Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lorena Morales. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lorena , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Art has always been relevant in my life; however, it was in 2003 when I moved away from my homeland Venezuela that my art practice became grounded. I grew up surrounded by art.  My mother was a visual artist as well. She owned an art gallery that she managed for many years, in my birth place Venezuela.  There, I had the opportunity to participate in countless activities related to the artistic world and meet many talents of the Venezuelan visual arts.  I graduated from Rafael Urdaneta University with a degree in Business Administration before immigrating to the United States in 2003.
I obtained certificates in painting and sculpture from the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. In 2011, I was awarded a scholarship from The Carlos Cruz-Diez foundation and the Glassell School to participate in the Advance Seminar in Contemporary Art: The Doors or Perception.

Lorena , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a Multimedia Contemporary Visual Artist based in Houston, Texas. I do paintings, sculptures, drawings, screen-printing, installation art, art videos and embroidery on paper and textiles. Currently, in addition to my studio practice, I have been working on interactive/community art projects. My work focuses on the concept of “Home.” I moved to Houston from Venezuela almost 20 years ago. In 2019, I moved for 8 months to Angola, in Africa, then back to Houston due the pandemic. This has changed my perception of home; is home where I live now or is home where I am from?
Using abstract geometric and organic forms, I explore the intersections of feelings and memories. As the light changes throughout the day, casting shadows and shifting its focus, a myriad of colors and color relationships are generated. By exploring these intersections of color and light, narratives related to my new mixed cultural identity are revealed.
My first experiments where done with acrylic paint over transparent polycarbonate sheets I found at the hardware store. I would paint some areas leaving others transparent to cast shadows but I found some limitations on projecting colors as acrylic paints are opaque. Then, I started experimenting with enamel in spray. That was a success, however, because I never stop challenging myself, I am continuously in the search of materials that would allow me to create an experience filled with movement and perception. I apply color and pattern over transparent/translucent surfaces to cast shadows and project colors to fill a space beyond it.
As my artwork relates to personal issues of home and cultural identity, some series refer to my homeland where nostalgia plays a main role, focusing on memories of what it was and what it symbolizes. Others are related to my new home where expectations are continuously transformed while in the process of assimilating a new cultural identity. There are also a series of works were both homes and cultural identities overlap on the search for sameness or what is absent on the other.
I am proud to have accomplished some of my “artist dreams” as having my work showing in prestigious art galleries, art museums and non-profit art spaces in the USA, Venezuela, Germany, France and Uruguay plus having artworks included in private collections worldwide and in public spaces in Texas. Reviews, interviews, and others about me and my work have been published in print and online newspapers and magazines in Venezuela, Germany, Uruguay, France and the United States. , I had winning many awards and recognitions. I had been an active member of the Visual Arts Alliance of Houston and of LAWAH (Latin American Women Artists of Houston) both all-volunteer-run non-profit art organizations. Also, I had organized, juried and curated various exhibitions in the Greater Houston area.
You can find my works in art galleries such as Hooks-Epstein Galleries in Houston, TX; Camiba Art Gallery in Austin, TX; Contemporaneo Gallery in Asheville, NC and Art Nouveau Gallery in Miami, Fl.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My husband and I with 2 kids moved to Houston from our country Venezuela almost 20 years ago when my husband was offered a job here. In Venezuela I was working in real state and was involved in charities. The first challenge was to learn a new language while learning a new culture or at least that’s what I thought. During our first 2 months in Houston, my husband had an accident (he is doing well now) and our furniture arrived with mold. At that moment, I was ready to go back to Venezuela, instead, few months later I decided to pursue art professionally. I learned English while studying art at The Glassell School of Art (MFAH). There, I obtained certificates in Painting and Sculpture, built a network, and found my place in the art world. Later, I realized that being a successful artist/business owner is synonymous with resilience, perseverance and patience.

I always try to look for the positive side when challenging experiences arise in life, of course there will be some more difficult than others. Those experiences helped us strengthen ourselves and made us aware of the importance of being able to adapt to new circumstances in order to get closer to our goals. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the needs that motivate you.

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

Everything!! For me, being an artist is about sharing discoveries and communicating ideas. I like the challenge that being an artist brings. I love those moments when after several hours of experimenting in my studio I finally get what I am looking for. Although the best moments come when a viewer discovers exactly what I am trying to share.
I like to talk with other artists about art, interchange ideas and get inspired. I like to learn, to create, to explore, to share and to surprise.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lorenamorales.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenamoralesart/?hl=es
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtByLorenaMorales/

Image Credits
David Bailie Carlos Ocando