Presentation Pola Lopez

            I chose to do my presentation on Pola Lopez, a self-taught artist from Las Vegas, New Mexico. She became interested in art from a very young age and began to pursue it right after high school. She received a lot of inspiration from her father who encouraged her to follow her dream. Lopez has been a professional artist for over 25 years. She has also been based in Los Angeles but now resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She gets her inspiration from her native state and her images relay the unique culture of the New Mexico region. Though inspired by her home state, her art is relevant to Chicanx culture with images illustrating a heritage full of tradition and spirituality. She is a strong believer in the power of color to provoke, which is evident in her beautiful and vibrant works such as this one below titled Sophia in the Thorny Garden:

            Deciding who to do my presentation on was a little hard for me because I do not know of many artists. As I went through the list posted by Professor Lopez, I saw “Pola Lopez” which is really similar to my dads name “Paul Lopez.” I thought, “Maybe this is a sign.” So, I searched up her artwork and fell in love. I love her bold, vibrant color choices and unique style. The bright colors made Lopez’s art really stand out and made me decide to do my presenation on her. I also find the cultural influence displayed In her art to be pretty dope, such as the use of: nopales in the backgrounds, a pachuco skeleton to represent her father, and butterflies.