By Marcie Browne
Check out the Gallery U blog every Tuesday to find a new artist to follow on Instagram and Tumblr, making those moments, when you are endlessly scrolling, a little more handy, by providing you with new creative inspirations.
"Currently, I am working on various narratives that explore my own traditions and history through a visual format. This process has led me to rely on photographs, stories, family recipes, horticulture, and the tradition of crafting as something concrete in order to construct my autobiography. I consider this examination to be a rite of passage into a globalized society while simultaneously finding my niche within." — Anna Valdez
One of my favorite artists to catch on my feed currently is Anna Valdez, a UC Davis and Boston University alumna, currently based in California. Her paintings share intricate snapshots from the life she witnesses around her, but are produced using larger-than-life strokes, layers of patterns, and a bold palette of colors, making her followers immediately interested in what she sees everyday. From textiles like quilts and curtains and tablecloths, to home accessories like plants, art prints, and books, we are invited to view the tables and walls of her constantly-evolving studio, learning the many things she is inspired by.
Inspiration #1: Plants, and lots of them. Although you can find just about any sort of horticulture in her work, Anna seems to be most in awe of leafy plants with funky, linear patterns.
Inspiration #2: Textiles. From chunky, braided wall-hangings to hanging sheets of fabric that protrude from a world of vibrantly repetitive patterns, Anna is clearly in love with her fibers. Depicting them through paintings almost gives them a holy-like quality; something to look at, think about, then appreciate.
Inspiration #3: Books. These paintings serve as an ode to the books she looks at when she needs artistic guidance, like so many of us artists do. Sharing with her viewers a selection of her collection, we can try to learn more about her creative perspective.
Inspiration #4: More plants! Now featuring photos of real-life horticulture from her Instagram.
Be sure to follow Anna on Instagram and Tumblr, and to check out her website from time to time to keep being inspired by her wide array of colorful subject matter.
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| Marcie Browne is the founder of Gallery U and a graduate of James Madison University. She hails from Washington D.C., but can be found exploring different corners of the world at any moment. In her spare time, she is often spilling coffee on her shirt, analyzing Joanna Newsom lyrics, and riding in planes with her cat Penny. |
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