Artist's Statement

      Some of my earliest memories are of pestering my younger sisters to sit quietly so that I could draw their portraits. When my threats no longer cowed them, I resorted to drawing portraits of dolls, uncomplaining victims of my artistic whims. This urge to transfer what I see or feel to some form of substrate has always been with me.
      I am originally from the city of São Paulo, Brazil, although I have traveled widely and have lived in various countries including Canada, USA, France and Scotland. I have a degree in Biology and currently teach at the University of Brasilia, Brazil. This professional background, intimately allied to the study of life in all its forms, has had an overwhelming influence in the development of my interest in representing the natural world through paints, although I am flexible in terms of subject matter, and often explore other themes.
      I draw inspiration for my paintings from the stunning landscapes I’ve had the opportunity to see in my travels, the tropical birds in Brazil and, when painting human subjects, I am especially stirred by the tribal nations of my country as well as by children. The indigenous societies of Brazil are quickly disappearing as civilization reaches the far corners of the Amazon, where the last isolated tribes remain. Painting these people has been my attempt to preserve aspects of their culture and traditions on canvas. Based upon my biological training, I tend to view the current patterns in climate change and deforestation with a great deal of anxiety, as they threaten to destroy the natural world around us. My paintings depict nature in its full splendor, intact and perfect, but fragile in its complexity. Interpreted in a more subliminal context, painting such perfect scenarios probably functions as a type of defense against the uncertainty and chaos that exist in the real world.
      Before I start each painting, there is a period of anticipation. I feel as if I am holding my breath in expectation of the birth of a concrete idea in its visual form, which I know is lying just below the surface of my consciousness. When the concept presents itself in a more tangible form, I am ready to take action. I paint exclusively in oils to capture the striking and multicolored attributes of my varied subjects. My goal is that each individual painting stands for itself, as I am not limited to specific scenarios or topics, but follow the urge to celebrate on canvas whatever has the power to move me.

In impulsive splashes and unruly colors, from the canvas-born soul, I celebrate the gateways to freedom and extinguish sad truths. Here, there are only flowers, skies, oceans and forests capturing the horizon. Without boundaries, I exist.