10 Questions with Josefina De León

Uruguayan graduated in Communication Sciences and lover of everything related to creativity. She has been dedicating herself full time to art for more than three years, participating in exhibitions both nationally and internationally. This summer 2021, she was present with her atelier in La Barra, Maldonado, open to the public. Her abstract works are generated through a unique technique based on air accompanied by various tools such as brushes and spatulas. She uses acrylics and oils on canvas. She explores a different world, full of textures, colors, and sensations with her technique. Through each work, she seeks to transmit the peace and joy that she feels when creating—making every piece so unique that it can fill any space with light and energy. Fortunately, it has more than 300 works sold around the world.

www.josefinadeleon.com | @josefinadeleonsorhuet

ARTIST STATEMENT

“Josefina De León’s technique is based on acrylic. She explores a different world, full of textures, colors, and sensations with her technique. Through each work, she seeks to transmit the peace and joy that she feels when creating, making every piece so unique that it can fill any space with light and energy.

She considers art as a doorway to freedom and her female empowerment. Through a positive and peaceful message, she constantly seeks to encourage female empowerment through her speech and works.”

Esperanza en movimiento. Josefina De León©

INTERVIEW

Could you tell us a little more about your background and how did you begin making art?

I am convinced that when you have a passion, all roads lead you to it. As a child, I loved painting, mostly playing with colors and different shapes. I loved recreating the peace that I felt living in the countryside and sharing the joy that I felt while being there. As I got older, unconsciously, I moved away from painting and left aside what made me shine so much as a child, but when something really shakes you, you always get back to it. I studied Psychology for three years, but this was not what I was looking for in life, so I decided to leave it and switched to studying Communication Sciences. This career connected me again with my creative side, and it was there that I got in touch with art again. I returned to that endless world of sensations that I felt as a kid. So I decided to quit my 9-hour job and focus exclusively on painting. I set up my own workshop at home and began to expand my art both nationally and internationally. I joined many individual and collective exhibitions within Uruguay as well as abroad. Last summer, I had the chance to open my own gallery at La Barra, Maldonado, where I lived a challenging and enriching experience. Happily, I have already sold more than 300 artworks around the world. Currently, I am focused on expanding my art more and more globally, thrilled with having taken the risk for my passion. That is why I am grateful for all the paths that my life has taken, no matter how different they have been. Because they led me to be what I am today, they convinced me that you always have to follow what fills you with light, pushing away your fears and, thus, follow your passion.

What do you wish you knew about contemporary art before you got started?

I would have loved to know that the essence is creative freedom, to create without so many rules limiting yourself. That what is important is the artistic process, the connection, rather than the final result itself. Therefore, to focus on what you want to transmit, use the medium that seems necessary and in the way that best suits you. Being aware of this allows you to eliminate certain insecurities or fears when creating and simply enjoy the process.

Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What aspect of your work do you pay particular attention to?

My technique allows me to explore a different world, full of textures, colors, and sensations. Through each artwork, I try to convey the peace and joy that I feel when creating so that they fill any space with light and energy by themselves. My artworks are a door to my soul; that is why I want them to be an explosion of feelings, sensations, and energy.

Although, in general, my work is based on acrylic on canvas, I am fascinated about experimenting with new materials in order to generate new results continuously. Since the beginning, I have tried not to limit myself when creating. Art is something that allows me to fly, and therefore I decide not to narrow it. That allows me to generate innovative results constantly within my style.

Through art, I can be the woman I always wanted to be, empowered, free, and proud of myself. I try to express and transmit all this positive energy through my work.

And when creating, I pay particular attention to conveying what I want at that particular moment and creating a perfect synergy between the media, tools, and background of the artwork so that the final result speaks for itself. My main focus is on the creative process and not on the final result, although I consider that both are very important and interesting to experience.

Florecer internamente. Josefina De León©

You use a unique blend of techniques; how did you come up with this way of creating your works?

It all started one summer day. I was in front of a canvas drinking a glass of water with a straw. It was there that I came up with "blowing" the paint to generate an explosion effect. At that moment, I really managed to capture that endless number of sensations that I felt when creating. At that time, my artistic practice was based on this personal technique, but over time I saw the need to evolve to keep transmitting that amount of feelings and ideas that I had inside. At that moment, I began to incorporate the brush, creating movement and flashes of light. As I am a very restless woman, it wasn't long until I started to need to explore new tools again, and there I started incorporating spatulas, seeking to generate a sense of depth and forms full of sensations. At the same time, I began to incorporate figures into my abstract art, which allowed me to open up a huge range of possibilities to enhance what I wanted to convey. As I previously expressed, I believe that art is what allows me to fly; that is why I try never to limit myself and be completely open to experiencing new.

What is the most challenging part of your work? And where do you find inspiration?

I think the most challenging thing is that my art is deeply rooted in my person, in my beliefs, feelings, and experiences. That is why everything I have lived and learned directly influenced my creative process. Once I became aware of this, I began to work a lot on myself. I focused on exploring myself and getting to know myself in order to empower myself both personally and professionally. I had certain obstacles in my life, which over time became the greatest source of learning, and those moments allowed me to grow in such a way that led me to be in the place I am today, being the woman I want to be, proud of myself. It is fascinating to see how these moments are reflected in my evolution as an artist. For this reason, I believe that my greatest inspiration is my own life and my way of seeing both my environment and the innermost part of me. I am aware that I have a long way to go, a lot to learn and live, but I am sure that I am prepared to embrace all kinds of opportunities.

What is your favorite experience as an artist?

Undoubtedly, it is spending time in my workshop creating, managing to transmit the deepest part of me through my artworks, which I can't do better in any other way. Living between colors and textures gives me a feeling of happiness and peace that constantly creates my best version.

You are very active on social media. What do you think about the art community and market? And how do you cultivate a collector base?

Thanks to my communication and marketing studies, I learned and understood the essentials of these disciplines to make your work known and, thus, commercialize it. Honestly, when I started, I saw some resistance in the art community to promote our work through marketing, and I'm afraid I straightway have to disagree. I understand that art is something so passionate and emotional and that the line between the excessively commercial to the simple sale of the works and the good use of marketing is thin. But being able to sell my artworks seems essential in order to make a living out of my art. Therefore, I need to bring my work to light so that people know me and best-case scenarios and want to acquire some of my works. It seems to me that the key is to show through social networks (or whatever the channel is) your creative world, authentic as it is, without losing your essence for the simple fact of selling more. It seems to me that, yes, there is a risk that marketing corrupts art.

For this reason, I always recommend showing oneself, using all the tools that, thanks to today's technology and globalization, we can all access as channels to expose our art. No one will know you unless you get out of your comfort zone and start showing your work. Well-executed marketing allows the same to publicize and generate an income that allows you to dedicate exclusively to your passion. The collector base is generated through a mix of digital and physical channels; as new paths and opportunities open up, this base grows.

What are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future? Anything exciting you can tell us about?

Today I find myself with projects both nationally and internationally. I am very grateful to the new doors opening to me both in the United States and in Europe, with future exhibitions in both places. Also, to continue promoting my art locally and continue to evolve artistically. This year, one of my goals is to start transmitting my knowledge to other artists or people who are passionate about creativity. My idea is to share my view of art and teach the necessary marketing tools so that other artists can make their work known.

What do you hope to accomplish this year, both in terms of career goals and personal life?

This year I decided to focus all my strength on growing both professionally and personally, always with my feet on the ground. Get to know new cultures, nourish me with new techniques, connect with more people, and open new paths.

Finally, share something you would like the world to know about you?

That I am passionate about everything related to creativity, that I feel that I have a lot to express within and that I am an advocate that art is in all those people who, when they do something, they do it with all their soul. Uruguay is full of great artists who deserve to be known and valued for their work, even in my country. One of my great wishes is for Uruguayan art to expand and be recognized throughout the world.

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