GETTING TO KNOW:
PAULA RODRIGUEZ
Hi Paula!
Congratulations on being selected as the winner
for the Cluster Residency 2021
Hija del Hilo| Tradicion y Culto | 2020
How would you introduce yourself
to the Cluster readers?
My name is Paula, I’m originally from Mexico
but I have been living in England for the past 12 years. I’ve been making art since before I can remember,
it’s always been a language that makes me feel very safe. I wanted to be a scientist growing up,
so I studied Molecular Biology at university but life
kept bringing me back to art; so here I am.
How did you get here on your creative journey?
After leaving university I started working as a freelance illustrator
in London and I decided to give it a real chance,
I then did a Masters in Illustration at Camberwell college of arts.
While I was doing my masters I started working at a mental health charity called Arts Network that uses art as a vehicle for recovery;
it really opened my eyes to the power of creativity.
Art has always been a lifeline during difficult periods of my life,
like an imaginary friend I can always talk to. This really fuelled my desire to use it to help others. Working with communities and using art
for wellbeing & mental health is a huge part of my practice.
The past year has given me the opportunity to dedicate more time
to my own practice and lockdown really brought out love and nostalgia for my background and culture. A lot of the work I have been doing relates to Mexico and Latin America and it’s those paintings
and the desire to go further with this exploration of my origins
that led me to apply for the residency.
A la Sombra del Sol | Los Portales | 2021
La Laguna | El Condor Pasa | 2020
What drew you to illustration?
I have always liked the idea of communicating through images
and I feel like illustration is largely a narrative artf orm.
I also think illustration has the ability to reach more audiences
and be more inclusive.
I think art can sometimes be intimidating for people,
especially those who might not have the opportunity to engage
with art often. Illustration feels like a friendly way of using art
to communicate with audiences.
Illustration combined with text is like the kick you get when you eat spicy
food, opening an extra layer or a window into a different world.
Tell us about the work you submitted...
The work I submitted is all related to Mexico in some way.
I’m fascinated with human behaviour and how interactions and experiences can affect how we act. I’m also interested in the intersections between memory and place
as sites of personal and collective belonging so the work is an exploration
of that combined with my cultural background and the magical realism of Latin America!
The work seeks to portray elements of the nature of communities and of places.
I’m fascinated by the way in which places and spaces acquire an identity of their own... through historical significance, changing with the passage of time,
from the meanings given to them by people, their power to exist in people’s minds as memories and finally by way of the communities and individuals that inhabit such spaces.
I hope to transport people to imaginary places inspired by my own recollections
and to evoke a pleasant feeling of loneliness.
Fronteras Pintadas | El Condor pasa | 2020
Los Portales | 2020
How would you describe your creative style
and way of working?
It really varies, it normally starts with an idea or a concept which itself normally emerges in response to something I’m feeling, reading, watching or a conversation I’ve had. I tend to write down simple words or sentences that describe what I’m thinking and the images seem
to naturally emerge from that. Sometimes it’s the other way around though and it will start with a very specific image fully formed in my head
and the meaning of it comes later.
In terms of my style, I would say it is very simple and pared back.
When I started as an artist I used to fill the page with drawings
and details. It almost felt like I needed to prove my skills and make
an impression. However, as I’ve developed my work has become less and less busy and more about the forms and the colours. I think my work has grown with me. I used to be a lot more anxious and overwhelmed
by life and as I’ve grown, I’ve become calmer,
so I think my work reflects that.
For me the making of a painting or illustration is almost like the culmination of something; it feels like that’s the bit I don’t have to think about.
All the initial thinking, developing and sketching feels like the hard work and the actual making of the image feels like the release.
Keywords to define your imagery?
Magical realism, stillness, reflexions, doors and windows, lonely figures
Reflejo o Ventana | Los portales | 2021
Memoria de Calor | Los Portales | 2021
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
My dog, who usually jumps on my bed and cuddles
with me before we go on our morning walk.
Our walks are the only time of the day that I can dedicate entirely to my thoughts, they are also the moments
where a lot of my ideas and plans start taking form,
they feel very special and sacred and a really nice way to start my day.
Social media and you: the good, the bad and the ugly. Tell us all...
To be honest I am somewhat new to social media,
I’m now really familiar with Instagram but I don’t really use anything else.
I’ve had an Instagram account for years but never truly used it until last year
when I started posting things almost daily and engaging more with the platform.
I think Instagram specifically is so visual that it lends itself very well as a platform
for creatives and for me it has been a huge part of building
my confidence as an artist and connecting with others.
The response I have gotten since last year has been amazing. It has really touched me and given me a huge push to pursue my artistic career more seriously,
it’s also how I found out about the Cluster London residency.
It has opened up a world of other creatives and resources I would not know about.
I love scrolling and looking at the amazing work other people are doing
which often inspires me in my own practice.
I do agree that it can be a bit addictive but I think if you use it as a tool
and not as a lifestyle choice it can be very useful and positive.
Las Almas de Noviembre | Tradicion y Culto | 2020
El Brujo Frente al Mar | Tradicion y Culto | 2021
Who are your idols?
In terms of other visual artists, I love Remedios Varo who is a surrealist painter
who lived most of her life in Mexico and whose paintings are almost like stepping inside dreams. I am also fascinated by Hilma af Klint who I think was a genius in her work
and whose life I find really interesting. William H Johnson is someone else whose work
I really admire, I think his use of colour and form is beautiful and the subjects
of his paintings are very touching. Also, Tarsila do Amaral who was a Brazilian artist.
Of course, Frida Kahlo is someone that I admire largely because she was such a badass and her work is so raw and brutal it really makes you feel things.
I mean the list could go on and on, I sit on the shoulders of giants after all.
Contemporary artists I really like are Kara Walker, Bisa Butler, Yayoi Kusama,
Cai Guo-Qiang.
I’m also really influenced by literature and some of the writers I really admire are:
Isabel Allende, Juan Rulfo, Gabriel Garcia Marques, Carlos Fuentes, Margaret Atwood, Hanya Yanagihara, Phillip Pullman.
What’s on your creative calendar
for the near future?
Develop and define my project for the residency,
dive into the four weeks with my entire body and soul,
become like a sponge and absorb all the knowledge
and advice and make make make!
Sketch Animation | 2020
Los Arcos Infinitos | Los Portales | 2020
Personal motto/mantra?
I don’t have a thing I tell myself regularly. I suppose empathy
is important to me and I try to treat others how I want to be treated.
There is something that my mom used to tell me when I was little
and it helps me in bad moments, I hope it translates well to English:
There is no evil or pain that will last a hundred years.
A hundred years now seems like a lot but when I was small it comforted me
to think that problems were finite. Knowing that there is an end to my worries
or to any negative experience always enables me to move past it.
Tips, tricks and secrets for making it in the art world?
I don’t know, I guess work hard, be confident in who you are and keep trying your best.
Make art that has significance to you, that is personal, create discourse and make
with purpose. Something practical I have found very useful is to always have a small sketchbook nearby because ideas can be futile, so you need to trap them.
And finally be kind to yourself and have empathy for you and for your work
and keep in mind that success comes in many forms and that there is room for everyone to have a voice and a platform.
Inalcansable libertad | Historias del llano | n 2020