Paola Beck

 

A few months ago I decided to take a big step and make a lifelong dream come true, moving to the beach. This meant a whole lot of new things in my life, starting by the colors, textures and the ways of life of the tropics. I moved to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, where everything seems to be so much more simple, natural and authentic, compared to the hectic and restless Mexico City.

At the same time, I started a collaboration with Dionisio Arras García, an architect, carpenter and artist based in Mexico City. We started experimenting and producing here, influenced by nature, calmness and the endless horizon. Our goal is to invite people to have a different approach to our pieces, including the backround in the installation and making it all become one.

Here some pictures of the process:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTRO took place at Guadua, a beautiful bamboo palapa right at the beach. A very interesting crowd of people gathered during the afternoon to have some drinks, watch the sunset and talk.

 

This is only the beginning, we will keep you posted with what will come next….

*Pictures by: Estelí García, Pamela Macko, Dionisio Arras and myself.

 

On the 22-24th of june, the III Illustration, Painting and Photography Workshop took place in Mexico City. Alvaro Nates and Miguel Angel Cordera where the invited artists. Alvaro is a very talented photographer and Miguel is an abstract painter. Both work and live in DF.

Friday

Alvaro Nates

We experimented taking photographs at Alvaro´s studio in collaboration with Revês, a mexican dance-performance agency, and then worked on that images in both Abstract and Figurative ways during the weekend.

Priscilla Hernández, our model, made an impressive performance spending 7 minutes with each participant modeling, dancing, acting and feeling what each person had in mind. Alvaro guided us through the technical process of taking pictures with high quality equipment. But first, he gave us a lecture about photography showing us his favorite artists and explaining their technique and concept.

Before the shooting Alvaro explained to us some basic techniques about photography and the gadgets we had and how to play with them, and after each session (7 minutes each participant) he took a portrait of each one of us. One shot.

Here some results of the shooting:

By Vane

By Arturo

By Pame

By me

And here the portraits by Alvaro of each one of us:

Martin

Paola

Arturo

Pame

Vane

Gabriella

Poncho

Lian

Danae

and me.

After a very intense first day we all went home with our heads full of ideas.

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Saturday

Miguel Ángel Cordera is a mexican abstract painter, and we started fresh in the morning with a lesson in abstract art, analizing different artists and his own work. He explained his creative process and we chose some of the pictures taken the day before, and started to work on them.

Coffee Break

The catering was in charge of Pamela Macko, a nutritionist who made us very happy during the whole weekend with healthy and delicious munchies.

VERY happy!

After having lunch, we started painting. Each one chose between the pictures taken of Priscilla, or the portrait Alvaro Nates made of each participant after their 7 minutes with the model. So you could do a portrait or a self-portrait. Interesting things came out….

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Sunday

During the first and second workshop we started painting a huge mural, so it was time to finish it. It was sunny and it was my birthday as well, lucky me

Happy birthday to me

As some amazing paintings came out on saturday, some of us finished them after lunch, and others continued painting the mural. We decided to do a little show with the paintings and celebrate my birthday, so some friends came over to celebrate with us. Thank you so much to all the people involved, it was for sure the best birthday of my life

Thank you Pame!!!!

Self-portrait by Poncho

Self-portrait by Vane

Me by Paola

Priscilla (our model) by Artruro, and Pame´s self portrait

 

 

 

This is a serie or 4 new illustrations called Sick Love. This one is called “Jim y su amor” and it was part of CASA DE EMPEÑO group exhibition at Anonymous Gallery Mexico City last february.

 

 

Separación inventada

 

Im in love with a dying man

 

Look outside

 

This 3 are part of the current show “Cadáver Exquisito” by White Spider, in Choapa 44, Mexico City. Songs by Natalia Lafourcade, or Lana del Rey inspired me for the titles. I did these drawings in a very dark moment, and I took it as a big challenge to work with very much patience like I did in my university days. And I loved it.

 

 

 

 

 

Last february we had the second Illustration and Painting Workshop here, in Mexico City.

I invited two visual artists Vena2 and Diana Quintero that gave very interesting lectures and practical lessons. After a long and intense weekend, where the theme was to focus on creating a collective thought and to develop this thought into reality, the magic happened.

The teachers

 

The object of the workshop was to open up our creative side, with a concept to stand on. It was very interesting to see how each different personality ends up merging with the whole group, creating an original and intelectual vibe that can only push you to surpass your creative limits.

Here are the members of the group:

Paco

Naiki

Diana Quintero

Pablo

Vena2

Dany

Montse

Andrea

Poncho

Cynthia

Paola

Lian

Martin

Domineta

and myself.

On Friday, we started warming up and then we painted with acrylics. Some, had never painted before, and big surprises came out!

On Saturday, we had theoretical introduction to the working progress of Diana and Vena2, and then we did collage based on that method.

The catering was in chargo of Flor de Rio

Lunchbreak!

Happy birthday Poncho!!!

On Sunday we did live model drawing and we continued painting the mural we started during the first workshop.

Lunchbreak in the park!

Planing how to continue the mural painted by the group of the first workshop.

Ready, set, paint!

 

The third illustration and painting workshop will focus on textile and fashion design, combined with drawing and sketching.

I will keep you posted on the invited artists and date! See you very soon

 

 

 

Part of  ”Entre perros y carreteras”  (between dogs and highways). In progress.

The bird sculpture was made by a friend of my adolescence and my very first love, Philipp Reichardt.

Steel and glass, 2000.

“Let the devil in o el fantasma tropical” This drawing was made after someone came into my room while I was sleeping alone in Puerto Escondido, took all my money and left in silence.

This was the wrapping paper of a gift.

 

Alvaro Nates, my official photographer did a shooting for Spot Magazine in Mexico City,

and I asked him for one picture to paint on. this is what came out. I love it! Its called Tiger.

 

“Frida en un jardín escocés” Oil on canvas, 2011

“En el norte” Watercolor on canvas, 2011

 

 

These boots where made for walking

 

My dear photographer friend Ximena Romero took these pictures at the Illustration and Painting Workshop we did in November of last year. As she said “I have never painted in my life” some very interesting and creative drawings and paintings came out during the weekend, which is a proof that we all have plenty of artistic blessings, its just about bringing them out!

You should have a look at her blog, peti-rojo.tumblr.com. It has beautiful inspirational things and photographs.

Enjoy!

 

DAY 1

 

 

Neto is an audio engineer, and he was our official camera man during the weekend!  Guerrilla Recording. Frida is his loooovely chihuahua.

 

Contemporary Art (Theory)

 

 

 

Drawing exercises

Ximena´s first drawing!

 

DAY 2

Painting and Illustration Lesson 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunchbreak!

 

Our first guest, mexican painter Rafael Uriegas. He teached theory of Modern Painting.

 

 

Juan Manuel Torreblanca is a very talented musician, poet and visual artist.

 

Natalia Lafourcade is a wise person, moving musician and songwriter, visual artist and friend.

 

Ximena´s first painting! Inspired by Elizabeth Peyton

 

 

DAY 3

Life Model Drawing

Lian is a psychologist and cultural promoter, she is part of Cultura Colectiva, a mexican collective that promotes emerging artists of all disciplines. She has invited me to do lots of collaborations!

 

 

Abraham is a graphic designer and illustrator, and Martin is an economist and artist.

 

René de la Rosa is a director, filmmaker, designer and drawer.

 

Wallpainting Lesson

 

Our second guest, Cocolvú, is a graphic designer, illustrator, painter, and prolific visual artist.

 

 

 

 

 

Paola Pineda (3rd on top) is an architect, painter, and artistic project director.

And Ximena Romero, our official photographer!

 

Happy and tired

A guest.

This is me, mucho gusto!

 

 

 

Thank you to everyone, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! I hope to see you all at the 2nd Workshop in February!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I happen to live in a country that is paradise. No matter in what direction you go, or you travel, you find unexpected magic places full of energy and history. A very dear friend of mine from Athens, Ino Karella, came to visit me for 2 weeks.

We did an amazing trip to Tulum and Chiapas. two completely opposite worlds. And here, I share for the first time pictures I took on the trip, which is how I find inspiration. By getting to know new places and vibes, and state of minds. This is the first part, as a thankful tribute to the caribbean sea.

I hope you enjoy them! with very much love, I post this to celebrate also the fresh start of a new year.

HAVE A SMOOTH 2012!!!

love and peace for all of us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a stalactite cavern called Cenote Dos ojos.

 

Some pictures taken by Ino Karella, who happens to be a big artist: http://inokarella.com/

 

 

 

 

These are the T-shirts, bags, stickers and pins I did for Atto & The Majestics, for the Vive Latino Music Festival, 2011, in Mexico City. Thanks to the models from Rêves Agency, the styling from mexican fashion designer Roberto Sanchez and my official photographer, Alvaro Nates.

Alvaro Nates: http://setanphoto.tumblr.com/

Roberto Sanchez: http://robertosanchezonline.com/

Rêves Agency: revesagency@gmail.com