Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Sanchez.
Hi Elizabeth, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, the youngest daughter of two teachers, my father was also a local poet and writer. By the age of eight, I had developed a passion for painting and stablished a comfortable relationship with oils.
In 2003 I moved from Mexico to Utah to continue my formal art education. Growing up in Mexico I was mainly exposed to religious art, this influenced my ideas and devotion for painting the human figure. As a formal art student, I was first introduced to abstract and acrylic painting by Catherine Dawning and Korean artist Hyunmee Lee at Utah Valley University, acquiring from them the use of both acrylic and oil and an infatuation with texture, lines, and mark making. The melding and exposures of two cultures continues to influence my art and identity.
I graduated from Brigham Young University, where I earned a BFA in Studio Arts. My repertoire consists of Portraiture and Figurative works. My work has been displayed at the Springville Museum of Art, 35th Annual Creche Exhibit in Palo Alto CA, Brigham Young University among others. In 2021 the Utah Division of Art Museum acquired her work as part of the state Art Collection.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it has been a smooth ride and without a doubt many sacrifices were made. I have been persistent with my practice and studio time even when I was not being accepted or invited to shows. I took a lot of work behind the scenes and also a lot of rejections. I had years of juggling motherhood and other projects but I always gave myself time to be creative.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I love to use symbolism and the human figure to convey emotion. When I paint the figure, my aim is to represent both the outer and inner parts of the human being. I hope I am able to capture these glimpses into humanity with both serious reflection and delightful flaws.
As a representational and narrative artist, I work from memory, I find my most interesting subjects in the people around me. I like to think of myself as an artists who observes human expression and translates my observation into paintings. I considered my art a dialogue between the unconscious and the customary mind, embodied in the new spaces and old places that knew me. I want for my art to speak of the conventional days from a poetical and sacred view that emanates from a place where love and irony are intimately entwined and at peace celebrating the intimacy of the shared/observed moment.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
When I was little one Mother’s Day I gave her a painting of blue skies, a boat, and some fishermen on a lake. Nothing profane but years later she told me how she had noticed I had included the reflections of the boat and clouds on the water and knew my eyes saw things very different than hers. As a teen, I thought all the extra Art classes and art supplies was my mom’s way to award me for my good grades. Now I know I wasn’t being spoiled I was being understood. As a mom, I keep my eyes open for clues to understand my children’s spirits, and make sure their talents and gift are being nurture. I owed it to them and my mom.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ElizabethSanchezArt.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth_sanchez_art
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.comZaSaArt
Image Credits
@marstakesphotos
