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Fatima Salas

Fatima Salas was born in the Imperial city of Cuzco in 1954. She studied at Cuzco's Fine Arts school, and obtained a Bachelor's degree in Education and Arts from Cuzco's university. She also studied mural painting at Peru's Pontificia Universidad Católica.

A versatile artist, Salas dominates most techniques - including watercolors, the Cuzco School of religious portraiture, oils and more. She prefers to paint religious icons, as well Rococo and Peruvian Baroque interiors. She has exhibited her work throughout Peru and in Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Spain. Salas dedicates part of her time teaching at the same university in Cuzco where she studied.

When speaking about what drives her to paint, Salas tells us that, "Art is my life, because it is the expression capable of changing the world. Art is a fundamental part of history. It is a means of getting to know the past. I try to depict the current social climate through my paintings.

"I would like to carve a scion in my country's art world. Give even a grain of sand to strengthen my surroundings' aesthetic appearance. The more culture a country has, the less it submits to others.

"I used to sell my paintings in a park in a district that is well-known for its support of the arts. It was a marvelous experience - that's where I learned to paint for real. I think true artists are a product of necessity; it makes us disciplined, and it trains us to paint every day.

"From all the jobs there are to do, painting is the one that always brings you the most pleasure. It's incredible! I can be feeling extremely tired by the time I finish a painting, but I still get excited - I can't believe it."