COLOR THERAPY W MIREIA RUIZ
This piece is created by Megan Gazzo . Megan is a comedian, designer & writer whose mission is to uplift and join artists together to create a more beautiful , peaceful world. Check out her art @gazzybygazzo.
Mireia Ruiz is an acrylic artist hailing from the beautiful city of Barcelona. After graduating from BAU design school , she joined Cocolia Studio where took charge of its art direction in set design & creative photography. Today , she devotes herself to her artistic passion by using color as a way to communicate. Her use of light and color is undeniably fresh and is inspiring a worldwide following as she continues to be sought out to work with a myriad of brands and collaborations
EYES&EDGE: So lovely to meet you. Your art has inspired me so much for such a long time! So let’s dig in. What form of art do you create mostly and how did you get started doing what you’re doing?
MIREIARUIZ: I consider myself an acrylics artist. I love to paint on a multitude of surfaces anything from natural objects, to vases, chairs and of course canvases. My art is a way of using extreme color, because for me color is a source of energy. I always loved to play with paint as a kid and it confused my friends. I initially wanted to enter a career in fine arts, but ended up training as a graphic designer instead. My artistic expression is something that I have never been able to suppress, it is a need that cannot remain latent.
E&E:I love that you listened to your calling inside and knew you had to express it no matter what. So what inspires and drives you to get out of bed each day and create?
M: Everything that surrounds me inspires me, especially when I see color combinations that attract me in nature, design and on the street. My greatest motivation is the need to create , ultimately to materialize my ideas and show them to others. One of my favorite art movements is the “ Memphis” movement. I was born in 1983, and it is evident that since I was a child , this colorful style of creation was embedded into my unconscious. I love its patterns, its colors. Color allows a sensory message to be launched , which passes through a social and individual perspective. The process is largely based on the subconscious of each individual and their experiences, so it is difficult to rationalize it .
E&E: Incredible . That is so coincidental because the Memphis movement is also what inspires and drives me most. I think because we are both those 80’s babies and it is a nostalgic experience. So tell me, who inspires you most?
M: My greatest heroine is the Swedish artist Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) the true pioneer of abstract art . She actually hid her very personal and unique work for many years. Her paintings were not discovered until 1986. It was her last wishes that his work not be released until 20 years after his death because he didn’t think at that very moment in time that his work would be well received. She was the true pioneer of abstract art . I am inspired by her mysticism, her interpretation of life, her use of color combined with geometry.
E&E: What a legend to leave such a legacy behind! And look- to inspire incredible artists such as yourself. She knew what she was doing. Mireia, what are some self-care rituals you use so you stayed charged up and don’t get burnt out?
M: I do not have any specific rituals. I just let myself be guided by my intuition day by day. Some days I am more positive, while other days negativity absorbs more of me. In those moments, I try to think more on happiness , the meaning of the life, and the role that makes me happy to play in society. My greatest element that makes me happy is the Sun. I greet it in the morning and feel its warmth. That is why the time of the year I love most is the summer. That is when I feel most motivated and energetic.
E&E: I am the absolute same. The sun is my everything. It brings me energy and joy. May I ask you when you are faced with creative blocks or challenges, like the one we are facing now worldwide, how do you keep on track ?
M:When I am feeling blocked or negative, I meet up with family or friends. They make me talk about other topics and keep my mind from going in loops. It is important to oxygenate yourself with people you love. They are a source of energy and support. Global problems can sometimes push you to feel a loss of hope in humanity, but I do not see a point in feeding those thoughts. My humble role in society is a drop in the bucket , and is part of the ocean. If that drop can inspire energy and encouragement to others, for me that is enough.
E&E: That is beautiful. Reminds me of a saying “ We are but one grain of sand, but at the same time the whole beach.” How do you want your art to affect the world and for people to feel when they experience it?
M: My main message is one of energy and positivity for the receiver and for myself. Today we are very aware of the complexity of the world and the human being, which can feel harsh and disheartening. I try to create art that pulls us away from negativity getting caught up with us every hour of the day. At a formal level, I often look for landscapes that do not exist, imaginary places, and abstract expressions so we can be carried away or transported to different places that feel good. It is color therapy.
E&E: Yes. Art is such an important tool to transmute that negativity and turn it into something beautiful. What kind of steps are you taking to make this world a better place?
M: Above all, consume in a sustainable way, travel less, use public transport, attend demonstrations that demand social rights to achieve a more just society. Small gestures in my daily habits, and maybe if we all join forces we can see some light. I think the new generations are especially aware of the intense world they are inheriting and are going to continue to fight for justice, peace, and the mending of all that has been done wrong.
E&E: I feel you.We have to have hope esp. in the younger generations to turn this puppy around. If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would it be?
M: Honestly, I don’t think about the past . I don’t think going back would teach me anything. Everything I have done in my life is without regret and has brought me an experience, especially the mistakes which have been the greatest points of learning.
E&E: That is beautiful. Words to live by , some quotes that have carried you through- do you mind sharing?
M: My memory is more visual, but I do remember someone once told me one day when I was very low in spirits: "There are no problems, there are only solutions". This phrase helps me when I feel myself getting caught up in a problem and I am looking for ways to solve it.
E&E: Yes! Everything seems of finding a way to work out. Can you please share a few of your favorite things ie: taste, colors, etc:
M: I love all colors- but especially Red. Red impacts me emotionally with its boldness, its duality of being the symbolism of love and also of blood. My favorite flavors are of watermelons , cherries , strawberries, and good red fruits that are of summer and heat. I love the smell of a place in the mediterranean called Formentera. It smells of figs and sea in the summer heat. I haven’t visited in a long time, but it still inspires me and many of my landscapes where sea meets the sun.
E&E: Wow. I would love to transport there right now . Can you please share a coincidence or funny thing that happened to you that affirmed you are on the right path?
M: Photography is another of the tools I use to reflect my work. I once photographed a stone and a toy elephant that I had previously painted, and posted it on my social media. I was surprised to receive an email requesting the price of the work. The reality was that it was only painted on the front, for the photo, at that moment I thought that maybe I should take it more seriously.
