I use my mediums to capture elements of my Mexican heritage that I find to be the most beautiful. I use the same bright and optimistic colors I have seen my whole life through flowing Mexican dresses or skirts which mesmerized me by their movement. As a child, I was constantly surrounded by different textiles, lace and bright colors. My mother and aunts brought me along with them to fabric stores, where I was always drawn to the look and touch of the fabric, the folds, or creases, and all the colors which could look different under light or in the shade.
My main mediums are oil painting and ceramic sculpture. Using clay as a sculptural material gives me a new challenge every time that I begin a work of art. Clay provides me with the opportunity to show all the sides I want to show like walking around or seeing the front only. It challenges me against gravity and because of my process of low firing with underglaze, and then having the result has rich texture, detail, and vibrant colors. Oil painting gives me the opportunity to mostly show more of those colors, encouraging the viewer to step up close to focus on the fabric colors and the movement of the dresses.
Overall, having my culture, ethnicity, and identity is important to me in my work. I want to create work that invites the viewer to enjoy the details that I find important in my Mexican heritage, expressed through fabrics.
Estefania Flores 