Every time I present such talented people in the art world, like the people we have the opportunity to meet through Solkes, I like to emphasize that each of these people is unique, valuable and their work is a reflection of that. This is the main reason why we consider it is important to provide spaces like this, to be able to show their work and a little bit of who they are.
Obviously, each of these magnificent creators of beauty is much more wonderful and has many more facets than we can capture in an article. However, we like to be the small window that lets us see the radiance that each one brings with them and share it with us.
Once again I am fortunate to introduce you to a unique artist, an enterprising, determined, strong, and above all colorful woman.
Heart Warming
Liliana Martinez is originally from Colombia, she was born in the city of Cali, but grew up in Barranquilla in the north of her native country, near the Caribbean. Since 2012 she lives in Germany with her husband and two children.
I am very lucky to live only twenty minutes by train from this beautiful woman. I am also fortunate to know her in person. And to own a small sample of her art. The latter is what brought us together.
Without fear, I can say that Liliana has the warmth of the Caribbean and the colors of the diversity of her country. Her essence is so pure that one can immediately notice that besides being talented, she is an excellent person. That her soul radiates color and this is what definitely led her to be the artist she is today.
Life in Art
We always like to remind you that artists are artists not because the muse came and they made a masterpiece and settled down as painters, sculptors, writers.
Although there may be someone to whom this has actually happened. It is not normal, it is not the rule, this is an exception.
This is why we insist that the training of artists is of the utmost importance and that their investment in time, money, and effort must be recognized.
I am not referring exclusively only to the academic formation in a school, without taking importance from it.
I refer to their influence, to their preference since childhood and their decision to stop or reduce the time of some activity and dedicate it to appreciate the art, to begin to experiment with it, to the reading, to the experience with the fine arts in one way or another.
This is how our guest began her journey.
For her, painting belongs and is inseparable from life. With the influence of her paternal grandfather who was an important muralist in Colombia in the thirties.
This through the stories of his father and the paintings that remained in the family, since, unfortunately, she could not meet him in person, in addition to the museum in the city of Popayan. But he left her the art in her veins as well as her grandmother who was a poetess.
Liliana started painting at a very early age and did it for people close to her and for school contests and similar situations. But it was not until she settled in Germany that her professional career took off.
Artist in Germany
Her work was little known because she did it for a very familiar public.
Being in Germany, our beloved Liliana tells us that she painted a painting for her house and she documented the process and posted it on Facebook causing an explosive chain reaction of requests and so she almost without choice continued with her beautiful labor, giving color and harmony and joy to all of us who own one of her works.
Liliana also tells us that she feels very happy to have started her professional life, not her artistic life, at a more mature age.
She was already married and with her children and that gave her another perspective to make her creations and gave her the continuity to be able to create.
I answered our colorful artists that this is what happens with good artists, their professional career takes off when it has to be. For some, it is essential to start professionally at an early age to take off and train in the process and for others, it is better to train calmly and quietly to settle down suddenly with great success.
The diversity of our Ticho’s canvases
Liliana showcases her art in all types of objects, because when she started she imposed a rule on herself, not to limit herself. This includes not having a specific public, not having a specific canvas, and not having a specific theme.
Although we can recognize her for her closeness to the themes of nature, this is due to the same diversity that her country offered her and now also in Germany, she lives very close to nature, having a forest a few steps away from her house. For Liliana, it is important to return to the origin, to the point where everything began.
Thus we can appreciate from her murals, everyday objects embellished by the beautiful Colombian: cups, bags, boots, jackets. In 2018 she had the opportunity to work a full year in Colombia, participating in various events such as the Book Fair and food fair.
The particularity of Liliana, her quickness when painting, and that within her style she uses freehand is that she uses acrylics, as she is also very versatile, docile, and simple care.
At a fair in Paris, she had the opportunity to collaborate with artisans. Liliana recognizes the true value of handicrafts and appreciates their work, which is why she has also embellished them, knowing how to choose which handicrafts to use.
For Liliana, the slight difference between an artisan and an artist is clear since an artist often creates beauty without having to create from raw materials and an artisan has the ability to create from very natural raw materials.
Live painting
Liliana loves people’s feedback, she even invites interns to give her a few brush strokes.
Liliana has art as a priority and essential. She knows perfectly well that many may have urgent but non-essential priorities so she follows a philosophy of reciprocity, she gives first and then receives.
That is why she loves to paint live and that is why she often donates her work in public places. Bringing life to places that were simple or sad.
So she got a great opportunity in Germany, she offered to paint the park benches to the municipal president and he agreed.
Seeing how much acceptance from the people and how well and cheerful they look now, she has been commissioned to paint the park benches. She has been asked to paint a school bus stop, this time paying for her work.
Since the bus stop, the German media have been interested in publicizing her work.
They have made it clear that she is the artist behind the street painting. She is the artist who is filling the German people with positivism.
She is a worthy representative of the Latino community, a productive woman who does not let her light go out. Once again we can observe Liliana’s warmth and with her actions she lets us see that she is relentless. We will surely continue to hear from her.
