Dreaming on Canvas
Bad Dreams by Larissa De Jesús Negrón
This month, I’m joined by New York-based artist Larissa De Jesús Negrón. Her spellbinding neo-surrealist paintings navigate her innermost thoughts ☁️ scroll down for more 🌊🐚
Addy: Larissa, what is your earliest memory of art making?
Larissa: My first memory of art making was with my aunt when I was six or seven years old. She used to make little cartoons as a way to bond with me and I always admired how fast she was able to create a story with only lines on paper.
Addy: How did growing up in Puerto Rico shape you as an artist?
Larissa: Growing up in Puerto Rico influenced me in ways that I’m still discovering. I constantly think about Puerto Rico’s sceneries; the beach, the forest and tropical weather. The yearning to be surrounded by that level of natural beauty keeps me trying to find something that reminds me of it in my work. Another thing that has inspired my work from my island is my family, our expressive faces and dramatic storytelling has definitely made its way through my pursuit of authenticity, now that I’m away from it all.
Paisaje de una migraña by Larissa De Jesús Negrón
Addy: I love that. Your practice spans a number of mediums, from painting to photography, how important is experimentation to you?
Larissa: Experimentation and a sense of play is a big part of my art making process. Having discipline is ten times harder if you’re not having fun with what you’re doing. In every new piece that I work on, I like to bring something new, try a new style that I haven’t in the past. I enjoy purchasing materials that I’ve never tried before as a way to challenge myself, this is actually how I got into using airbrush as part of my practice.
Addy: Your paintings recall the eerie vocabulary of Surrealism, what do you hope to capture?
Temptations in mundane living by Larissa De Jesús Negrón
Larissa: I adore Surrealism and what surrealist artists stood for. I explore topics of psychology and mental health, dreams, introspection, and the absurd. I think my work relates more to neo-Surrealism more than Surrealism itself because I do bring in a lot of popular references to my work and don’t really take into consideration the element of chance as Surrealists often did.
Addy: Interesting, I can totally see that. You also explore contemporary womanhood, focusing on introspection, describe your creative process.
Larissa: I’ve always been very attracted to drawing and painting the female body. For years I’ve been perfecting it from an anatomical point of view, but most recently I’ve been looking to portray the female body in its most authentic states. The reason why authenticity is a huge subject for me is because I use my work to be as honest with myself as possible; no filters, no pretending, just the plain truth. Whether it be the body, the face, or the spaces that surround these characters, they all relate back to my personal experiences as a woman, as a person. Most of my work stems from me trying to work out innermost traumas, this allows me to understand myself, enjoy the present moment and also heal from the past.
New York by Larissa De Jesús Negrón
Addy: These themes are so present in your paintings. How does the idea of vulnerability inform your practice?
Larissa: Being vulnerable is essential to my practice because I’ve learned from psychology that if I don’t confront my pain, I won’t be able to heal from it. Being vulnerable allows me to connect with people in a deeper way and start conversations that otherwise wouldn’t be started in everyday interactions. I must say though, constantly being in touch with my traumas, flaws, and shortcomings can become exhausting. Being openly vulnerable is hard and it takes courage, but it’s definitely worth the trouble once you get to connect with people through shared experiences.
Addy: It definitely takes courage, and there’s so much power in being vulnerable. Where do you find inspiration?
Stay Focused by Larissa De Jesús Negrón
Larissa: Honestly, inspiration can come from anything. A movie, a sunny day, a look someone gave me, social anxiety, childhood memories etc. The topics in my work vary depending on what I’m going through or consumed by in that moment. I’m not one to plan my work ahead of time or even sketch, I like to see the work reveal itself in front of my eyes.
Addy: Amazing. What obstacles have you faced as an artist?
Larissa: As an artist, I’ve had to learn the hard way that although people can help you get informed about how to be a working artist, you yourself have to do most of the work in terms of educating yourself on the business side of things. For a working artist, making art is about 40% of everything you have to do to sustain yourself with your work. I’ve seen many great artists opt out of pursuing this as a career because of how difficult it can be to manage everything and that’s a sad reality. Being good at organising myself, marketing myself, photographing my own work, negotiating with galleries and so much more is a learning process that one has to actively pay attention to as an emerging artist.
Addy: So true! These skills are crucial for almost every artist. What do you like about your work?
Promises by Larissa De Jesús Negrón
Larissa: I like that my work allows me to define myself but also redefine myself whenever I please. I like that my work doesn’t put me in a box, I am 100% free to be flawed. The freedom that comes with being a full-time artist is what I’ve always wanted, but of course, it doesn’t come short of hard work and intense discipline. However, I don’t mind working hard on something that I love for the rest of my life.
Addy: How do you know when a painting is complete?
Larissa: I know a painting is done when there’s a perfect balance of control and risk.
Drowning in expectations by Larissa De Jesús Negrón
Addy: Love that answer! So at the end of interviews, I like to do something called a rapid fire round 🔥🔥 here we go! Expressionism or Pop art?
Larissa: Both are great influences to me.
Addy: Abstract or figurative?
Larissa: Both excite and challenge me.
Addy: Chiffon or corduroy?
Larissa: Corduroy.
Mood swings by Larissa De Jesús Negrón
Addy: Floral or citrus?
Larissa: Floral.
Addy: Spring or autumn?
Larissa: Spring.
Addy: Saturday night or Sunday morning?
Larissa: Sunday morning.
Addy: Favourite film?
Larissa: The movie that has impacted me the most is The Butterfly Effect.
Addy: Last song you listened to?
Larissa: Que se sepa by Roberto Roena.
Addy: Beautiful. Thank you so much, Larissa!
For more from Larissa, check out her website here!