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Azucena Barrios

Azucena Barrios was born on October 12, 1964, and she speaks movingly of her life and her work.

"The inclination for any artistic endeavor or for any specific technique may be inherited, however, style and ability are something far more individual and personal. I grew up watching my father at work. His name was Ignacio Barrios and he was a painter who worked in watercolors. This is how I grew up wanting to be an artist and how I began painting with watercolors. However, when I began my professional studies I realized that I could not be bound by the teachings and influence of my father and so I sought out other masters willing to share their experience and knowledge with me. Claudette Eyssautier taught a workshop in live human drawing, and the well-known painter, Luis Nishizawa showed me how to seek out the secrets and possibilities of all materials available to students and professionals of the fine arts.

"I work with diverse techniques, but I find I am far more spontaneous when working with watercolors. I paint wet on wet, which means one has to paint very quickly, without being able to make changes. I know my materials well, I use heavy paper that is wet completely before I start painting. I allow the watercolor to speak to me, and the most appealing things about this particular technique are the unexpected stains or forms which emerge on their own and which I then integrate into the painting. I don't like to force the color, and I try to listen when the watercolor takes its own course and the unexpected happens. I try to maintain a loose stroke and paint on first intentions. I don't believe in inspiration as a romantic ideal, I have done beautiful work when I am both sad and happy.

"I have now learned that every instant is my 'eternal present,' and I try to extract all the universal energy that so that I can express myself to the best of my ability. I am always on the search for spontaneity, a wonderful trait so hard to find nowadays - humanity seems to have lost the ability for it. I paint so that I am beyond limits, social prejudices, programs or restrictions.

"I am the daughter of an honest woman who taught me to respect all living beings, especially plants and animals. I am the daughter of a woman of the mestizo race as it says in her birth notice. She is hope and has given me the same love of integrity as she has."