Press - "Loving Art, Loving Life"
The Miami Herald
Miami Herald, The (FL)
Carl Juste/Miami Herald Staff
July 13, 2008
Artist's canvas a reflection of her life
Colombian-born artist Alexandra Suarez- Augustyniak expresses her views on war, religion and relationships through her paintings.
Author: MICAELA HOOD, mhood@MiamiHerald.com
As a child in Bogota, Alexandra Suarez-Augustyniak learned early about the harsh realities of growing up in a divided society.
"In Colombia, there are two societies: the rich and the poor," said the Surfside artist, now 37. "There were tough times when my family and I were broke and had no money."
Even harder was living on edge in a land torn apart by drug cartels that sometimes targeted schools and government-owned buildings.
"There were bomb threats at our school and violence in the streets," she said. "My family and I had to always be aware of our surroundings."
Suarez, who lives with her husband Juan Pablo Augustyniak and their two dogs, Luna and Perla, said her past is never far behind and is an essential part of her artwork -- much of which deals with political and social themes.
"My work is a reflection of myself and my life. It's what drives me, it's how I tell my story," she said in the living room of her condo, which doubles as her colorful art studio.
Suarez's paintings -- acrylic and oils on canvas -- are scattered about her living room. Art books, ea! sels and paint brushes adorn her coffee table, sofa, stereo and TV. Greeting a visitor recently, she looked artsy and creative, dressed in a long, flowing dress and a Middle Eastern-styled necklace.
The painter, who also works as a real estate associate, spends time almost every day revisiting her older pieces and creating new ones.
"You cannot put a shelf life on a painting, only the artist knows when it's done," she said.
Suarez started painting early. Her father, Marco Fidel Suarez, also a painter, was her inspiration.
"When I was a little girl, my father would take me to art supply stores and I fell in love with the paints, the crayons and the paintbrushes," she said. "While most kids were playing with toys, I was drawing on anything I could touch."
She and her father are planning a joint exhibition that will end with unusual consequences. "Whatever doesn't sell, gets burned," she said. "It asks the question: are you a savior or a villain?"!
One of her first paintings, Preguntas (Questions), was ! among 10 winners of the Chelsea Global Showcase 2004 Competition, a national contest sponsored by the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery in Manhattan.
The painting contains the words Amaos Los Unos A los Otros? (Do we love one another?), which she said were inspired by her views on religion. "How much do we apply to our lives what's taught to us religiously?" she asks.
She also has created several anti-war themed paintings, including Bombing the Innocent, Garden in Palestine, Revolution and War Crime.
Bombing the Innocent portrays the outline of a mother shielding her baby. Suarez said it was inspired by a picture she saw of a mother getting onto a bus in a war zone. It is painted in blues and browns, with red and yellow flames and bombs in the background. Suarez moved from Colombia to Los Angeles in 1997, and to South Florida in 2005. She participated in several anti-war protests in L.A.
"I believe it has a direct relationship to the violence in my country, but I als! o feel I have a need to be aware of what's going on in the world, and that I am interperter of history," she said.
Her native country made headines recently, with the dramatic Colombian army rescue of 15 hostages held by FARC guerrillas.
"I feel happy for the people who were rescued, but at the same time I'm worried for the people that are still being held hostage," she said.
El Sur (The South), which she painted early this year, was created after she returned from a trip.
"Every time I come back, I realize what we [in the United States] take for granted," she said.
Miami Herald, The (FL)
Carl Juste/Miami Herald StaffJuly 13, 2008
Artist's canvas a reflection of her life
Colombian-born artist Alexandra Suarez- Augustyniak expresses her views on war, religion and relationships through her paintings.
Author: MICAELA HOOD, mhood@MiamiHerald.com
As a child in Bogota, Alexandra Suarez-Augustyniak learned early about the harsh realities of growing up in a divided society.
"In Colombia, there are two societies: the rich and the poor," said the Surfside artist, now 37. "There were tough times when my family and I were broke and had no money."
Even harder was living on edge in a land torn apart by drug cartels that sometimes targeted schools and government-owned buildings.
"There were bomb threats at our school and violence in the streets," she said. "My family and I had to always be aware of our surroundings."
Suarez, who lives with her husband Juan Pablo Augustyniak and their two dogs, Luna and Perla, said her past is never far behind and is an essential part of her artwork -- much of which deals with political and social themes.
"My work is a reflection of myself and my life. It's what drives me, it's how I tell my story," she said in the living room of her condo, which doubles as her colorful art studio.
Suarez's paintings -- acrylic and oils on canvas -- are scattered about her living room. Art books, ea! sels and paint brushes adorn her coffee table, sofa, stereo and TV. Greeting a visitor recently, she looked artsy and creative, dressed in a long, flowing dress and a Middle Eastern-styled necklace.
The painter, who also works as a real estate associate, spends time almost every day revisiting her older pieces and creating new ones.
"You cannot put a shelf life on a painting, only the artist knows when it's done," she said.
Suarez started painting early. Her father, Marco Fidel Suarez, also a painter, was her inspiration.
"When I was a little girl, my father would take me to art supply stores and I fell in love with the paints, the crayons and the paintbrushes," she said. "While most kids were playing with toys, I was drawing on anything I could touch."
She and her father are planning a joint exhibition that will end with unusual consequences. "Whatever doesn't sell, gets burned," she said. "It asks the question: are you a savior or a villain?"!
One of her first paintings, Preguntas (Questions), was ! among 10 winners of the Chelsea Global Showcase 2004 Competition, a national contest sponsored by the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery in Manhattan.
The painting contains the words Amaos Los Unos A los Otros? (Do we love one another?), which she said were inspired by her views on religion. "How much do we apply to our lives what's taught to us religiously?" she asks.
She also has created several anti-war themed paintings, including Bombing the Innocent, Garden in Palestine, Revolution and War Crime.
Bombing the Innocent portrays the outline of a mother shielding her baby. Suarez said it was inspired by a picture she saw of a mother getting onto a bus in a war zone. It is painted in blues and browns, with red and yellow flames and bombs in the background. Suarez moved from Colombia to Los Angeles in 1997, and to South Florida in 2005. She participated in several anti-war protests in L.A.
"I believe it has a direct relationship to the violence in my country, but I als! o feel I have a need to be aware of what's going on in the world, and that I am interperter of history," she said.
Her native country made headines recently, with the dramatic Colombian army rescue of 15 hostages held by FARC guerrillas.
"I feel happy for the people who were rescued, but at the same time I'm worried for the people that are still being held hostage," she said.
El Sur (The South), which she painted early this year, was created after she returned from a trip.
"Every time I come back, I realize what we [in the United States] take for granted," she said.
El Sur shows an outline of South America, along with Spanish-language newspaper headlines about immigration, unemployment, death and religion.
As Suarez reflected on her collection, she pointed out the change in colors from her earlier dark reds and browns to her more-recent blues and yellows.
"I know living here, looking out at the ocean every day, has changed my work! ," she said. "I'm telling stories about my new life now."
Copyright (c) 2008 The Miami Herald
Comments
Post a Comment