups in different countries, the Flickr groups created by JKPP members or the blog where this text is posted. All of that reflects the excitement created by Julia's idea and the inspiring strength of mutual portraying.

En uno de los debates del JKPP, Julia explicaba: "Puse en marcha el JKPP en 2010, cuando mi proyecto personal de autorretratarme diariamente durante tres años se acercaba a su fin. [...] Pensé que sería divertido dibujar a otras personas antes de pasar a temas completamente  distintos, y quería celebrar no haber abandonado ni un solo día el proyecto de los autorretratos. Las dos ideas se fundieron en la creación del Julia Kay's Portrait Party: una fiesta de celebración, y otros artistas como tema en lugar de yo misma". / In a JKPP discuss, Julia said: "I started JKPP in 2010 when a personal project to draw myself every day for three years was winding to a close. [...] I thought it might be fun to draw a few people besides myself before moving on to other subjects entirely. And I wanted to celebrate not missing a day during my self-portrait project. These two notions came together when I started Julia Kay's Portrait Party - a party to celebrate, and other artists as subjects instead of myself."
JKPP Icon/logo
Emblema del JKPP, con autorretato de Julia Kay

En un interesante bucle, el proyecto de autorretrato de Julia dio lugar a un grupo de retratos mutuos, que a su vez ha generado un grupo deautorretratos en el que participan numerosos artistas. Esta es solo una de las derivaciones del JKPP, un grupo con tantas repercusiones que al cabo de solo tres años de vida se hace difícil describir su historia. / In an interesting loop, the auto-portrait project of Julia Kay led to the creation of a mutual portraying group, which in turn led to a well-attended auto-portrait group. This is one of the numerous spin-offs of JKPP, a group with so many implications than it's not easy to describe its three-year story.

Concretamente, el grupo de autorretratos se planteó como una continuación de la exposición de postales organizada por Jane Sherwood y MartinBeek. Al principio se trataba de que los miembros del JKPP enviaran por correo retratos y autorretratos para exhibirlos en el encuentro de Oxford de marzo de 2011, pero después la exposición ha tenido un largo periplo, ya que ha estado en Bexhill y St. Leonards (Reino Unido) en febrero de 2012 y de nuevo en Oxford en mayo de 2012, en noviembre de 2012 viajó a Pensacola (EE.UU.) y acaba de volver a cruzar el océano para exhibirse (ampliada con retratos de Norman Mallory, recientemente fallecido) en el encuentro que tendrá lugar en Oxford el 11 de mayo de 2013. / The self-portrait group was created as a continuation of the postcard exhibition organized by Jane Sherwood and Martin Beek. The initial idea was to send portraits and self-portraits of JKPP members to exhibit them at the Oxford meetup of March 2011, but the exhibition has made a long journey and has been present in Bexhill and St. Leonards (UK) in February 2012 and again in Oxford in May 2012, has travelled to Pensacola (USA) in November 2012 and has crossed the ocean again to be shown (extended with portraits of recently passed-away Norman Mallory) at the meetup that will take place in Oxford the 11th May 2013.

El grupo de autorretratos de Flickr se creó poco antes de la quedada de Barcelona de julio de 2011 pensando en los casos en que podía ser complicado trasladar o exhibir físicamente las postales. Es un grupo de Flickr abierto a todos los miembros del JKPP, en el que se pueden colgar hasta 5 autorretratos no fotográficos (se ha limitado el número para evitar un desequilibrio entre los JKPPeros más y menos activos), creados de preferencia (aunque no exclusivamente) a partir de las fotos que cada cual tiene como referencia en el grupo de Julia. Hasta el momento forman parte de él más de la mitad de los miembros del JKPP (413 en el momento de escribir este post), que en total han colgado más de 500 autorretratos. / The self-portraits group was created just before the Barcelona meetup of July 2011, for the cases where the transport or physical exhibition of postcards would not be possible. It's open to any JKPP member and it admits up to 5 non-photographic self-portraits (to avoid a bias among most and less active JKPPers), made mainly (but not exclusively) from the ref pics included in Julia's group. So far, more than a half of JKPP members belong to the group (413 people at the time of writing this post), and the pool includes more than 500 self-portraits.
week 13, selfportrait, repost for tryptic week
Autorretrato de Patricio Villarroel

Como administradora del grupo de autorretratos, el día de su creación avisé a todas las personas que en ese momento formaban parte del grupo de Julia y desde entonces he enviado regularmente invitaciones a los nuevos miembros. He intentado informar a todo el mundo, pero es posible que alguna persona se me haya pasado por alto. Si estáis en este caso y os interesa participar, podéis solicitar la inscripción desde la propia página del grupo o bien escribirme directamente. / As the group administrator, at the beginning I sent notice to all the people who belonged to Julia's group, and since then I've sent collective invitations to all the new JKPP members. I've tried to keep everyone informed, but I may have missed somebody! If you are in this case and you want to join the self-portraits group, you can ask for admission through the group page or send me a Flickrmail.

Como en el grupo de Julia Kay, cada participante es libre de escoger la técnica y el estilo de los trabajos que cuelga. El resultado es un conjunto variadísimo de autorretratos que se puede exhibir en cualquier tipo de actividad relacionada con el JKPP. Así, solo con un ordenador conectado a Internet y un proyector, todos los miembros del grupo de Julia pueden estar presentes en una actividad que quizá tiene lugar a miles de kilómetros de su casa, como si mandaran un saludo virtual a los asistentes. Es una forma más de ampliar la productiva comunicación entre todos los miembros del JKPP. / As in Julia Kay's group, each member can choose any technique or style for their artwork. The result is a rich pool of self-portraits than can be used for slideshows at any JKPP-related event. Thus, with a projector and a computer connected to the Internet, any JKPPer can be present at an event that may take place thousands of miles away, as saying a virtual hello to the participants. It's another way to extend the inspiring communication among all members of JKPP.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Friday 30 March 2012

Portrait of Zoraida/Arsaytoma

Zoraida was my first flickr friend and she joined the Portrait Party soon after me. She is a generous spirit with a lively sense of humour and a great drawing style in both traditional and digital media. thanks to several JKPP meet ups we have met in the real world and enjoyed each others company. Recently I went to Barcelona to draw with some JKPPers and other artists, staying with Zoraida and enjoyed her marvellous hospitality. I have done other portraits of her but this linocut portrait has been selected by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters for their annual exhibition in May this year! http://www.therp.co.uk/ If you are in London at that time do go and see it along with all the other portraits on display.
I am in the final months of a 2 year portrait painting diploma and wouldn't have enjoyed it or improved my drawing practice so much without Julia's marvellous party which lets me look at faces as often and as long as I like whenever I want. Vital for a portrait artist!
thank you Julia and Zoraida both for being part of my portrait adventure!

Sunday 1 January 2012

Interview with JKPP artist Erica Smith

Erica by Chris Dodwell
Erica Smith has already made more than 100 portraits for the party and is currently organizing a JKPP meet that will take place next February on UK South Coast. In this interview Erica talks about her artwork, her involvement in comic and zine movement of the 90's, her preferences in art and her idea of portraiture.

Zoraida de Torres: Erica, you seem a Renaissance woman to me: you are a graphic artist who also makes drawings and printworks, you've made comics and wrote about them, you make beautiful photos, you organise all kind of events... How would you describe yourself?

Erica Smith: I am a self-employed graphic designer. I live in a town on the south coast of England. I like people and if I am interested in something I will explore it. It’s nice to be called a ‘Renaissance Woman’... sometimes I feel more like a dilettante. I originally joined Flickr because I used to take photos as a ‘visual blog’, but since joining JKPP I use Flickr for my drawings. I also help organise events locally because I like to make things happen. I used to draw comics, but haven’t done that for a long time. The not-for-profit projects I work on bring me great pleasure. There is always a bit of tension between ‘money work’ and working on projects which I feel are just as valuable but are not-for-profit.

Z: You work as a freelance graphic designer. Can you tell us the difference between the artwork you do for your clients and the artwork you do for your pleasure?

E: I studied Typography and Graphic Communication, and my approach to design is ‘problem-solving’. My clients are usually small businesses or local organisations with a limited budget. I help them use their budgets as effectively as possible to communicate to their target audience. I like it, and it is creative, but also can be restrictive.The artwork I do for pleasure is more challenging... there are no boundaries except my ability as an artist. But the work I do for pleasure definitely feeds back in to my commercial design work. Last year I used my illustrations in commercial projects, and that is thanks to the practice and confidence I have gained thanks to JKPP.

Z: What is for you the difference between graphic art and fine art? What gives an image a particularly "graphic" character?

E: I think all art is part of the same spectrum, but the art I am drawn to is definitely more graphic... black and white line artwork, or work that uses strong flat areas of colour. I am not very interested in tone and modelling, or photography as a fine art. I think I became a graphic designer because I love symbols, and working out the simplest way to express an idea or an image. I am not at all interested in a lot of contemporary fine art... installation art or screen-based art. I would much rather look at a nice Grayson Perry pot which combines interesting ideas with accomplished drawing and craft.
I am also really drawn to African barbers’ signs and Mexican folk art. I love the simplicity and the colour. This appeals to me much more than Indian and Asian art which is more detailed and sophisticated.
GirlFrenzy covers
Z: You've been involved in the feminist zine movement of the 90´s. What was GirlFrenzy and why did you created it? Do you think the world has changed since the time the last issue of this zine was published?
E: In the early 90s, the name ‘GirlFrenzy’ popped into my head, and I thought it was such a great name I should do something with it. I was a bit bored with my job as a junior designer, and I was a bit bored with the lack of magazines which covered things I was interested in, so I thought I’d make my own ‘zine’. GirlFrenzy was always half articles and half comic strips, and was all ‘by women for people’. I produced the first GirlFrenzy in a vacuum, but it hit the right note and was an important part of an explosion of small press publications.
I’d like to think things have moved on since GirlFrenzy was published, but sometimes I wonder! Equality between the sexes seems to be making slow progress if you look at who still retains money and power. Even within the comic art world, it is still predominantly men writing and drawing the graphic novels, and women colouring them. Generally, I think women have more confidence and opportunity than when I was growing up, but the pressures to conform to a media-determined image of beauty are just as strong, if not stronger.

Z: I know you have a great collection of comics. Who are your favourite comic artists from past and present?
E: I do have a big collection of comics from the time I was producing GirlFrenzy, but I rarely read comics now. Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis and Embroideries, and works by Woodrow Phoenix are the exception. I did get jaded with the comics world, because it seems to attract a kind of person who doesn’t want to grow up. I think keeping a childlike joy in the world is important, but it is also important to accept adult responsibilities. Kate Evans is an excellent comic artist who was first published in GirlFrenzy, and I love her more recent work about subjects as diverse as climate change and breastfeeding. My all time favourite comic artist has to be Jaime Hernandez. It was his stories in Love and Rockets that inspired me to produce GirlFrenzy, and I still love looking at his drawings. Similarly, Dan Clowes and Adrian Tomine hit the spot for me. And I love Caroline Sury’s art brut style work for Le Dernier Cri in France.

Z: And if we talk about art in more general terms, which would be your favourite styles and authors?
E: Within the broader art world, I tend to like the art of printmakers and illustrators over painters. I have a print by a British artist called Anita Klein which makes me very happy, and small pieces by local artists such as Katherine Reekie and Hazel Brook. I also have some lovely Cuban film posters. I recently rediscovered the work of David Gentleman, a fantastic British illustrator. I admire the work of painters like Francis Bacon, but I wouldn’t want to live with a Bacon painting, give me a Matisse or a Miro any day!
 
Portrait of Bill Rogers by Erica Smith
Z: You've been a Flickr member since 2006, first with the nickname "Erica Hastings" and now as "EricaStLeonards". How has been your experience with Flickr community?
E: When I joined Flickr it was just to find a place to put my photos, and turn them into html for MySpace. Now I never use MySpace and hardly ever upload a photo. I have always loved the Flickr community and have friends that I met through Flickr. Some I have met, like the fabulous photographer DJ Bass in Margate, and some I may never meet, like Bill Rogers in Tampa, Florida. It was the drawings in Bill’s Flickr stream that introduced me to JKPP. I love Flickr because it is a fabulous portal into different worlds. I have contacts who are photographers, craftspeople and artists. I love seeing the images pop up onto my home page. These days most of my uploads are drawings and most of my favourites are other people’s drawings. I find Flickr an inspirational visual resource, and the Flickr community has always been very supportive.

Z: You are also a very active member of JKPP group, with more than 100 portraits made. What is portraiting for you?
E: I’ve been a member of JKPP for about 18 months. It was curiosity about Bill’s drawings that drew me into the group. Sometimes I wonder why on earth I am drawing portraits, because it is a very hard thing to do! I think it is because I love people, and I’m very curious about them (my boyfriend would say I am nosey). There is something remarkable about drawing a portrait, because you have to really pay attention to that person. It is a very ‘loving’ thing to do. When I’ve been to the JKPP meetups and met people that I’ve drawn, I nearly always know who they are when they walk in the room, and it is always lovely to meet them. It is an extraordinary group to be involved with. I don’t actually like having my photo taken, or even looking in the mirror that much, so it’s been very interesting to have that ‘exchange’ and be both artist and model.
Portrait of Jane Sherwood by Erica Smith
Z: In a recent JKPP meetup, somebody said you were difficult to draw because there was a happy halo around you, a certain "lack of drama". Do you also think that happy people are more difficult to portrait?

E: I haven’t noticed that happy people are harder to draw, but my drawing style is quite simplistic. I have a very round face. I always think I look like a cartoon, so I think I should be easy to draw! The JKPP meetups are very special, and I can’t help but be happy at the ones I’ve attended. I don’t think I’m always so happy, but maybe the stresses of life so far have turned my hair grey rather than put lines into my face! I do think people get much more interesting to look at as they get older.

Z: You seem to be a very popular and active woman, involved in many cultural, social and political events. You've also attended all the JKPP meetups organised in Europe and are organising the next one, that will take place in the UK. How are the preparations going? Would you like to encourage our fellow JKPP members to make that meet in February?

E: I think it’s important to engage with the community you live in, and I know lots of amazing people. The more you put in to life, the more you get out! When I attended the first JKPP meetup in December 2010 in London, I didn’t know what to expect. It was a bit weird to sit and draw whilst people were drawing you. I felt quite self-conscious, but it was also a lovely event to be part of. I feel very privileged to have attended all the other events too, and that’s why I thought it would be good to host one near me.
I don't expect it to be as busy as a JKPP in a major European capital, but I would LOVE JKPP members to attend, so please spread the word! I know some of the artists from the UK, like Maureen Nathan and Martin Beek are coming, and it looks like a few artists are coming over from mainland Europe which is very exciting. It would be great to get some new members to attend too – it would be lovely to meet you – and to have some ‘new blood’ to draw!
If anyone wants to attend, please look at the thread on the JKPP discussion and contact me. If we have 14 or fewer artists, we can use my studio building, but if there is more interest then I will book a larger space, so it is important I know how many artists to expect.
The plan is to have a drawing day in St Leonards on Saturday 11 February, but we will also go to the De La Warr Pavilion in nearby Bexhill on Sunday 12 February. This is a 1930s modernist building with an exhibition of Andy Warhol’s work. I thought it would be fun to visit and we can either draw in the galleries, or use a special room next door for a private drawing session.

Z: Erica, which are your wishes for 2012?

E: My wishes for 2012 are:
1 - For the JKPP south coast meet up to be a success!
2 - To run the Hastings Half Marathon
3 - To draw more
4 - To continue to combine my artwork into my design practice
5 - For the recession to end and world peace to begin!

Tuesday 2 August 2011

Interview with Brazilian artist Patrícia Brasil

2011 | PATRICIA BRASIL | foto de Jorge Grisi
Patrícia Brasil at her studio - © Jorge Grisi

Colorful and sensitive painter Patrícia Brasil talks about her life in Rio de Janeiro, her artistic work, her sources of inspiration and her link to JKPP group.


Zoraida de Torres: ¿Podrías presentarte brevemente para quienes aún no te conocen? Could you please introduce briefly yourself?

Patrícia Brasil: Sou brasileira, nascida em 1965 na cidade Rio de Janeiro. Sempre fui incentivada por minha família a olhar. Lembro que meu pai me levava para ver o Desfile de Escolas de Samba desde que tinha oito anos. Ficava acordada a noite toda vendo aquele espetáculo de cores. Percebi, desde cedo, que a arte liberta. - Soy brasileña, nacida en 1965 en Río de Janeiro. Mi familia siempre me alentó a mirar. Recuerdo que mi padre me llevaba a ver el Desfile de Escuelas de Samba desde que tenía ocho años. Estaba toda la noche despierta, viendo aquel espectáculo de colores. Desde muy pronto me di cuenta de que el arte libera. - I am Brazilian, born in 1965 in Rio de Janeiro city. I was always encouraged by my family to look. I remember my father taking me to see the Samba Schools Parade since I was eight years old. I stayed up all night watching that show of colors. I realized early that art liberates us.

Z: ¿Cuál es tu formación artística? Which is your artistic training?

P: Nos anos 80 estudei Belas Artes / Gravura na Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro e arquitetura em uma faculdade particular. Meu primeiro emprego foi como Pintora de Arte em uma emissora de televisão, reproduzindo quadros e painéis cenográficos. Nos anos 90 migrei para Artes Gráficas onde até hoje atuo como diretora de arte. - En los años 80 estudié Bellas Artes / Grabado en la Universidad Federal de Río de Janeiro y Arquitectura en una universidad privada. Mi primer empleo fue de pintora en una cadena de televisión, reproduciendo cuadros y paneles escénicos. En los años 90 me pasé a las artes gráficas, donde he trabajado hasta hoy como directora de arte. - In the eighties I studied Fine Arts / Printmaking at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and architecture at a private college. My first job was as a painter at a television station, reproducing paintings and scenic panels. In the nineties I migrate to Graphic Arts, where I've been working until now as an art director.

Z: ¿Qué estilos y qué artistas te gustan o te inspiran? Which are the artists and styles that you like or that inspire you?

P: Há pouco ouvia a cantora/compositora, Adriana Calcanhoto, na uma música, "Esquadros", que diz: "Eu ando pelo mundo / Prestando atenção em cores / Que eu não sei o nome / Cores de Almodóvar / Cores de Frida Kahlo / Cores! / Passeio pelo escuro / Eu presto muita atenção / No que meu irmão ouve..." Presto muito atenção em tudo. Faço questão de ser conectada para ter uma janela para o mundo. Mas olho principalmente para meu entorno, minha gente, minha cultura. Tenho Heitor dos Prazeres e Tarsila do Amaral como ícones. - Hace poco escuchaba a la cantante/compositora Adriana Calcanhoto, que en su canción "Esquadros" dice: "Me paseo por el mundo / Fijándome en colores / de los que ignoro el nombre / Colores de Almodóvar / Colores de Frida Kahlo / ¡Colores! / Viajo por lo oscuro / y presto mucha atención / a lo que oye mi hermano..." Presto mucha atención a todo. Intento estar conectada para tener una ventana al mundo. Pero miro principalmente a mi entorno, mi gente, mi cultura. Tengo como iconos a artistas como Heitor dos Prazeres y Tarsila do Amaral. - I was just listening the singer/songwriter Adriana Calcanhoto, who says in her song "Esquadros": "I walk through the world / Watching Colors / whose name I don't know / Almodóvar's colors / Frida Kahlo's colors / Colors! / I travel on the dark / I pay close attention / to what my brother listens..." I pay close attention at all. I must be connected to have a window to the world. But I look mainly for my surroundings, my people, my culture. I have artists as icons Heitor dos Prazeres and Tarsila do Amaral.

Z: ¿Cómo defines tu obra? ¿Qué técnicas utilizas? ¿Cuáles son tus temas? How would you define your work? Which are your techniques? And your subjects?

P: Acredito que meu diferencial é o uso a cor descolada da realidade formal. Minha paleta sempre tenta revelar que não é a cor de pele que determina minha realidade multiétnica. Minha temática é do dia-a-dia e me aproprio da linguagem e da cultura popular. Uso tinta acrílica e o suporte, que me sinto bem, é a madeira. - Creo que mi rasgo distintivo es el uso del color al margen de la realidad formal. Mi paleta siempre intenta demostrar que no es el color de la piel lo que determina mi realidad multiétnica. Mi temática es el día a día y me apropio del lenguaje y la cultura popular. Uso acrílicos y el soporte con el que me siento cómoda es la madera. - I think my differential is the use of color detached from formal reality. My palette always tries to prove that it is not skin color what determines my multiethnic reality. My subject is the daily life and I grab the popular language and culture. I use acrylic painting and the support with which I feel comfortable is wood.

Portuguesa da CADEG | The portuguese of CADEG Portuguesa da CADEG

Z: Tienes un estilo muy reconocible y también muy coherente. ¿Ha sido así desde un principio? ¿Qué evolución has seguido en tu pintura? You have a very recognizable and consistent style. Has it been like this from the beginning? Which has been the evolution of your painting?

P: Percebo que minha vida acadêmica e profissional me deixou um legado estético enorme. Meu olhar amadureceu me pedindo apenas o essencial. Tudo o que produzo é o resultado de uma vivência pessoal e inevitável. - Me doy cuenta de que mi vida académica y profesional me ha dejado un legado estético enorme. Mi mirada ha madurado, reclamándome sólo lo esencial. Todo lo que produzco es el resultado de una vivencia personal e inevitable. - I realize that my academic and professional life left me a great aesthetic legacy. My way to look has matured, asking me only the essentials. Everything I produce is the result of a personal and unavoidable experience.

Z: En tu obra tiene una presencia destacada el retrato. ¿Por qué esa preferencia? ¿A qué personas te gusta retratar? ¿Pintas a gente anónima, personas de tu entorno, personalidades célebres? ¿Qué buscas cuando haces el retrato de una persona concreta? Portrait is very present in your work. Why this choice? Which people do you like to portrait? Do you paint anonymous citizens, people from you circle, celebrities? What do you search when doing the portrait of somebody?

P: Os rostos contam muitas histórias e é muito bom poder pintar pessoas de verdade, acho assim me vejo melhor. - Los rostros cuentan muchas historias y es muy bueno poder pintar personas reales, creo que así me veo mejor. - Faces tell many stories and it is very good to paint real people, I think that I can see me better this way.

Z: Entre tus muchos retratos tienes una pequeña serie de mujeres brasileñas conocidas: actrices, escritoras, feministas. ¿Por qué elegiste a estas mujeres en particular? Among your portraits you have a series of famous Brazilian women - actresses, writers, feminists. Why did you choose these women?

P: Trabalhei alguns anos como capista de livros. Fiz algumas capas para Editora Rosa dos Tempos e conheci Rose Marie Muraro, editora e feminista brasileira de grande expressão. Foi então que conheci melhor nossa história e percebi a luta que é quebrar modelos de resignação feminina. Muitas mulheres me orgulham não só pelo gênero mas pelas pessoas que são. Na série "Mulheres Brasileiras", retratei algumas mulheres admiráveis. - Trabajé un tiempo diseñando cubiertas de libros. Hice algunas cubiertas para la editorial Rosa dos Tempos y conocí a Rose Marie Muraro, editora y feminista brasileña de gran elocuencia. Fue entonces cuando conocí mejor nuestra historia y entendí lo que costaba romper con los modelos de la resignación femenina. Muchas mujeres me enorgullecen no sólo por su sexo sino por las personas que son. En la serie "Mujeres brasileñas" he retratado a algunas mujeres admirables. - I worked some years as a book cover artist. I did some covers for "Editora Rosa dos Tempos" and met Rose Marie Muraro, Brazilian publisher and feminist of a great expression. It was then when I knew more about our history and realized the struggle required to break the patterns of female resignation. I am proud of many women not only because of their gender but for the people they are. In the series "Brazilian Women" I have portrayed some remarkable women.

Z: También hiciste un retrato de Amy Winehouse. ¿Qué sentiste al enterarte de su muerte prematura? You've also done a portrait of Amy Winehouse. How did you feel when you knew about her sudden death?

P: Nunca havia prestado atenção na cantora Amy, antes de sua estadia no Brasil. Na época a mídia bombardeou noticiários com o assunto Amy Whinehouse. O rosto e a voz da cantora realmente me hipnotizavam. Lamentei saber sobre sua morte. Observo que o acesso às drogas, no meio artístico, é entendido como normal para o cidadão comum. Mas essa realidade, que é epidêmica, mata pessoas no mundo inteiro. Há sempre um decréscimo de talento à medida que o algum vício invade a vida. - Nunca me había fijado en la cantante Amy hasta que estuvo en Brasil. Cuando vino, la cantante estaba en todos los noticiarios y su cara y su voz me hipnotizaban. Lamenté mucho su muerte. Me doy cuenta de que el ciudadano común ve el acceso a las drogas como algo normal en el medio artístico. Pero esta realidad, que es epidémica, mata a personas del mundo entero. Siempre hay una disminución del talento a medida que una adicción invade la vida. - I had never paid attention to Amy before her visit to Brazil. At that time she was in all the media and her face and her voice really mesmerized me. I was very sorry to hear about her death. I notice that the average citizen sees the access to drugs as a normal thing in the artistic circles. But this reality, which is epidemic, kills people worldwide. There is always a decrease of talent when an addiction invades a life.

AMY WINEHOUSE

Z: Me interesa especialmente tu serie "Etnografía singela carioca". ¿Puedes describir brevemente en qué consiste? ¿De dónde surgió la idea? I'm particulary interested in your "Etnografia singela carioca" series. Can you describe what it is? Where did the idea come from?

P: Minha temática é do dia-a-dia e me aproprio da linguagem popular para falar das pessoas que vejo no meu Rio de Janeiro. Tenho uma coleção de pessoas na minha cabeça porque passo muito tempo observando gente. A série "Etnografía Singela Carioca" é meu registro da multiplicidade etnica em que vivo. - Mi temática es el día a día y me apropio del lenguaje popular para hablar de la gente que veo en mi Río de Janeiro. Tengo una colección de personas en mi cabeza porque paso mucho tiempo observando a la gente. La serie "Etnografía Sencilla Carioca" es mi registro de la diversidad étnica en la que vivo. - My subject is the daily life and I grab the popular language to talk about people I see in my Rio de Janeiro. I have a collection of people in my head because I spend a lot of time observing people. The series "Simple Ethnography of Rio de Janeiro" is my record of the ethnic diversity where I live.

Z: Me gusta mucho la aureola en la que envuelves a los personajes. ¿Qué representa? ¿Por qué empezaste a usarla? I love the halo that surrounds the sitters. What does it mean? Why did you begin to use it?

P: Apesar de não ter nenhuma religião, os raios e os olhares vagos dos meus personagens são inspirados em imagens de santos católicos. Empresto esse simbolismo do homem santo para as pessoas que vejo indo para praia, trabalho, mulheres com seus filhos. Acredito mesmo que viver essas pequenas rotinas é que nos faz abençoados. - A pesar de no tener ninguna religión, los rayos y la mirada perdida de mis personajes están inspirados en imágenes de santos católicos. Tomo prestado este simbolismo del santo para las personas que veo yendo a la playa, al trabajo, las mujeres con sus hijos. Creo que vivir estas pequeñas rutinas es lo que nos bendice. - Despite having no religion, the radiant halo and the lost gaze of my characters are inspired by images of Catholic saints. I borrow this symbolism of the holy man for the people I see going to the beach or to the work, the women with their children. I believe that living these little routines is what makes us blessed.

Z: También me gusta mucho tu uso del color, muy potente y eficaz. ¿Cómo eliges la combinación de colores que usarás en una pieza concreta? ¿Es un proceso espontáneo o sigues unas pautas previas? ¿Por qué la piel de los personajes es azul, verde, violeta...? I also love your use of colors, which is very powerful. How do you choose the color combination for a given work? Is it an spontaneous process or do you follow a pattern? Why the skin of people is blue, green, purple...?

P: Nunca planejo ou faço esboços na aplicação da cor. Uma aplicação puxa a outra. As vezes fico imaginando como seriamos se cada pessoa tivesse uma cor, será que haveria menos diferenças? - Nunca planeo o hago esbozos para el color. Una aplicación lleva a la otra. A veces me pregunto cómo seríamos si cada persona tuviese un color. ¿Habría menos diferencias? - I never plan or make sketches for the color. An application leads to another. Sometimes I wonder how we would be if each person had a color. Would there be fewer differences?

Z: Creo que trabajas en el mundo publicitario. ¿Cómo combinas tu trabajo exterior con tu actividad artística? ¿Cuántas horas puedes dedicarte a pintar? ¿Esperas incrementar la dedicación en el futuro? You work in the publicity business. How do you combine your day job with your artistic activity? How many hours can you employ to paint? Would you like to have more time for that in the future?

P: Trabalho como Diretora de Arte em uma House Organ o que me garante estabilidade financeira. A realidade econômica do Brasil hoje é bem mais favorável, vejo interesse crescente em arte como investimento mas, creio que todo artista plástico deva ter uma segunda profissão para não ficar a mercê do aplauso alheio. Dedico quase todo meu tempo disponível em arte, este é meu investimento em um futuro feliz. - Trabajo como directora de arte en una House Organ, lo que me ofrece estabilidad financiera. La realidad económica en Brasil es mucho más favorable hoy. Veo un interés creciente en el arte como inversión, pero creo que todo artista plástico debe tener una segunda profesión para no depender del aplauso ajeno. Dedico casi todo mi tiempo disponible al arte, esta es mi inversión para un futuro feliz. - I work as an Art Director in a House Organ, which guarantees me financial stability. The economic reality of Brazil is much more favorable today. I see a growing interest in art as an investment but I believe that every artist should have a second career for not being at the mercy of others applause. I spend almost all my free time in art, this is my investment for a happy future.

Z: Participas intensamente en la actividad cultural de tu ciudad. ¿Qué es Santa Teresa? ¿Qué tipo de actos organizas? You are very involved in your city's cultural activity. What is Santa Teresa? What kind of events do you organize?

P: Santa Teresa é um bairro na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Santa Teresa tem tradição boêmia e sempre foi morada de artistas plásticos e músicos. Há uma democrática mistura sócio-econômica. As vezes tenho a sensação de que posso ver o mundo sem sair do portão porque é visitado por turístas o ano inteiro. Uma vez por ano acontece o evento “Santa Teresa de Portas Abertas”, onde artistas do bairro abrem seu atelier para visitação pública. Neste ano de 2011 participei e adorei esse contato aberto e receptivo. - Santa Teresa es un barrio de la ciudad de Río de Janeiro. Santa Teresa tiene una larga tradición bohemia y ha sido siempre el hogar de artistas y músicos. Hay una democrática mezcla socioeconómica. A veces tengo la sensación de que puedo ver el mundo sin salir de allí, ya que acuden turistas durante todo el año. Una vez al año se organiza la actividad "Santa Teresa Puertas Abiertas", en la que los artistas del barrio abren sus estudios al público. En este año 2011 participé y me encantó este contacto abierto y receptivo. - Santa Teresa is a neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Santa Teresa has a long bohemian tradition and has always been home of artists and musicians. There is a democratic socio-economic mix. Sometimes I feel that I can see the world without leaving the gate because it is visited by tourists all year round. Once a year is the event "Santa Teresa Open Doors", where neighborhood artists open their studios to the public. In this year, 2011, I attended the event and loved that open contact.

Julia Kay for Julia Kay's Portrait Party Portrait of Julia Kay for JKPP group

Z: ¿Cómo conociste el grupo JKPP? ¿Qué ha supuesto para ti? ¿Qué te aporta Internet, en general? How did you knew about JKPP group? What has been it for you? What gives Internet to you?

P: JKPP é um grupo de trocas artísticas e foi idealizado pela também artista plástica Julia Kay. É uma espaço para quem tem como afinidade o retrato e como desafio o outro. Já fiz cerca de 15 retratos de participantes deste grupo e fui retratada por vários integrantes. É divertido e acolhedor: fazer parte desta confraria nos torna um artista do mundo. Passei a me interessar por diversas culturas que os rostos desses meus companheiros carregam. JKPP também foi muito importante para que me descobrisse uma retratista. Até então não encarava as pessoas enquanto pintava, apenas retratava a lembrança das pessoas que passavam por mim. - JKPP es un grupo de intercambio artístico, creado por la también artista Julia Kay. Es un espacio para quienes tienen afinidad por el retrato y con el desafío que supone el otro. He hecho cerca de 15 retratos de los participantes y he sido retratada por varios miembros. Es divertido y acogedor: formar parte de esta fraternidad nos convierte en artistas del mundo. He empezado a interesarme por las diferentes culturas que reflejan las caras de mis compañeros. JKPP también ha sido muy importante para descubrirme como retratista. Hasta entonces no encaraba a las personas mientras pintaba, solo retrataba el recuerdo de la gente que pasaba por mí. - JKPP is a group of artistic exchange, created by artist Julia Kay. It is a space for those who have an affinity to the portrait and the other as a challenge. I've done about 15 portraits of participants in this group and have been portrayed by several members. It's fun and friendly: to belong to this brotherhood makes us world artists. I've became interested in different cultures that the faces of my fellow artists bear. JKPP has also been very important to discover myself as a portraitist. Until then, I didn't face people when I painted, I only depicted the memory of people who passed through me.

Z: Y para terminar: ¿"Patricia Brasil" es un pseudónimo, o es tu nombre real? Me gusta mucho porque es eufónico, identificativo y difícil de olvidar. And a last question: "Patrícia Brasil" is an artistic name, or is it your real name? I like it because it is euphonious, recognizable and difficult to forget.

P: Meu nome civil é Patrícia Lima. Em 2004 comecei a deixar minha produção em uma loja que se chama La Vereda, aqui em Santa Teresa onde moro. O lugar é muito visitado por turistas por isso assinava apenas Patricia – Brasil. Com o tempo suprimí o traço que me separava do meu país e adotei como nome artístico Patricia Brasil. - Mi nombre oficial es Patrícia Lima. En 2004 empecé a dejar mi producción en una tienda llamada La Vereda, aquí donde vivo, en Santa Teresa. Es un lugar muy visitado por turistas, por lo que sólo firmaba "Patrícia - Brasil". Con el tiempo suprimí el guión que me separaba de mi país y adopté como nombre artístico "Patrícia Brasil". - My legal name is Patrícia Lima. In 2004 I started leaving my production at a store called La Vereda, here where I live, in Santa Teresa. The place is visited by many tourists so I just signed as "Patrícia - Brasil". Later I suppressed the dash that separated me from my country and adopted as a stage name "Patrícia Brasil".


Some links:

emaildapatriciabrasil@gmail.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patricia_brasil/
http://www.facebook.com/patricia.brasil.art
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Etnografia-Singela-Carioca-Rio-Natural-Ethnography/1253883
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2048252
http://patriciabrasil.tumblr.com/