If you have received or have picked up a ¡Viva la Revolución! postcard, you have already experienced some of the magic of Analee Fuentes’s work. Originally from Southern California, Analee is an Oregonian at heart, and here at Milagro we have had the honor to work with her on several occasions. Two years ago, for example, she painted the beautiful artwork for Canta y no llores. Analee’s whimsical vibrant pieces will be on display during our Day of the Dead show and we thought we would take this opportunity to have our Miracle Insider Susy Chávez find out more about her creative process, those things that inspire her work, and get the scoop on any upcoming projects.
Analee: I was born in San Diego California and have lived on the West Coast all of my life. My maternal grandparents were from Mexico City and my grandfather was a tailor by trade, who painted in his spare time. My grandmother was a masterful cook who orchestrated visually beautiful, banquet-like meals for her large family.
When did you start making art?
I didn’t really begin making art until I was a young adult. My mother was a great role model for creativity and it was because of her that I am an artist. She worked behind a sewing machine all day but I always remember having a slab of wet clay rolled out on our kitchen table. Clay was her first love although she also made jewelry and watercolor paintings.
What technique do you feel most comfortable using?
I am most comfortable with pencil and paper. I love to draw and have been drawing a long time. Making a beautiful line is one of the most satisfying things on earth. Second is oil paint: I love the way it moves across the canvas, the way it smells, its buttery texture. My newest obsession is watercolor. I am not comfortable with it yet, but I love a challenge.
Who would you say are your favorite painters?
There are so many wonderful artists out there. I suppose I would have to list Georgia O’Keeffe, Velasquez, Sargent, Alfred Quiroz, Frida Kahlo, Charles Reid, Remedios Varo, Posada, and of course, my mother. All have inspired me in some profound way and for very different reasons. I continue to be influenced by the rich iconography of traditional Mexican art that has been the lens through which I view everything in my world.
What are some of the influences that inspire your work?
Nature is a great inspiration. I am outdoors a lot during the summer and am constantly amazed by the world around me. I am profoundly in love with Oregon and all our state has to offer. My spirit animals are fish, iguanas and snakes, and they show up in my work with some regularity. Additionally as a Latina, I have come to the realization of how fully my aesthetic is grounded in the Mexican Baroque. I continue to make this discovery about myself, over and over again. I love things that are ornate, excessive, overdone.
Can you tell us a little bit about the works you will be exhibiting at El Centro Milagro?
Most will be from the Day of the Dead series that I have been working on for some years and others will be from other figurative series. I am a representational artist but appreciate all forms of art.
Finally, can you tell our readers a little bit about some of your upcoming projects?
I am currently working on a new series with my friend Suzanne (who incidentally is designing the art card for Boleros for the Disenchanted). We are creating pieces for a show called “Loco-Barocco” that takes the over-the-top Baroque aesthetic that we both grew up with as a part of our Mexican culture, as a point of departure for our work. To quote the De La Torre brothers, “The best part of collaboration is that you share the blame.” The project has been a great source of inspiration and fun for me. We hope to exhibit next summer.Analee Fuentes’s work will be on display at the Milagro Theatre lobby throughout our Day of the Dead show ¡Viva la Revolución! Annalee’s exhibit along with our Day of the Dead Altar display is free and open to the public one hour before each show or by appointment.
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