Interview With 1stAngel

Ana B Galano

Welcome to the Artist Blog

1stAngel: When did you first become interested in art?

Ana: As a little girl, I use to enjoy drawing a LOT. Actually, back then, I would look through magazines, newspapers, tv guides, etc. and choose my favorite images (usually drawings or cartoons) and I tried to copy them as accurately as possible. I did them over and over, until I was satisfied with the result. (Just recently, I found some that I kept in a box – from about 25 years ago!) I did that til I was a teenager. Then my senior year of high school, I took my first drawing class. It wasn’t until college, however that I began to take it more seriously.

1stAngel: What style of art do you use most?

Ana: That’s a bit difficult to pinpoint. I’d say that its a combination of styles. My work is very symbolic, but also figurative, illustrative, and I would even venture to say it has elements of a contemporary form of expressionism. And now, Within the last couple of years, I’ve also added “Digital” to the mix.

1stAngel: Has your style changed from when you first began as an artist?

Ana: It definitely has changed. At first, I struggled to find my own style or as I like to call it “voice”. So although my work was consistent, it was, at first, somewhat superficial. I think its because I couldn’t open up and was scared to delve into the subject matter I knew I had to do, to be true to myself as an artist. My work has matured, because I’m being honest about my issues and I know how to best represent them.

“I Have an Idea,4″ – digital illustration

1stAngel: What medium do you use?

Ana: I have always preferred water-based media. In the beginning I used acrylic paints, but in recent years, have mostly enjoyed working with watercolors and liquid acrylics on paper, canvas and even wood. I have dabbled with oils,but its not a favorite of mine. I have also developed a love for digital painting/illustration (I use Corel: Painter and Paint Shop Pro).

1stAngel: What made you choose that medium?

Ana: There are practical and technical reasons: Easy clean up (I don’t like getting paint all over me); the layering possibilities; quick drying time and easy manipulation (I find it to be very forgiving). Of course, I’ve heard oil painters say the same thing about oils. Honestly I think every artist has certain affinities for different media. I also have learned to LOVE the digital process (as I use it), for pretty much the same reasons.

1stAngel: Do your ideas come from life or imagination?

Ana: Both. My work is primarily about my life experiences, dreams, etc. I try to convey my internal processes/struggles, not only to help myself figure out how to resolve them, but also (hopefully) to connect with others and perhaps plant a seed within the viewer,about the subject.

I mostly work in an intuitive manner. Meaning that I don’t have pre-conceived ideas before I begin. I usually make a mark, then react to that mark, etc. And by the time I realize it, there’s a whole composition on the surface. I then (more consciously) make decisions about color and additional marks, text, imagery to finalize the piece. I use the same process for the digital work. There are occasions when I have done research on a particular subject I find fascinating, which then informs the artwork for that particular “series”.

“Implied Allocution (envy’s wing)” – mixed media on tracing paper

1stAngel: How do you choose your images and colours?

Ana: WIth some exceptions, the figurative imagery in my work mainly relates to the female body (sometimes reflecting my personal experiences as a larger-sized woman). I have always had an affinity for very colorful palettes. One possible “cultural” reason, is the fact that I was born, raised and currently live in Miami, FL. We are exposed to and bombarded with Hispanic culture here, which has lots of colorful iconography. I can also probably attribute the desire to use bold colors, to the quality of light here in Miami, which is very intense.

On a more personal “symbolic” level, the bright colors are a way for me to infuse “life” and excitement in my work.

1stAngel: Who is your favourite artist?

Ana: Gosh, there are many! When I was younger, I felt a strong connection with Vincent Van Gough, partly because of his anguished psyche (I have struggled with depression for over 15 years), but mostly for his exquisite use of texture and color.

Other artists that have inspired me:

Frida Kahlo (her ability to expose her vulnerabilities within her subject), Kiki Smith (use of materials, symbolic imagery and simplified palette),
Jenny Saville (the absolutely delicious visceral quality of her work & subject matter),
Peter Joel WItkin (his work is magnificent, also visceral and quite disturbing…but with a beautiful, ethereal aesthetic)…just to name a select few.

1stAngel: What is your favourite piece of work by yourself?

Ana: What a difficult question! I’m probably not alone in this, but I love most of my work. Which is why I have great difficulty with the idea of parting with it. It’s terribly narcissistic, isn’t it? If I have to showcase one in the category of recent paintings, I’d have to choose: “Tracing the Future (In the Now)” -

“Tracing the Future (In the Now)” – mixed media on butcher paper

The duality of the two females that are intertwined by very specifically placed lines, the juxtaposition of the colored paper against the white, creates a contrasting, yet unifying space, the poetry….I could go on and on. From the recent digital work, I really love “Fat Girl – Watching the world pass her by”.

“Fat Girl – Watching the World Pass Her By” – digital illustration

It’s very autobiographical, yet quite simple, despite being loaded with symbolism. (oh, that was 2, wasn’t it? Sorry!)

1stAngel: How much time (on average) does it take to complete a work?

Ana: A digital illustration/painting usually takes me 2-4 days. A small, organic pen and ink drawing can take 2-3 hours. It really depends on what I’m working on. It really can range from 3 hours to 3 months (mostly depending on scale and amount of time available to dedicate to the piece).

1stAngel: How well do you take criticism?

Ana: Criticism for any artist is difficult. But more so for artists like myself, that delve into such deeply personal subject matter. But generally speaking, I do pretty well with critiques. Thinking back to when I was an art student, I had some pretty rough ones….all which served to get me to focus harder and try to improve. You always have to try to take something positive from it and let the negatives go.

1stAngel: What do you do to overcome a ‘block’?

Ana: The worst “block” I had, lasted several months and it was terribly depressing. I thought I would never get back to working again.

It’s a very difficult process and I don’t think there is a right or wrong Ana here. Everyone has their own way of dealing with it. Some can get back on that proverbial horse fairly quickly and for others it takes a significant event to get back on track. I do think its necessary to have confidence in yourself as an artist from the beginning, so that when those un-creative moments happen, you can bounce back without having lost too much momentum.

It is interesting, what happens to me (and maybe others?) when I approach an empty canvas, paper, computer screen to start a new piece. I ALWAYS feel as if I will never be able to start. Especially since I work intuitively, I have that instant doubt that I am out of ideas…that I will not have anything else to “say”, but of course, there’s LOTS to say. Its far easier to give into doubt than confidence, for me anyway.

1stAngel: How do you know something is ‘finished’? Is it easy to walk away?

Ana: Again, its completely an intuitive feeling. I just “know”. I rarely have doubts about a piece that I’ve declared finished. Actually, the doubts happen more often with my poetry. Probably because I am less confident with my poems, as I’ve not had much opportuinty to openly share and discuss them with others.

“suo legno, mia pena (his wood, my pain)” – ink & watercolor on wood

1stAngel: Have you had exhibits in galleries?

Ana: I’ve not had much opportunity to exhibit in galleries. This is actually a very frustrating thing for me. I can’t seem to get into a gallery to save my life! I do admit that I haven’t been very open about promoting myself (I find it difficult to do so, without feeling pretentious). But I have approached a few local venues, which have said my work doesn’t fit their style. It’s honestly made me hesitant to approach others. But I’m re-evaluating that whole issue to see what options are out there for me. But I TRULY would love to exhibit my work. I love sharing my work and getting feedback from people of varying backgrounds.

1stAngel: Have you any exhibits in galleries planned for the future?

Ana: Sadly, no. (or I should say…not yet!)

1stAngel: What are your plans for the future?

Ana: I realize that this falls under “fantasy”, but I’d love to one day participating in the Whitney AND Venice Biennials. I admit that I don’t even know how one goes about being included in those exhibitions, but a girl can dream…

Very unique work Ana! Thank you very much for the interview

You can see more of Ana’s work at www.anabgalano.com
www.anamano.etsy.com (her shop on etsy, selling artwork)
www.anamanocrafts.etsy.com (her shop on etsy, selling crafts)
www.anabgalano.blogspot.com (her blog)