Raquel Tripp-Tamayo creates lovely, vibrant portraits of people caught in the act of everyday life. Although she now lives in Florida, USA, one of her favorite subjects is the people of her native Ecuador.
Cartuchos (22 x 24)
Sit back and enjoy as we have…
A conversation with Raquel Tripp-Tamayo
What does
creating give to you?
This is a gift from God
and I want to embrace it and perfect it as much as I
can. When I paint a portrait I try to understand the person and what they
are about, it makes me get in touch with other people's lives and stories.
When I finish a portrait the best reward is seeing the client's reaction to
the finish work. The joy that my work brings them, fulfills me.
You began
creating art when you were 12. Have you created art ever since?
Yes, even though I went
to business school I always found time to paint.
After obtaining an MBA, I started my family; my husband has been very
supportive and has helped me continue my passion for painting.
What motivates
you to create?
As a teenager I was
inspired by the Indigenous people of my country, the
colors of their clothing, their music but most of all their expressions,
which reflect the hard life they live. The challenge of painting a portrait
is not about getting the right features but capturing the personality and
the feelings of the subject.
You paint
people, do you have them sit for you or use photos?
I
prefer to paint from life, but it is not always possible, so
I use photos that I take in my studio or in the case of the indigenous I use
photos that I've collected throughout the years.
Red hat (23 x 16)
What
attracted you to the oil pastel medium?
One of my instructors in
Ecuador
demonstrated various mediums which included
oil pastels. At that time I preferred oils and when I tried the Oil
Pastel I loved them because they had some similarities to oils, were
portable, require less preparation/clean up and were not too expensive.
What
artists inspire you?
Sargent, Sorrolla and Royo
Samuel (20 x 24)
Your
paintings are very detailed and vibrant. How long does a painting typically take
you?
About two weeks for
indigenous and three to six months for commissioned
portraits.
What techniques
do you prefer to use in Oil Pastel?
I prefer to put them on
thick so that it is easier to blend the colors and
get the effect of an oil painting.
What brand of
OPs do you use the most and why?
I use Sennelier, the
pigment is very vibrant just the way I like it. Their
consistency is creamy which allows for a better blending on the paper.
What surface
do you like to use?
Recently I started using Sennelier oil pastel pads, which have a good
texture and the surface is perfect for oil pastel. However, I am used to
Canson paper. I prefer darker and earthy tones, which gives a better
contrast to the pigments.
Silver earrings (12 x 16)
How do you
keep oil pastels from being too soft in a warm climate?
I lived in the capital of
Ecuador,
Quito, which is located in the Andes
mountains, so the weather is pretty mild and very pleasant all year long.
Therefore I never had issues with the softening of the Oil Pastels.
However, I reside in Florida
and when painting outdoors the oil pastels do
soften, which gives the painting a very smooth look and makes for easy blending.
If you could
give one piece of advice to someone starting with Oil Pastels, what would it be?
Oil pastels don't come
easy, take your time and practice on different
surfaces, and different techniques. Don't give up, they are really worth it!
Taking a break to smile (23 x 16)