Virginia Arregui - Ceramic Tile Art - The New Version of an Old World Art

Virginia Arregui

Southern Highlands, NSW, Australia

Mediums: Ceramic Tile

Style: My own, don’t know but I’ve had some interesting definitions.

 

I have been a ceramic artist for over 15 years, initially creating designer home wares. My recent work has concentrated on a varied range of ceramic tile paintings. These paintings have really been inspired by the amazing tile murals that I’ve admired throughout Europe. I feel that my work is a modern day version of this old world ceramic art.

 

Coffee at Paddington © Virginia Arregui – Ceramic tile painting. - This painting was inspired by the beautiful terrace houses in Sydney, Australia. It shows how the old buildings work perfectly as a back drop for the modern coffee culture lifestyle of today. This painting was exhibited in the ‘Cutting Edge’ Masters of Contemporary Art exhibition in Florence, Italy in December 2012, and was also a ‘Selected Finalist’ in the 2012 Cliftons Art Prize.

My first experience creating

I always loved arts and crafts as a child, I always have the need to have something creative on the go. I decided to go to a ceramics class about 17 years ago and from that first lesson I was hooked! What a world of creative possibilities I saw before me, this could take years!

 

How long have you looked at yourself an artist?

Probably the last 3 -4 years, I think when you start selling your paintings you think it’s probably OK.

 

Is there a message you would like to convey to viewers through your art?

I try to create bright, happy and beautiful paintings that reflect wonderful memories and happy times. I hope that other people see that too and it makes them feel good. I want them to experience a sense of colour and the joy that it brings by looking at it, I love it when people can’t take their eyes off a painting, they are attracted to the colours and the beauty and memories they often have of the scene.

 

Balloons over Paris

© Virginia Arregui

Ceramic tile painting.

Once again the charm of Parisian streets captivate me. But I love to add all the extra colours that are coming from the balloons. This painting was sold through exhibition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is your creative process?

To create these paintings I start with unglazed tiles. I then lay them together and do my painting onto them, when that is finished I glaze the tiles and kiln-fire then to almost 1000 degrees Celsius, this takes about 24 hours to reach up to that temperature and then cool down enough to handle. I then piece the tiles back together to create the works you see here.

 

What inspirations do you have for your art?

I am really captivated by an urban landscape, the charming old buildings, beautiful colours and pretty streets. They lead me to wonder about the history of a place, the people who have been there before and events that have taken place. I think that is one reason why I really love the charm of the old buildings and lovely streets and towns in countries like France, Italy or Spain. I also think Sydney, Australia has some beautiful old Terrace houses which have inspired a number of my recent works.

 

The Way In or The Way Out? © Virginia Arregui - Ceramic tile painting. - When creating this work I was thinking about the way that people might view the door or doorway to their home. Do they see it as the ‘Way In’, to a safe and happy home, to comfort and relaxation, a way to escape the world OR as the ‘Way Out’, to freedom, to being able to be themselves or to escape unhappiness, misery or even abuse. So, ‘The Way In or The Way Out? Which one are you? This painting was sold through exhibition.

 

EXHIBITIONS

I have had 3 Solo exhibitions and have taken part in numerous group exhibitions and art prizes. I exhibited in Florence, Italy in December 2012 and am scheduled to exhibit there again in March and May 2013. I have another solo exhibition planned for September 2013 and am trying to arrange another solo exhibition for a little earlier in the year in Sydney also. I will also be submitting work to numerous group exhibitions and art prizes throughout the year.

 

Have you been selling your artworks?

Yes, I’ve sold quite a number of artworks to date. I’ve sold them mainly through exhibitions, group and solo.

 

Art Promotion Online

 On Facebook, Twitter and I have my own website. I also have interviews on YouTube and am a part of Vivid Arts Network (www.vividartsnetwork.net).

 

 

Red Bike and Blossoms

© Virginia Arregui

Ceramic tile painting.

Bright colours and the distinctly European bicycle are great inspirations for a number of my paintings, I find them so irresistible (don’t know why). This painting was exhibited in the ‘Cutting Edge’ Masters of Contemporary Art exhibition in Florence, Italy in December 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Influences

I love travel and different cultures, I’m always dreaming of far off places, and creating these artworks takes me away to my favourite places around the world.

 

Please recommend another admired artist

I love and am inspired by the work of Cuban artist, Jose Fuster. He is a ceramic and mosaic artist and painter and sculptor. He has practically mosaicked the whole town that he lives in and I think it is just amazing. He invests the money that he makes back into his local community through his art and has such great support and admiration from his neighbours and town. He is bold and his use of colour is fantastic. I love the sense of fun in his works, which is what really appeals to me.

 

Something interesting from my life

Well I really love to travel and especially to Europe. I was fortunate enough to be able to combine my two passions of travelling and Art in December when I visited Florence, Italy to take part in a wonderful international art exhibition there. This trip is the inspiration for my next solo exhibition which I am currently working on.

 

Annoying things some people say about my art

‘It’s great that you can make some money from your hobby’. And people ask how much money you make, I hate that! Isn’t it still a rude question? And my favourite ‘You’ve got time, you don’t work’.

 

Bistro © Virginia Arregui

Ceramic tile painting.

I find the charm of French streets so appealing, who wouldn’t want to have lunch at the ‘Bistro’. This painting was exhibited in the ‘Cutting Edge’ Masters of Contemporary Art exhibition in Florence, Italy in December 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regrets?

That I didn’t start seriously focusing on it earlier.

 

Future artistic plans

I’m really just going to arrange more exhibitions in different places. I am exhibiting in Italy again this year and then maybe New York is in the works. I’d really love to do some more local exhibitions as well, I just need to get some more paintings finished to exhibit. I’d also like to try a couple of experiments with different things I have in my mind this year, so I’ll see how they go (top secret, just in case they don’t work out!)

 

Advice for Artists

Do what you like and other people will like it too, I have to keep reminding myself of this! Use social media and the internet, it’s the best way to find out about things.

 

 

Virginia Arregui - Ceramic Tile Art - The New Version of an Old World Art

Southern Highlands, NSW, Australia

 

Website: Virginia Arregui | Twitter: @virginiaarregui | Facebook: Virginia Arregui Art

 

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