Abstract Expressionists, Hotel Management & Travel: An Interview With Nuria González Alcaide
We catch up with abstract artist Nuria González Alcaide.
Her work centres around the topics of solitude and pretence; when we need to hide our emotions to fit in. With her unique and wonderful style, she uses the material qualities of paint to interpret her emotions on canvas.
In our chat, she talks about her inspiration, creative process, plans for 2022 and what she learned from living in Paris.
SAH: Where do you get your inspiration from?
NGA: My biggest source of inspiration is when I see other artists and the creative process they have with their work. I identify with the thinking of the abstract expressionists of the 50s in New York. Another great source is pure color. I only work with primary colors (yellow, magenta, cyan) and white, black and ochre, and I look for combinations and new colors while I mix them. Each color is a world and has a different function in the creation of the work. And then there are the concepts that I use a lot in my work; the thoughts, the situations in life, the emotions, the layers that human beings put on while we live.
SAH: What are you working on at the moment?
NGA: I am currently working on a collection where I focus on the use of color. It’s a daily ritual of observation and transformation with the aim to improve and define what my work as an artist is and what I want to capture when I paint. I want to have a collection of at least 15 works to be able to have a solo exhibition. It’s one of the goals that I have for 2022.
Artwork by Nuria González Alcaide.
Artwork by Nuria González Alcaide.SAH: What kind of impact do you hope that your work has?
NGA: I want the observer to feel an emotion when they see my paintings. That is my only goal. Then, each person will have their personal interpretation, which can vary greatly from one to another, but for me all interpretations are valid. I like to hear what people have to tell me when they see the works, since normally it has nothing to do with what I feel and think, and I find it very curious because it allows me to see see my work from a different perspective.
SAH: Who are your biggest influences? Is there a particular artist that inspired you to pursue art?
NGA: The references I have today come from having studied contemporary artists of the 1950s; Willem De Kooning, Mark Rothko, Yayoi Kusama, Agnes Martin, Josef Albers, Bernett Newman, and I completely identified with how they talk about their work and what they want their work to be for others. The way they think and perceive art is what drives me to continue painting and doing what I do. It’s why I somehow feel less alone. I identify with them.
Artwork by Nuria González Alcaide.SAH: Do you remember the earliest memory of when you wanted to do what you do today?
NGA: I have painted since I was little and creativity has always been a part of me. For various reasons, I did not follow the artistic path until a year ago. In the midst of the pandemic, I realized that I was in a place from which I did not feel I belonged. I had a difficult internal struggle, but I was able to open up to myself and accept what I really wanted to do.
I studied Hotel Management and for 7 years, I have worked as a cook in restaurants, and I decided to leave it behind to start the artistic career that I should have done from the beginning and that I have always dreamed of having.
SAH: You have taken part in a large number of events and exhibitions this year. How do you seek out opportunities?
NGA: Once a week I like to check out the latest contests and open calls. This is to continue to make myself known and to seek inspiration. Sometimes open calls ask for a certain theme or technique and I use this as a prompt to create new work . I usually look at arteinformado (spanish platform), artconnect and in the #opencall of instagram.
SAH: You travel a lot. How does that influence your work?
NGA: There are many different aspects. The first one is that in Spain there are few museums where you can see the works of the Abstract Expressionists, so imagine when I can go to Paris or London, where the works of all my influences are. Being able to observe de Kooning's work inspires me to create; texture, dimensions, color, point of view, ....
Then there is also the energy. I recently spent a month in Paris. And what I am left with is the energy I felt in the streets. So many galleries gives you the chance to breathe art; a café-gallery, a laundry-gallery, a wine bar-bookstore, ....
The colors, the buildings and the day-to-day life of the Parisians filled my head with ideas and motivation, so that I could later translate it onto the canvas. Also, traveling nourishes your soul. There is nothing more beautiful and you learn something different with each passing day.
Artwork by Nuria González Alcaide.SAH: How do you define success as an artist?
NGA: Being able to live from it with peace of mind. For me, reaching this financial freedom means being successful. Then there is the professional career or your reputation as an artist, but for me this is secondary.
I grew up with the belief that you can't live from art, and I want to break away from it.
SAH: Art school vs self thought, what’s your thought?
NGA: I am self-taught, and I can tell you that it is hard to make yourself known and create a community of artists, but I am always reading, taking courses and nurture myself as an artist. I think it is good to have a guide that helps you to go one way or another.
SAH: Where can people purchase your work?
NGA: I have decided to divide my work into two different categories, as I want to make art accessible to everyone. I have my online store, where I sell from screen printings to 46cm x 38cm acrylic works with a price range between € 15 and € 250. And then I am on Saatchiart and ArtEvince or customers can contact me directly. I like to use third party platforms for the sale of my art. As they manage the sale it provides an added layer of security for the artist.