“I paint some of my best work on Artefex panels. I cannot give up canvas, there is something about the weave of this historic artists’ material that is integral to my oil paintings. Finding my favorite surface on top of a rigid support such as dibond therefore is like having the best of both worlds. Surprisingly, the lack of give which one associates with painting on panels is not a problem for a hardfast canvas painter such as myself, and I have adapted my style to work on this new substrate quite fluidly. I am happy in knowing that my paintings will last longer as well.”
About the Artist
Teresa Oaxaca is an American born artist based currently in Washington D.C. She is a full time painter whose works can be seen in collections and galleries throughout the US and internationally. Her talent has been recognized and rewarded by museums and institutions such as the American Museum of the Cowboy, The former Corcoran Gallery of Art, The Art Renewal Center, The Elisabeth Greenshields Foundation, the Posey Foundation, and The Portrait Society of America and the Museu Europeu D’Art Modern in Barcelona.
Her training includes a four-year diploma at the Angel Academy of Art (Florence Italy, Graduate studies at the Florence Academy, an Apprenticeship with Odd Nerdrum in Norway, and studies at the Art League of Alexandria VA where she trained with Robert Liberace, Paul Lucchesi, and took many other courses. Currently she teaches workshops around the United States and in Europe.
In addition to her studio work she takes a variety of portrait commissions including Family Portraiture, Professional/Business, Custom and Informal arrangements. She exhibits widely and sells her work on a regular basis. She also recently founded a fashion company called “House Of Oaxaca”, selling wares online at House of Oaxaca.
Within Washington D.C. she has participated with local groups such as The Esperanza Education Fund, The Arts Club Of Washington, The Art League School in Alexandria, VA and the National Education Association. In 2014 she became a member of the Young Partners Circle of The National Museum of Women In The Arts. She is also a registered member of the National Art Education Association (NAEA) and an Ambassador for the newly established Da Vinci Initiative, which designs and promotes skill-based learning and lesson plans for US K-12 public school educators. She is also a member of the Arts Club of Washington and the California Arts Club.
Artist Statement
“Since returning to the Washington D.C. area I have been focusing on creating a new and large body of work. My new series have taken me away from academic studies to more elaborate compositions which combine human and still life elements. In addition to this I now take on portrait commissions, and continue my studies in art by observing and copying the painting of the Old Masters in art galleries throughout the world.
My work is about pleasing the eye. I paint light and the way it falls. Simple observation reveals beauty; often it is found in the unconventional. Because of this I have learned to take particular delight in unusual pairings of subject matter. Frequently my compositions are spontaneous. When a person comes to me, they occupy a space my mind. Arrangements form from there until with excitement I see and have the idea. The design is both planned and subconscious. For this reason I surround myself with Victorian and Baroque costume, bones, and other things which I find fascinating- I want subject matter to always be at hand.
My paintings are created with oil paint on canvas. I am conscious of the traditional craftsmanship I have attained in Florence. While my interest in new pigments and tools may cause minor alterations in my materials, these really remain fundamentally the same. All my evolution is taking place on the canvas and in my head; in what I see in nature and interpret in two dimensions on the picture plan. I have the fundamentals of design to work with when planning a painting. I make preparatory studies. I use multiple layers to build an illusion of light and form. When this illusion is convincing and to my taste, the painting is done.”
