“My artwork expresses a yearning for connection, the power of human vulnerability as well as spiritual strength, and the often untapped powerful worlds that exist inside us all.” – Lorie Caval
Artist Statement: Lorie Caval, NYC-based artist.
People are so often left alienated, hiding the very parts of ourselves that make us unique and beautiful. We sometimes perceive ourselves as alone and incapable of connecting with the world, with one another, unable to give to – or create anything new with – one another. My artwork expresses a yearning for connection, the power of human vulnerability as well as spiritual strength, and the often untapped powerful worlds that exist inside us all.
20×16, oil and acrylic on canvas, 2014 “Heart Center” This painting is about a burst of feeling in my heart center (Anahata chakra), as I saw it in my mind’s eye.
As a self-taught artist, my approach to drawing and painting started as a means to express emotions – my own as well as the emotionality of the images I created. Before I knew the importance of technique, before I knew to learn from (or compare myself to) master painters, I felt the significance of creating space for expressing the authentic self.
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” 12×16″, oil on canvas, 2010.
The themes explored in my collections are mainly about identity, spirituality, dreaming, female energy as well as projects about capoeira (a Brazilian martial art which I practice) and a series about Puerto Rico (born out of a study-abroad trip that I took with Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute [CCCADI] in 2015).
“Flamenco,”18 x 24”, oil on canvas, 2008.
I found a beautiful photograph of the famous flamenco dancer, La Tania, and I was inspired to try and capture her majesty in a painting.
“Cowrie Shell” 2015, 8×10″, acrylic on canvas. This painting is a part of my Puerto Rican Series. I’ve always been drawn to cowrie shells and find them to be beautiful. I thought it was a great representation of Puerto Rico because cowries are easily found on the Caribbean island. As well, the cowrie is a symbol of spiritual significance for certain religions of the African-diaspora and throughout Latin America.
“Basquiat’s Crown and His Islands” 2015, 11×14″ oil and gold leaf on canvas. This painting is a part of my Puerto Rico series. While traveling in Puerto Rico, I noticed a lot of the street artists had incorporated Basquiat’s crown in to their pieces. I am a huge fan of Basquiat and it got me to thinking about how he still captures the imagination of so many people, how many feel strong affinities towards him, and how often his crown appears in all sorts of art. Being a self-taught artist, a native-New Yorker with parents of Puerto Rican and Haitian descent – I wanted to represent his multi-ethnic background by showing those islands – and his ubiquitous gold crown dominating the foreground.
“Soñando en Flamboyán Puertorriqueño” 2015, 18×24″, oil on canvas. This painting is a part of my Puerto Rican series. While traveling in Puerto Rico, the Flamboyan tree’s bright red pop can be seen throughout the otherwise green landscape. The Flamboyan is a typical symbol of the island. I created this painting about a girl taking a nap, curled close to a majestic Flamboyan, not just sleeping, but dreaming within it, as it blooms beautiful and bright with her imagination.
“Rastiera!” 2015, acrylic on canvas, 8z10″. This painting is a part of my capoeira series (capoeira is a Brazilian martial art). Here we see a close-up of one person’s foot on the floor, about to get a rastiera (a strategic sweep) by another person’s foot. They are playing inside of a capoeira roda (circle).
“Sardinha e Milagre” 2015, acrylic on canvasboard, 4×5″. This painting depicts two people playing capoeira (a Brazilian martial art). They’re female capoeiristas (capoeira players) wearing uniforms, doing typical moves in the roda (circle). There’s a spirit in the background planing birimbau (instrument used in capoeira). Sardina and Milagre are their apelidos (nicknames).
