Evolution of Process

I’m always very excited for upcoming exhibitions. Not only does it mean I’m gaining the opportunity to get my work out in the world, but I am also inclined to try a new direction, subject or a new style with my work.

Exhibitions are sometimes like a test market for future work.

I’ve been working with idea of memory degradation – if I study this thing now and paint it later what will it look like, what do I remember, and how to I treat areas on canvas where I’ve forgotten the form of the thing? While this idea hasn’t changed, I’m now approaching “transcribing” the form of my subject differently.

Until this spring, my process would be to study a subject – florals or botanicals, create a blank but textured background loosely representing the type of soil or ground that the botanical would exist in but also remark to an “empty mind” or a blank thought. On top of that I would paint what I can remember my subject looking like.

I’m approaching my process differently now.

I’m inspired by a great many things. Leaves vibrating in the wind, the composition of colors and form on my breakfast plate, the color of the light before a storm (yeah, all that dramatic artist stuff). Mostly what inspires me, though, is other paintings. When an artist I admire creates something new, it is profound in how I then approach my art making. What I have noticed is the use of negative space as a foreground in contemporary painting. There’s something unnerving about seeing something up front when life experience tells you that it should be behind another thing. And so that is how I’m approaching my subjects now.

Now I start with the subject. I paint all the portions of it that I can remember, and attempt to recreate portions that I vaguely remember. Then I use a background color to fill in the space around the subject, mask out areas of the form that I’m sure of and translucently paint over areas that I feel are incorrect. More so than ever, my paintings are reflective of how the mind works when trying to recall memories. If you really thought hard about what a closeup of an orchid looks like, you would see some areas in detail while others slip away into the fog of once known information.

 

New work displayed in August 2015 at 15th Street Galley in SLC will have this style on display and available for collectors.

> See Cannaceae
> See Iridaceae

Dividing Work

It has been an incredibly busy last couple months.
With two shows brewing for this September I have been working tirelessly to create new work for Sugarhouse Gallery and the Utah Arts Festival Gallery. Once I took a step back and looked at all the new work as a whole I have finally made decisions about what pieces will go where.

 

Sugarhouse Gallery

This is a very large space with beautiful filtered natural light. The large walls lend themselves perfectly to a figurative show. For Sugarhouse Gallery I will have portraits that have never been shown, one or two most popular pieces that have yet to find a home and two 36”x66” canvases with figures completed in the last few weeks using my new painting style I’ve been experimenting with. Two of the portraits have been featured in Linus Gallery, Pasadena CA. I will also be incorporating a few of the smaller abstract florals.

Traces
Opening  September 13th from 6-9 pm, second reception October 11th from 6-9 pm.

Show runs September 13 – October 31
Sugarhouse Gallery, inside Artistic Framing Co. | 2160 South Highland Drive (Across from Whole Foods)

 

Utah Arts Festival Gallery

This is a super urban space inside of Art Space, City Center. Because of its downtown location, heavy Gallery Stroll traffic and the fact that I will have a solo show parallel to another group show, I want to hang work that has been featured in the Studio Visit Magazine and International Contemporary Artists biennial hardcover book as well as new work. This show, “Decay Theory” will display the botanical inspired abstract paintings that invoked the psychological theory of temporal decline.

Decay Theory
Opening September 20th from 6-9 pm Show runs September 20th – October 11th

Utah Arts Festival Gallery, inside Art Space City Center | 230 S 500 W #120

 

All the work will be available for purchase.

Sarina Villareal: Decay Theory – 20th September at the Utah Arts Festival Gallery

Utah Arts Festival Gallery
in Artspace City Center, 230 South 500 West, Suite 120

Artist Receptions: Friday, Sept. 20th
On view: Sept. 20 – Oct. 11 2013 | Mon – Fri

 

Salt Lake City, UT – Kicking off the new year of UAF shows, Sarina Villareal will present large abstract works depicting florals that invoke Edward Thorndike’s theory of temporal decline in a show titled Decay Theory.

Sarina Villareal explores the outcome of memory degradation in her most recent body of abstract paintings she calls the Garden series. Villareal begins her process by studying the physiology of a botanical in order to create a neuro-chemical “memory trace” of the plant. Some time later, Villareal paints a ‘portrait’ of the floral working from solely from that memory. Due to what psychologist Edward Thorndike calls “Decay Theory,” recollection of finer aspects begin to diminish almost immediately. Villareal’s canvases capture this theory with foggy environments both engulfs and reveals details of the floral.

“The Decay Theory states that when new information is learned, a neuro-chemical ‘memory-trace’ is created on the mind. If the information is not rehearsed, it becomes harder for neuro pathways to retrieve the information,” explains Villareal. “I chose to paint florals because of their physical complexity. Botany is an extensive subject that will give me a great number of avenues for new learning … and plenty of opportunity to forget.”

In September, UAF Gallery will also present the work of Taylor Livingston, Teri Bylund, Joseph Casalino Jr. and James Rees in a parallel show titled Visionary and Expressive Contemporary Art.

 

About the artist

Sarina Villareal holds an AS in graphic design and BFA in painting from the University of Houston. Since leaving an award-winning career in advertising and relocating to Salt Lake City in 2008, she has been a participating artist in many art festivals including the Kimball Park City Arts Festival and has been selected to be a part of several group and a solo gallery shows in Utah and California. Recent publications include ‘Studio Visit’ magazine and ‘International Contemporary Artists.’ Villareal is represented by 15th Street Gallery in Salt Lake City, UT. To see her work visit: www.sarinavillareal.com

Sarina Villareal, Traces: A Collection of Paintings that Investigates Decay Theory

Presented by Sugarhouse Gallery | 2160 S Highland Drive, Salt Lake City 84106
Two Artist Receptions | Friday, Sept. 13 and Friday, Oct. 11 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
On View from September 12 to October 31, 2013 | Mon 11 am to 4 pm, Tues through Sat. 11 am to 7 pm

 

Salt Lake City, UT – Beginning on September 12 and running through October 31, 2013, Sugarhouse Gallery, sponsored by Artistic Framing Co., will present Sarina Villareal’s latest abstract works in a show entitled Traces. Traces is a presentation of the artist’s experience with scholarly learning and the rendered effects of temporal decay.

Sarina Villareal explores the outcome of memory degradation in her most recent body of abstract paintings she calls the Garden series. Villareal begins her process by studying the physiology of a botanical in order to create a neuro-chemical “memory trace” of the plant. Some time later, Villareal paints a ‘portrait’ of the floral working from solely from that memory. Due to what psychologist Edward Thorndike calls “Decay Theory,” recollection of finer aspects begin to diminish almost immediately compelling Villareal to create a canvas on which a foggy environment both engulfs and reveals details of a loosely captured floral.

“I strive to recreate the floral just as it begins to fade from my memory,” explains Villareal. “There is a perfect span of time when I have enough retained information to capture a likeness with a few details before my memory has completely faded.”

Artistic Framing Co. will host two receptions coinciding with the Sugarhouse Art Walk this fall. The opening reception will be Friday September 12th and another artist reception Friday, October 13th 2013 from 6:00 pm till 9:00 pm.

Abstract Painter Sarina Villareal To Be Featured in ‘RAW’ at The Complex June 20th

[I DECLINED THE OFFER]

Sarina Villareal, an abstract painter living and working in Salt Lake City has been hand-picked to showcase in RAW:Natural Born Artists in their presentation of ‘Kaleidoscope’ inside the Grand @ the Complex on June 20th from 8 PM to Midnight.

Described as “the ‘Cirque Du Soleil’ of the underground,” RAW is an independent organization spotlighting emerging artist from all genres of art including independent film, fashion, music, visual art, performing art, hairstylists, makeup artists and more. After having great success in cities like Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Denver, RAW launched it’s Salt Lake City enterprise last year.

‘Kaleidoscope’ will feature a film screening, musical performance, fashion show, art gallery, performance art and a featured hairstylist and makeup artist making an artistic circus of creativity. There will be a cash bar and the dress code is cocktail attire.

The first time I heard of RAW was by an accidental Internet stumble; it looked interesting and a completely different showcase concept than I had ever been involved in. I applied and received an acceptance call in the same week,” Says Villareal. “I’m nervous and excited; I can’t wait to be apart of the flurry.”

 

About the artist
Sarina Villareal was born in 1977 and holds an AS in graphic design and BFA in painting  from the University of Houston. Since leaving an award-winning career in graphic design and relocating to Salt Lake City in 2008, she has been a participating artist in many art festivals including the Kimball Park City Arts Festival and has been selected to be a part of several group and a solo gallery shows in Utah and California. Recent publications include ‘Studio Visit’ magazine and ‘International Contemporary Artists.’ Villareal is represented by 15th Street Gallery in Salt Lake City, UT. To see her work visit: www.sarinavillareal.com.