Get to know Marina Yepes in this heartfelt interview, where she opens up with warmth and sincerity about her artistic path and personal philosophy. With a genuine spirit and an open heart, Marina shares how art has been her lifelong companion, helping her to connect with her emotions and the world around her. Her sensitivity to nature, her introspective approach, and her unwavering authenticity shine through in every word. Join us as we delve into Marina’s world and gain insight into the remarkable woman behind the art—a woman who believes in the power of creativity to touch and transform us all.
What was the first thing that inspired you to pursue art? Is there an event or person that continues to influence your creative path?
From a very young age, I was interested in art. I remember being under the table before I even knew how to write, secretly painting in my grandfather’s encyclopedias. When I was four, I started private painting lessons, and at six, I received my first oils. I knew that when I grew up, I would become a painter. Art is my way of expressing myself, and while many influential people have crossed my path, I try to stay true to that innocent child who used, and still uses, art to express her feelings.
How do you think art can serve as a tool for personal transformation, both for the artist and the viewer?
I believe that for an artist, art helps to bring out everything within them; it’s like a channel that allows them to convey what their soul feels, and that’s liberating. For a viewer, it’s also transformative because they can connect with works that resonate with their essence.
You seem to explore deep emotional and psychological territories in your work. How do you keep yourself grounded while addressing such intense personal themes?
While creating, I feel as if I’m in a parallel reality. I enter a sort of trance where I know what I’m doing but don’t know where I’m going until the piece is finished. It’s difficult to explain.
As a Spanish artist, how does Spain’s cultural and geographical context influence your work? Do elements of Spanish culture appear in your art?
Partially, yes. I live surrounded by the sea and mountains, and even indirectly, you can see those textures reflected in my works. I also use limestone sand from the area as a symbol of my homeland’s roots.
Your art invites the viewer to connect with their own psyche. How do you hope your audience will interpret and interact with your work?
By simply letting themselves be guided by what they feel when they see the forms, colors, and textures created in the pieces. Each work can hold a different symbolism for each person, depending on their mood and life experiences.
You’ve exhibited your work in various galleries and museums, like the Museo Casa Orduña in Guadalest and the University Museum of Alicante. Which of your exhibitions has had the most personal significance and why?
All exhibitions are special, but I fondly remember my first professional exhibition at the Espacio de Arte La Barbera in Villajoyosa. It was during my first year at university, and I saw it as a way to affirm to my family and friends that I was an artist and that I was serious about it. I felt very happy to have all the people I loved close by, supporting me in what I really wanted to become.
In 2014, you won an international award from the Art and Disease Chair of the Polytechnic University of Valencia. How did this recognition impact your career and your understanding of art?
My project was one of ten selected across Spain, and it allowed me to become an international artist at an early age. It was a huge boost and recognition in the art world.
How does your background in photography and graphic design influence your approach to painting? Do these different forms of art intersect in your creative practice?
Photography and graphic design are tools that allow me to train my creativity daily, in a controlled way, toward an aesthetic goal. Painting, on the other hand, lets me unleash my creativity freely, to express what I feel. I could say that I use creativity for various purposes but always enjoy the process.
The relationship between the individual and their inner landscape is fundamental in your work. What are some recurring themes or emotions you explore in your art?
During the creative process of each piece, emotions transform, but whatever they may be, the piece isn’t complete until the emotion I feel is of a high frequency.
You’ve mentioned that each painting is an attempt to decipher the symbolic language of dreams. Are there recurring symbols in your work that hold special meaning for you?
Yes, after finishing a piece, I often see elements that evoke the sea, but I don’t like to discuss it much so as not to influence the viewer in interpreting what they feel.
Your work is deeply rooted in abstract expression and exploring the unconscious. Could you explain how you access your unconscious during the creative process?
I would say it’s a kind of trance where I let myself go without thinking, so I don’t consciously interfere with the creation of the piece.
You use music with high-frequency sounds to enter a meditative state while creating. How does this sound influence your art, and how do you think it shapes your work?
Music is very important during the process because it helps me reach this meditative state.
Has your life experience and journey changed your approach to art? What’s the biggest lesson that art has taught you?
Yes, over the years, I’ve realized that art is a part of who I am; if I evolve, my art evolves with me. It’s a faithful reflection of who I am and what I feel at any given moment.
Why do you think it’s important for people to actively engage with art, whether as creators or as appreciators?
As a creator, because it’s a form of expression that needs to be expressed and shared with the world, and as a collector, because it’s an investment in something unique that can resonate with them and become part of their life.
What role does nature or the local environment play in your work? Does your environment affect your artistic process?
Yes, I live in the countryside, and being connected to nature, to sunlight, and in this environment allows me to connect with myself and, consequently, with my work.
How do you cope with creative blocks or moments when inspiration seems lost? How do you return to the creative flow?
In times of creative block, meditating while looking at the sea helps me return to the creative flow. Altea is a fantastic place to reconnect.
What is your attitude toward criticism? How do you respond to it? Does it ever influence your approach or work?
I accept constructive criticism. If it’s not constructive, I just let it go. Everyone can have an opinion, but I decide whether to take it or not.
Have there been moments when a particular piece or project changed your perspective on life? If so, could you share that experience?
Yes, last year, I took a training course in art therapy, where I saw how our unconscious constantly manifests in everything we create. Even if we try not to reflect something in a piece, it will still show without us realizing it. Learning to decipher what we unconsciously create is a good way to understand ourselves and practice self-healing.
To explore more of Marina Yepes’ artwork and delve deeper into her creative journey, visit her official webpage here: https://marinayepesart.com/