My name is Bianca Garcia, I am a full-time artist. I am happily married (No kids yet). I was born and raised in Jalisco, Mexico.  I started painting with oils at 17, just after finishing my high school. But I have been involved in the art world since I was a little girl. My very old memories are drawing and coloring all the time, even in the middle of my school classes. The art has been my safe world, and it will be forever.

My husband on the left, on the right my younger brother, my Mom, and my Dad. Below my older brother, my niece (my daughter sister) and my sister.

• How did you start making art?

When I finished my High school, I took art classes focused in Oil painting medium. That is why this is my main medium. I just took it as a Hobby, but then I could not stop making art. So, I decided to start my own art studio and teach drawing at first and then Oil painting medium. As I said before, I have been involved in the art world since little girl. My Dad is an artist too, he is a professional sculptor. He was my first Master and my biggest influence in my path as an artist.

Drawing from 10 years ago.

• Who are your biggest influences?

As I said before, my biggest influence has been my Dad. But talking about painters, one of my biggest influences is the great Master Monet. My art is very unlike to his, but I really love his work. I find it so beautiful, inspirational, and very relaxing. I would be standing for hours admiring his art and I would never get tired of seeing it. Some other living artists that have created an impact in my work are, Brad Kunkle, Olga Esther, Jana Brike, Ivana Flores, Charmaine Olivia and June Leeloo. I could write a long list, but they are my most favorites.

Old picture from 10 years ago with my little artists.

• Favorite or most inspirational place?

I could say that I don’t have have a favorite place, but actually it is my own studio. I mean I just love being alone most of my time and to find a place where it could be possible is not easy. To explaining it the better, it is not only an empty room what makes it special, it is what is hanged on the walls, and hidden in my bookshelves, those things make it inspirational. If there was a fire that would burn everything, the only I would need is a new room, and just a few days (after crying it a lot of course) to transform it into my sanctuary and the most beautiful, safe and inspirational place. Once it would be ready, I will not want to be in any other place.

• What work do you most enjoy doing?

The work I love to do the most is painting eyes. Eyes have their own way to express all the feelings hidden in our souls. For me it is the easiest and relaxing thing to paint.  But I am going to admit that in the beginning it was not as easy. But because I do enjoy painting them a lot,  I never gave up on learning to paint them.

• Where does your inspiration ideas come from?

I can tell you a little about what I like the most, and maybe it can give you a clue about where my inspiration ideas come from. I find so fascinating all the weird stuff. I love the tales with no happy endings. The mysterious stories with bizarre characters. I really enjoy watching the very old movies, or set in another era. I love cats, collect masks, write stories, make dolls, and spend alone most of my time. Some people ask why the characters of my paintings look so sad, but what I see is enchanting children and get inspired by melancholy souls.

The Phantom of the opera, this is my most favorite book, musical and movie, I could say that it has been my biggest inspiration.

• Has your style changed a lot?

I don’t think my style has changed a lot, but I have considerably improved my technique. I believe we are beings of change, we need to move on. Sometimes, we change our favorite color, flowers, food, or even feelings. We need that changes in our lives much more than we think. So maybe the only thing I will be changing a lot is the way to express myself through my art.

My old work 

My recent work

• When creating does Brand products or art quality items make a difference?

In my own experience, I can say that I have tried a lot of different surfaces and oil´s brand. And there is a big difference between them. Maybe it will not be easily noticed when the work is finished. But while painting this will be important if you want a rich palette of color and pigment. The most important will be in the process, while you are painting you are going to feel the smoothness of every brushstroke. Because once you have tried an excellent quality material you will not want to come back to use the old ones. (Or maybe just in a very extreme situation).

• Is there a structure to practice, or is it inspired by the particular day?

For me, practicing every single day is a the most important step to improve in any art or work. I paint every day, unless I must go out home, I cannot stay without painting any day, at least 4 up to 10 hours per day.

• What is the biggest challenge in your profession you have faced?

As a professional artist, my biggest challenge was finding my own style. How to hear my inner voice that said what it wanted to express and the way how to do it. How to take that idea from my mind and putting it on a canvas. To create harmony using my creativity while holding my brushes. It sounds easy but once you start the reality makes you change your mind. And that is a main step, because it is where you should try harder and where most people give up.

• Words of wisdom to beginner artist.

There is a very known quote that says, “Every artist was once an amateur” and this is the most real statement. Some people ask me, how do you paint eyes like that? And the very first thing that comes to my mind is like a short video of hundreds and hundreds of hours painting until late, tired, making mistakes, sometimes crying because I thought my work was not what I expected, believing I was not good enough. Yes, we have some of those days once in a while too. But at the same time, it is so important not to lose your goal, make it a priority if this is your passion. Love what you do, and do not care what people thinks about your work, learn to love it first before asking for advice or criticism, and recognize that there is a lot of beautiful art which is just different from yours. And last but not least, is keep practicing as much as you can. And know that we never stop learning.

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• To see more of Bianca’s work and to follow her artistic journey, please follow her FB PAGE and INSTAGRAM
• Online classes

Giveaway

By the end of the interview Bianca offering this beautiful set of art cards from her brand new Etsy shop,  just because 🙂

UPDATE – Congratulations Nardja Segui, you won this beautiful set of art cards! Please contact Bianca via FB messenger.

To participate in the raffle all you need to do is to leave a comment to this blog before July 15th. The winner will be announced in my next blog next week. Good luck!

Big hugs and much love,

Olga

Xx