Born in Venezuela, Valentina Bilbao says she started painting before she learned how to write. Her bright, ink-splattered paintings transform the sounds of music into visual colors. “As a result, you can see and touch the music,” Bilbao says. The 38-year-old artist lives in Weston, where her acrylic paintings are available for purchase at L’angolo Furniture & Art. Her message is all about positivity and a love for life. “In my country, I used to work with special kids and kids that don’t have families because as much as I am an artist, I’m also a child psychologist. I used to show and teach them to grow a love for art,” Bilbao says.
What’s your first memory of doing something creative?
In my early childhood I remember how I spent many hours drawing, painting and creating different things with diverse materials like clay, foil paper and wood. I used to paint the backs of furniture in my house, along with everything in my bedroom. When I was in middle school, I opened an art place to teach kids to learn how to paint.
What inspires you?
Music. I feel like it’s a way to help me transform what I have inside into artwork. I need music and paint for a living. I believe they always go together, and sometimes I am able to paint the music itself. I connect with every sound, each instrument, the voices of the singers and the harmony…. My painting of ‘Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel is one of the songs that helped me make my artwork.
Describe your artistic style in three words.
Contemporary. Energetic. Dynamic.
What artists do you admire?
I love the texture and movements in Vincent Van Gogh paintings, and the energy in Jackson Pollock.
What do you want to express through your art? The power of love. The happiness of love and respect. The magic that is in everything all around the world, and the importance of art.
