We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ercilia Medeiros. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ercilia below.

Ercilia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Art has always been, for me, primarily a way of trying to convey what I can’t express in words. Turning this passion into something that could potentially produce income was secondary for me. I remember about 20 years ago, when I was wrangling through a difficult period in life, my therapist asked if there was a creative outlet I could use to work through it. I had always created art in some form since I was a very young kid, but this was a different way of approaching it for me, rather than just creating a visually pretty picture.

Now, when I’m painting, even if it’s something as straightforward as a landscape, there’s always a thought, a feeling, or a message that is being communicated through.

One of my most meaningful recent projects was a painting I created just this year. “Imbolc – Awaken” (watercolor) was created in February after a brutally difficult winter, personally. Depicting a dreaming woman with a radiant, burning heart made of honeycomb, surrounded by bees and flowers, this painting is a stark and hopeful contrast to the darkness and cold of the winter months that preceded.

Imbolc is a Celtic festival marking the first awakenings of spring, observed on February 1-2. Taking place roughly between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, this day honors the earth’s awakening after a prolonged period of darkness, cold, and dormancy. The feast day’s rich symbolism honors the season’s returning light and the earth’s fertility, including fire, honey, candles, and holy wells.

For me, the winter months are heavy. The lengthening days of early spring, the return of the sun’s warmth, and the stirring of bees on flowers provide reassurance that the cold and dark are retreating. Our hearts and minds are very linked to our environment. In a relentlessly buzzing modern society, it is easy to lose our intimate connection to the changing seasons, which are so closely tied to our mood and well-being. We keep the fires burning in our hearts, awaiting a better time.

This ancient feast day is associated with the pre-Christian goddess Brigid and is still celebrated in many forms today that have evolved over the centuries.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Ercilia Medeiros, and I am a fine art painter based in the Santa Cruz, California area. With ancestry from the Portuguese Azores Islands, I was raised in California with an upbringing inextricably shaped by the deep traditional folklore of my parents’ culture and the unparalleled natural landscapes of the Central Coast and Northern California. A primary influence for me is the ways in which the natural environment influences identity, invokes deep ancient knowledge, and shapes personal spirituality. I paint out of my art studio in Santa Cruz, California, and participate in the area’s annual Open Studios Art Tour.

My journey into my creative practice has its roots in childhood, and I always made art informally to some extent. Early on, when I became a mom, my then 6-year-old child said, “When I grow up, I want to be an artist like you.” This ignited a fire in me, and I made a conscious decision to take my art more seriously.

About 7 years ago, I joined a local artist collective that had been a beloved local institution for decades. Housed in a series of run-down historic warehouses, my tiny art studio was surrounded by local painters, photographers, sculptors, glass blowers, and other creatives. Being surrounded by so many wonderful creative people gave me an invaluable resource for learning, connecting, and growing by sharing ideas, techniques, participating in group events like art markets, and just being immersed in a creative environment.

I eventually moved my art practice into a separate art studio. While an art studio away from home is by no means necessary for a thriving art practice and is a real stretch to rent in brutally expensive California, it has provided me a much-needed dedicated space to do my painting, store my supplies, and connect with collectors.

Over the years, I have continued to stretch my art business into new directions by participating in solo and group art exhibitions, expanding my offerings of giclée reproductions, and participating in Santa Cruz Open Studios in the fall, where 300+ local artists open their doors to visitors. I love talking to folks about my art and connecting personally over their reactions to my paintings. I primarily sell my work at these events, and I get immense joy from meeting people and sharing my process with them.

I think what sets me apart and what I value most as an artist is honesty and authenticity. I think a lot of times artists worry about creating marketable art / what will sell rather than what comes deeply from their hearts. Of course, a goal of selling your art is valid, but in this age of mass-produced imagery and AI, real human-created, heart-driven art is more important than ever. Creativity is a basic human instinct; it’s what makes us human. Creating authentically from your personal experience, passion, and emotions is something that cannot be replicated.

A lot of my art is deeply influenced by natural environments. I am a total bird nerd, and I adore being out in nature. I love sharing that with people I meet through my art.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Early on, I wish I hadn’t relied so much solely on myself. There are so many amazing networks for artists, including local arts organizations, artist meetup groups, community college continuing education with so many classes, local galleries, etc.

Once I started connecting on a more proactive level with arts resources in the community, my creative practice exploded. Not only does it open new avenues for showing work and promotion, it allows for meaningful continued learning. I think joining an arts group, in some form, is an invaluable resource for emerging and mid-career artists, and a great way for more experienced artists to share knowledge. I know some artists like to work very independently, but for me, community has made art both more lucrative/successful and meaningful on a deeper level.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Connecting with people who resonate deeply with my art is the most meaningful thing for me. When I have painted something very rooted in my own thoughts/feelings and a person connects with it, it makes it all so worthwhile. I have had people burst into tears (in a good way, I swear lol) on viewing my art, and that moves me so deeply to have someone see themselves or their experience reflected in my work. This is what makes us human!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://portuguesegirl.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ercilia_art/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erciliaart

Image Credits

Ercilia Medeiros