Existential Woman Painting

Bio / statement by Charlotte Urreiztieta, 2022 Charlotte Urreiztieta is a Caracas native, who now lives and works in her studio in Colonia Roma in Mexico City. She is a multidisciplinary artist who received a BA in architecture from Universidad Central de Venezuela in (2002) as well as a Master in Interior and Graphic Design at the Art Institute of Miami (2007) and a Certificate in Fine Arts (2016) in Drawing and Painting at The New York Academy of Art in New York City. I’m Charlotte, an emotional painter. “Personal feelings is the main thing” This quote is taken from Chantal Joffe’s book whose paintings of women are an enduring influence on me. For me her work is extremely valuable and helpful. It feels as if she is reaching out to me saying: you can paint this subject and you can do it in your own way. My painting is an emotional reaction to my feelings. Painting is the mechanism that helps me heal past traumas. In every painting I’m looking for: self-acceptance, forgiveness and love. I also hope to inspire and heal others with my art. In my paintings I explore the theme of women, they are a symbol of healing, self-acceptance, empowerment, optimism, self-love, self-respect and feminism. This symbol helps me explore and discover who I am. Each woman becomes a woman I know or that will meet, I often remember my childhood experience with my mother while I’m painting probably as a way of healing. Color is very important in my paintings, it is the tool I use to express feelings and to raise my vibration. I recently had a solo show at Galeria Cenzontle in Mexico City, a beautiful, woman-owned gallery in Roma Norte. In addition, my work has been published in Create Magazine. I’ve also had the opportunity to collab in Pinta Miami with fashion designer Oscar Carvallo, where I had the chance to show my large format women paintings. I’ve been formally painting for 6 years, but as a child I was always creating with my markers, that’s where my sketchbook comes from, It is a technique that allows me to create on the run fresh-ideas and is totally connected to my childhood . My background is in architecture, but there was a moment in my life when I said I needed to do something with “passion” – something from my heart. Something that I really love.