Mary Halvorson's portrait at Jazz Magazine

Spring's arrived here! Flowers are blooming, and I had the finest gift today.

One of my drawings was chosen to feature in David Cristol's latest article for Jazz Magazine. The photos are from Petra Cvelbar, and the article is about Mary Halvorson's most meaningful albums in her life. A breath of fresh air :) 

A part of the article is online (in the previous link) and the other part of the article is in store's, in the latest Jazz magazine issue.

When I did this portrait of hers, the sun was shining, the weather was sweet, I was at one of the most fascinating gardens in Lisbon, and thrilling music festivals: Gulbenkian's Jazz em Agosto! And I had one of the most original guitarists playing at my front (blessed Mary!), and some of the most inspiring colleagues by my side: the photographer Petra Cvelbar and David Cristol. 

The trine is now reactivated with our joint work here. As in Gestalt, the result is bigger than the sum of the parts. So happy about that! May new adventures follow.

A while ago, I wrote some more about David here. You can find some of his work here, and some of Petra's here. Enjoy!

The right place (Joana Bernardo | Radar)

This must be the place © Rita Draper Frazão 2019

Radio Series

A couple of weeks ago, I started a new project for my blog, and this is my first publication about it. This new adventure of mine, is something I had in mind for years. It's about my favorite Radio Hosts, and I called it Radio Series.

In the following times, I will publish some articles and drawings here, about each one of them.

I feel like the radio keeps me company, and makes me happy in a deep way, as music does.
Radio programs and music are something one can't grab or touch. One can listen (and sometimes see). Differently from other visual arts, the no images attached space these two provide, allows me to fill that gap with my imagination. The result is what you can find in these Radio series. May you hear the sound in these drawings and texts.

My first stop is at Radio Radar. Enjoy and join me in the ride!

One of those things

Way before I met Radar's radio host, Joana Bernardo, seems like our lives were already linked. 

While a child, Joana was friends with persons that used to spend Summer Vacations in a house owned by my family. We never met back then.

We've just found out about this, many years afterwards, when we studied together at the fine Arts School, in Lisbon. That's how we met.

Then, in 2009, Joana started to work with Radar, hosting the show Bairro do amor (in English, something like the love district). That's also the title of one of the most iconic Jorge Palma's album, a landmark in the Portuguese music scene.

Turns out, Palma, in different times, also went to that same house. He even wrote a song about it, and recorded it in his Voo Nocturno album.

In the end, the link between these unexpected and seemingly disconnected facts, between Joana, the radio show, Jorge Palma and I, is just one: music. 

Radio peek

Despite our friendship of years, I had never made before, a portrait just from her. This time around, it was mandatory for me, that this series, started with the drawing and article I did about her. She was the first person I contacted to do so, and the first one to accept my challenge.

Joana and I, didn't see each other for a while. Arriving to the radio, I was a bit afraid our catching up could interfere with my focus on the drawing. But, fortunately, things came across the other way around: the conversation flowed, with my ideas, and I think I must've done her portrait in minutes!

Type of Language

I need to mention this chick did a master in contemporary editorial and typographical practices. In that context, she made a book called 30 anos 8 dias. It's about the daily life of a group of creative people around 30 years old. I found it a true archive for the future. 

In the context of this radio series, that book's relevant to mention, to emphasize the curiosity of this radio host, in knowing different things, different people, and different ways of doing things, daily. I see that same openness in her musical choices in the radio - that can include, pop, new wave, rock, jazz, hip hop, reggae, folk, grunge, or r'n'b. All wrapped up, in that clear voice of hers. Worth to mention her diction, that reminds me the finest porcelain.

Nowadays, one can hear Joana at Radar FM , live from Monday to Friday, from 14h to 17h (GMT), in Comércio Livre - Monday to Friday, and in Álbum de Família - Wednesday at 14h, Sunday at 12h and Monday at 23h. Podcasts can be found here.

In the Radio's studio, there were some typography elements, that reminded me, of our common graphic design background. Somehow, I wanted a reference of it, in this drawing. So, I later stamped This must be the place, with types of several alphabets of my personal stamp collection - that I have been making, ever since I am a little kid. Loved playing with them, and still do! 

These typographic choices are, therefore, are an allusion to that diversity I find in Joana, to the text, and to our childhood - the period where our lives started to be connected, at distance. 

The right place

About the portrait, itself, I started to chose which color I wanted it to have, and why. For Joana, I wanted something airy, sweet, and unattainable (a cloud, a scent, a steam one can't grab, as the radio) - a hue almost confusable with the background white. Something reservedly mysterious and alluring, at the same time.

Here's someone who looks at things with sharp eyes, and makes them objective - as if that was simple! In my vision, that required a fast drawing with simple lines, to match.

During our drawing-talky session, I got to know Talking heads is one of Joana's favorite bands. This must be the place (Naive Melody), is both the title of the Talking Heads' song, and my portrait of Joana Bernardo. The song is 36 years old, and still so actual. It's also one of my favorites tunes of this band. I chose this specific song to her portrait, due to its airy, exotic & in vogue tone. I see so much of that in her.

This must be the place is said to be Talking heads' first love song. But not a common one.
They had had the genius of writing a love song, out of pure joy, without making it look tacky. So many bands trying to do now, what they've accomplished almost 40 years ago. They were breaking ground for the future to come.

And Joana Bernardo is also that type of being, who thinks ahead - as if that pinky steam in her drawing, could vaporize the world to come, and inspire it to be, the place to be in.
The better place I'd want you, Joana and me, to be in too. As in the lyrics of this song, Feet on the ground, head in the sky. I guess this must be the place. A match made in heaven.

The next Radio series

Curious to know who am I writing and drawing about next?
I am preparing some really cool stuff for the next chapters, and more exciting contents will come soon! Stay tuned, and don't miss a bit!

The magic pass of Beautify Junkyards & Nina Miranda (Smoke City)

A bit more than a week ago, between pouring rain, and a bit of wintery cold, thankfully, the band Beautify Junkyards did a concert to warm my heart!

And special guests, such as Nina Miranda, from Smoke City, and other surprises, were there to spice things up. Want to know more? Keep reading, and join me in this magical mystery tour. 

________

Beautify Junkyards created an event called Sonhos Tecnicolor (Technicolor Dreams). It was in that context, that they prepared this special night. There was cinema in the beginning, two concerts and a dj set. My drawings you can see here, accompanied its making of, and premiere. 

The process

I'm getting more aware that my musicians' drawings are not just about the musicians, the music, and the concert, but they hold something more conceptual, and deep, that requires time. 

Usually, I just draw musicians while they are performing on stage, during the concert (and paint them after if necessary). This time around, was a bit different, since I had the privilege to also draw them during their rehearsal, and sound check. It made sense to witness their creative process, and hopefully that translated into better portraits. Here are some of the drawings made, and my thoughts about them. Enjoy!

Beautify Junkyards

I was the only non musician element besides the band, during the rehearsal. It was a privilege. When I entered the room, and saw all those posters from the band Hipnótica, I said something like: hum, this band was nice!, and the bass player of Beautify Junkyards, Sergue, said, well, that's us! It was a good sign to begin with!

João Branco Kyron © Rita Draper Frazão

My portrait of Beautify Junkyards' male singer, João Branco Kyron was started during this rehearsal, and was finished, the day after, at Music Box, where the concert took place. 

During the rehearsal, he mentioned this 7 herb incense, and lit one stick, during the session. While in the concert, he did that too, and read a little bit of the text in the box. It said something about chasing away bad energies and evil spirits. Good old Egyptians have a saying that says that when the angels present themselves, the devils abscond. Bogus or not, the truth is, that things ran smoothly! 

He also spoke about fixing some stuff in the world. Found it interesting, and made me rethink about his chosen name, Kyron. I immediatly thought of Greek mythology's Chiron, the wounded immortal healer, that was also a teacher. Connecting the dots, I thing we've all experienced how music can be therapeutic and educating. 

Regarding this portrait, his launchpad gave me the basic motto for the background. I also thought about conveying some 70's energy, and a Kraftwerkish vibe, that João exudes. But it wasn't just that. The colors chosen, had in mind the nature (the indie folk - green hues), versus the metropolis (the electronic - the silver color, hard to perceive correctly through a scan...), with the joy showing up (the happy pops - all the other colors), and João infusing himself, in the middle of it all. (overlaps, contaminations) There's something oneiric about him, in the most utopian sense possible. I also made sure the circle colors in the the portrait's base, are seven. 

After all, this portrait, could be a film frame, something poetic, spiritual, sharp and visionary, all at the same time. Like him.

António Watts © Rita Draper Frazão

Here's António Watts, the drummer. It was hard to draw him! If it wasn't the fact that I was present during the sound check, this drawing just could've not been possible, because he was in the back and the lighting wasn't good. (That was why I couldn't draw Sergue...)

So, during the sound check, I was on stage, right next to Tony, drawing him - an impossible thing to do, during the show.

He doesn't play with cymbals, and uses a funny brass object (that inspired the one you can see in the drawing) as a percussion item. In my drawing, a lack of hair is giving him the special power to transport a bit of him and his abstract concepts into the music! Spreading the groove!

Fe Rita (Helena Espvall) © Rita Draper Frazão

Ahhh... Helena... Helena Espvall is beauty, hope, lavender, sweets, sea breeze and all the things I can remember that resemble to the/my meaning of the word fe. 

I know Helena for a little while, now, and have made some drawings from her, through the past years. We became friends, and I affectionately usually call her, ever since, my fairy. 

But, it was only on our way out of the rehearsal of Beautify Junkyards - where she plays both as a guitar and cello player - that I told her the only word I knew in her mother tongue (Swedish) - Fe. 

Fe means fairy in Swedish and faith in Portuguese. (And I can relate both meaning so much to her!!) But the most surprising thing for me, was that, right away, she said: Oh! But do you know what Rita means in Swedish!? 

and I said: No!

and Helena topped off: It means to draw!

I just couldn't believe it! This was too good to be true. Without even having anything made any drawing from her that night, the concept of her portrait was already casted in my mind.

This, by itself, is extremely unusual in my work process, when drawing musicians. I don't think of anything previously, I actually usually avoid doing so. But Helena was the first exception.

That same night, I came home wondering how could I include these two words (with sense) in her portrait. I first thought of a sentence or a poem in the drawing. So, at really late hours, that same night, I asked Helena's help to form a sentence with these two words. But I wanted all this to be a surprise, so I couldn't tell her why I was asking such things. She must've thought I was mad, asking her at 2 am to join in a sentence two unlinkable words in Swedish! Tetric!

Turns out that, according to her, to make a Swedish sentence with sense, the word Rita had to change and that couldn't be, because Rita is my name, and that's how it's written in Portuguese. I thought: No problem, I'll sort a sense out through the drawing itself. I mean, I had to!

I slept on it, and the next day, while in the sound check, I had the idea that made the whole concept of the drawing. I decided this was going to be my first portrait, not only from a musician, but clearly about my relation with this person. And mine and Helena's definitely started due to my drawings, so I included my hand and pencil with the brand Rita, writing the name I always call her!

The colors and materials chosen, have to do with the magic she has. It's just unexplainable and so present in her. A spiritual lilac with a magic potion inspired by the glittery eye shadow she wore that night.*

(* This is another drawing hard to be fairly perceived though a scan, due to its sheen) 

Rita Vian © Rita Draper Frazão

Rita Vian has a literary surname. I love Boris Vian so much, that I think, that was almost the first thing I spoke to her about, when we met. She's the female singer of Beautify Junkyards. Fresh, sweet and strong, detail oriented, even in her clothing! I was amazed with the fact that she did her own dress that night. It deserved life in my drawing too! An inspired golden hue is enlightening Rita and she's gracefully transforming it back to the public, in a swan dress movement. As she, in real life, did. Beautiful!

João Pedro Moreira © Rita Draper Frazão

And about this drawing, I'll tell you a secret: it's unfinished. But there are two reasons why I still included it here.

The first one is, that I didn't know, but one of the very first contacts I had with Beautify Junkyards' music, was through João Pedro Moreira's work. He not only plays guitar is this band, as he's a director and did this amazing video for their song Aquarius. I just love it so much!!
He is also the author of other videos, like this one, for Buraka Som Sistema.

The second one, is that the fun of its making is worth telling you here.
I tried to draw João several times, during the concert, but my task was creatively hampered, to the point he was joking at me, while performing, during the concert, daring me to draw him, moving as hell, deliberately. We both laughed so hard!! The result is here - João active and in motion! Like in the movies :)

Second Part with Nina Miranda

Natty Fred © Rita Draper Frazão

This one is Fred Munguambe, a.k.a Natty Fred. He played with Nina Miranda on the second part of the night. This drawing's about his languid earthy vibe. I envisioned earthy stuff when I chose the color and material to draw him: beige and a pure graphite pencil. 

Somehow, his performance and vibe made me think of the things that still have to come up from an almost blank page, with time, patience, resilience and work. Concepts like sustainability, a healthy planet, increasing nature, more electricity less fuel fossils, enriched human resources and social justice, crossed my mind, as the omnipresent things, in the white of this portrait, one can not see. There's still so much work, all of us have to do!

Real MC (Anselmo Hael) © Rita Draper Frazão

Anselmo Hael's entrance on stage was majestic, to say the least. His hat had to be swapped for a crown in my drawing!
Even though he had a small participation in Nina's show, his energy was strong and his speech incisive. And he sprinkled everything with hope and so much gusto. A true master of ceremonies. My Real MC.
I, actually, thought of the double meaning of the word Real in Portuguese - both mean true and royal. A pun as a gift, for a gifted word player.

iZem © Rita Draper Frazão

Jérémie Moussaid Kerouanton a.k.a iZem, had previously masterminded a version of the song Água Viva with Nina Miranda. Based in Lisbon, it seemed only natural that, in this concert, he also sang and played guitar along with Nina Miranda.

His face sketch, was started during the soundcheck (where he had a red cap, and later changed it). His guitar was also red. The drawing was completed during the concert, and the rest was finished later.
Turns out, the color red also suited what I wanted to say about him. Red: the color of ignition, of daring initiatives, and of alert.

And his resume can also be considered a red alert for those who don't know his work yet! He's worked with people such as Gilles Petterson, Solange Knowles (Beyonce Knowles' sister), Jose James and Mayra Andrade, just to name a few. He is also one of the artists of Enchufada, Buraka Som Sistema's label.

Having in mind iZem is an all-in-one package (a music producer, a dj, and a musician) I wanted to portray here, the true music octopus, that he is - with his tentacles (here represented by the strings of his guitar) reaching out to the world!

Bird Nina (Nina Miranda/Smoke City) © Rita Draper Frazão

Last, but not the least, my birdie Nina Miranda, from Smoke City. The special star of the night!

She not only sang her own things, as in the first part of the show, she also sang with Beautify Junkyards.

So good to see her again! I have the feeling Lisbon loves her, and she loves us too :)

 In the middle of the concert, she asked to the audience: "Where are the bird sounds out there?" Needless to say, the most beautiful birds are inside you, Nina! And more! The whole Amazonas, the skies, the colors, the stars, the animals, the children, the oceans, the waves, the rhythm, freedom, love and so many other things. 

It somehow reminded me, of the sounds and of this passage in Smoke City's Giulietta:

Do you know 

To be happy we must wake up 

A mixture of an underwater blue Pisces finding her school fish and my bird Nina finding her flock of birds. That's what this drawing's all about.

Finally, I need to mention that during the concert, I was intrigued with this girl taking pictures with a crystal in front of her lens. I'd later see her work, online, afterwards the show... And I truly loved it, to the point I wanted to mention it here. I mean this has nothing to do with the regular concert photos one's used to see. (Find the ones from this gig, here) I just loved her framing and lightening composition sense. Like in fine art :)  Here's a photograph she took me, while I was drawing.*

See more of Ana Viotti's work here. It's worth it!

* Used here with her permission.

During the concert of Beautify Junkyards, João Branco Kyron made several references. One of them, made me think about the contribution this music makes, in order for us to live in a happier and better place. A magic pass. That was the exact sensation I had when I came back home from the show. Wide technicolor dreams, but better: these were real.

My drawings at Jazz Magazine

Upper East Side (John Zorn) © Rita Draper Frazão

Jazz Magazine is one of the oldest Jazz Publications in Europe. It's based in Paris, and exists since 1950.

I feel like it's so hard to be a music critic, in the sense that judging might be easier than transporting the reader to the place, the people, and the specific sound, when the person wasn't there.

The author of this article, David Cristol, did more than that. 

As if incarnating Proust, he made me dream, and provided a wide variety of references that framed the context in an extremely rich way. To the point that I feel like writing about him, instead of writing about the concert, the musicians or my drawings, as I usually do.

I just loved this text, it was a pleasure to read it (even though my French is so rusty!). It also reminded me the days I lived in Milano: i gelati, il duomo, la scala, i Sforza e Leonardo e sopratutto quella lingua la cui pronuncia e suono is to die for.

One could tell, David's references are wider than music. The sensibility to, for example, connect the dots between a Aleister Crowley and this concert, could only come from a very observant personality, a cultured person and from a peculiar being.

Along with this review, are two drawings of mine. One from John Zorn and the other one, from Bill Laswell. You can see the whole thing, my drawings and David's wonderful text, here! 

It was a team work. Thank you so much for inspiring me David! Hope it inspires you all as well! 

Bauhaus in Lisbon

Revitalizing English post punk, last Saturday, the band Bauhaus played in Lisbon. 

This concert made part of their 40th anniversary tour, Ruby Celebration, and counted with a completely sold out concert. 

The public averagely went from their 30's to their 50's, and everybody dressed up to the occasion. This was no detail since, being a visual artist, I figured the ambience vibe was visually quite interesting. It seemed, to me, like a trip back to the punky 80's: lot's of black, leather, spikes, skulls, smoke, make up, chains, glittery mohicans, and vampire looks. This had to inspire my work. 

I've made live drawings during the show, from two of the original members, still in the band.

A guy with a vision © Rita Draper Frazão

The first one is my portrait of the bassist David J. , or a guy with a vision. 

Love his playing, and somehow I feel like he puts a "J stamp" in everything he does. High contrast and black just had to be there. This is about his striking ideas, and his visionary sight. Unforgettable.

Peter Murphy © Rita Draper Frazão

Last but not the least, here's my portrait of the lead singer of Bauhaus, Peter Murphy.
Seemed to me, since the minute he popped on stage, he was flirting with the audience, purging his demons and challenging the public to do the same. And what else could be as alluring, as bloody red (lipstick)? I didn't have one with me, but thought I'd be a trooper to borrow someone else's, which I did. Besides that, pressure determines the tone: pencil always gives me some hues and opportunities, like no other material does. It's about a lonely and errant speech, theatrically trying, and captivating other's attention, as the taming fox in Little Prince's did. My materials of choice were picked. 

Concerning one of their greatest hits, Bela Lugosi's dead, David J once said in an interview: A vampire can never retire from being a vampire, because that's for eternity. So it is Bauhaus' music and legacy.
I think Béla Lugosi must be, by this time, very grateful. And so are we.


This article and drawings are dedicated to my dear friend Renata Candeias.

Prince João Figueira Nogueira

It was back in the days of Casa d'Os Dias da Água that I've first met João Figueira Nogueira, but it was only years later, that we became friends.

João passed away, days ago. 

We said the final goodbye to him today, in Portugal's day of Freedom, the 25th of April with a glorious sun shining, and flowers (carnation revolution) all over town. 

A day full of color and light to him. Sure deserved and appropriated.

João worked with costume and set design. I remember his set of different shoe laces, with several colors he combined according to his outfit. It was just a slight manifestation of his acute aesthetic sense, always present.

Still so vivid in my mind, his scratched voice, amongst his will to see things, until the end. Last time I met him, was a couple of weeks ago at the theatre.

Wherever he went to, even when he was most ill, João had an aristocratic countenance that led me to affectionately, call him Prince. 

Not long ago, I have made a portrait from him, and he took this picture of me, doing it. 

According to his visual precepts, I had to chose the majestic golden color, to wrap him.

So here it is, my tribute to a friend who will always be a bright star, for all of us.

My next Portrait, You!

New Self Portrait © Rita Draper Frazão

Hi everybody! A lot has been going on: new projects, new persons in my life, new me! Hence, I also felt the need to make a new self portrait.

I have so many persons asking me about my portraits.

So, I decided to do an article as a private tour of my drawings, my story and relation with portraits and new ideas I'm having.  

If you want to be my next portrait, keep reading. This is for you!

My Roots in drawing

For you to know the point I'm at now, I feel like, I need to share with you a bit of my personal story.

I love persons! That's why the tagline of this blog is, Ideas with people.

It was from early age, that I've developed curiosity about the other, the gusto of listening their stories, see the essence of the person, and try to convey that, in my artistic work.

I don't remember when I made my first portrait. But I know, that when I was about six years old, I've portrayed my Mum "officially", because she still has that drawing. I could barely write, but in that portrait, I drew her hairstyle, her glasses, her multiple color striped shirt with detail, her sandals, and even the sofa pattern where she was sat. According to my parents, I'd spend hours drawing, it was my favorite play. I think it still is!

Overtime, and regarding arts, I had several important teachers. Here, I will speak just about the ones, that, somehow, are related to my portrait practice.

Sweet Child of mine

Within drawing, portraits have a special place in my heart.
I grew up with it. I come from a family of artists, and my grandmother, Ildema who was a painter, did a lot of portraits too. She was my first real art teacher, during my childhood. And one I will never forget! It was with her I've learned all the drawing basics, for sure!
She was, also, the one that has taught me the importance of drawing daily, and to have a sketch book, always close, even beside my bedside table.
As a child, I was a model for some of her portraits, and later on, she was my model too (see here and here).
One of her wise advices was that hands and feet were the hardest to draw.
I wanted so bad to learn how to do it, that it led me to draw many. Ever since, I became an enthusiast of that theme. And it's kind of crazy to think how it's still, so very present in my work now!  Some examples of that are Helena Espvall's hands portrait, or Miguel Mira's foot.

Back then, and for a long while, my uncle Zé - that is also an artist - had his studio at my grandparents' place, where I'd spend afternoons after afternoons watching them (him and my Grandmother) paint.
I admired his obsession with painting, his surrealistic imaginary and his technique. I think kids are like sponges, and they can learn so much just through observing. 

My Father's inspiration, artsy stuff at hand, in our place, and in his architect studio, were very important too. And I don't mean just paper and inks, but musical instruments along with other things as well. In fact, this self portrait you see above, was made with colored pencils, that once belong to him. His influence was absolutely crucial in my life choices. And a lot more would have to be said regarding that.

My grandmother, Néné, and my Mother, were another major influence on my way, and in my deep love for Art's History that, later on, would reveal to be fundamental for my portrait practice.
My mother's graduated in History, and my grandmother was a living Art, Literature, Poetry, Travel, Languages and History encyclopedia.

Mum's always handed me a lot of history books. But two of them were special. One was about Ancient Egypt in particular, and the other one was about Everyday life in Ancient Art. Both were packed with illustrations, and photos that kept me dreaming. Eventually, those two became my favorite childhood stories. One can see a direct reference to this in my Hamid Drake's Egyptian God inspired portrait.

Also, I grew up with family and friends from several countries always around. I think, growing up in such a multicultural environment, has helped me a lot with being curious towards what was foreign or unknown. And portrait also became a way to overcome that. All this was very important for me and, and also the literary inspiration I got from here. Another theme, for another story!

Smells Like Teen Spirit 

For four years, Dina Gimenez and Patrícia Fonseca were my teachers during high school, and both have been absolutely instrumental. 

It was with my teacher, Dina Gimenez, that I've found my favorite ancient portraits, such as Romans' psychological portraits, and Minoan portraits, just to name a few.
I had such strong Art's History basis with her, that I never really had to study it hard, when I was in college.
She also helped to plant the photography seed, raised the team working spirit, and made us try different painting materials.

Dina was one of the teachers that led and supervised our work, for the biggest school party at the end of the year (called the Smashing Awards), so that an artistic work of excellence could be done.
We were involved in the whole visual concept of it, working for months, in costumes, prizes, props and theatre settings. I have so many good memories of this art laboratory-factory classes! With us all happy working, like ants, and knowing that, in tiny pieces, we were all laboring for the big picture, for the common good. A remarkable experience for the rest of my life!

One can see a bit of the traces Dina left in me, through some works that relate particularly to experimenting, Art's History and Photography.
 Some examples are in the content of my exhibition in Zaratan, in my illustration from a text of Bataille, inspired by the Katsushika Hokusai's wave, in the photos I took for my article about Coimbra, or in my group work with And Lab.

In this other Art Subject we had, there was some sort of suspense in the beginning of the year, since we were with a substitute teacher and didn't quite knew what was going on with our real teacher.

That happened because Patrícia Fonseca lived in Macao (China) for several years, and I suppose that due to it, she had some extra time off.
I was so happy to meet her afterwards and I had no idea how this person and would later be a key figure to me. It was definitely worth the wait!

When her classes finally kicked off, she blew my mind with her instigating drawing exercises. It was a boost in my visual synthesis capability. She also instilled in me the possibility of the graphic narrative, which is not surprising, since she's a brilliant comics author! For years, she's worked for the Macanese press. And boy, was I fascinated by the Universe she brought from her China years! Won't forget the day I saw her book Um caso de Ópio (A case of Opium with Carlos Morais José), during one of our art classes, twenty years ago. It was an eye opener!

She was also the first one to commission me, works of illustration and writing about music for the School Journal. My first press collaboration! Funnily enough, back then, I wrote an article about the Smoke City band, with whom I would work many years later. Who would've guessed that?

Besides that, I loved her living in the clouds, kind of almost permanent, state! She has inspired me in a way, very few did. An example of that, is my Stars Driller drawing, made in my graphic diary, in one of her classes.

And speaking of sketchbooks... I feel like she genuinely believed in my potential, and it was also her interest in my graphic diaries that kept me doing them until today! In fact, that graphic-chronicle-narrative axis, is still one of the basis of my work, today. Having this blog, with all its visual and written content is a great example of that.

Everything in its right place

My experience of entering the Fine Arts Faculty in Lisbon, was kind of surreal. I remember in the first days of college, it strangely felt like home. There was this weird, unexplainable, and really strong feeling of belonging to this place, where I had never entered before as a student.
My grandmother Ildema, my uncle Zé and my Dad all studied there too, and who knows if there was some sort of relation to this fact. Anyways, I simply felt I was in my element.

There, I was extremely lucky to have Américo Marcelino, as my drawing teacher. He is simply a true master in motivating students and conveying drawing techniques in a graceful way.

Funny, that his Phd thesis theme is the relation between optical devices and drawing, because one of the major things I feel I've learnt from him, is how to look and see. Or how to see and have a vision. Know what I mean?
(By the way, take a look at his impressive amount of inspiring drawings and portraits in the second part of his online phd thesis, here)

Also, he's pushed me to look, and find inside my personality, things I didn't know I had, and could bring to my drawings. Those drawing exercises changed my personality awareness. It pretty much changed my life, I have to say. I find this last aspect, regarding portraits, extremely important. 

I think that, that was the time I truly understood the psychological potential of drawing.

He's also found a way of making unforgettable our last day of classes with him, since he did a movie, with classical music and all of our best works. This was such a success that, he later told me, he started doing it every year. No wonder we loved him so much, and affectionately nicknamed him Superman ! 

Be my next Portrait

Writing about all those key figures and moments in my evolution process, can make you understand my work now, a bit better.

I'm truly passionate about depth and the conjuncture of people, things, and places. That being said, it's obvious why I mind so much about the personality of the person, and to what is happening in the moment that I'm making the drawing. So, for me, and depending on the circumstances, the personality and the moment are two ingredients that really need to be in a portrait.

When I think about drawing someone, I think about which drawing expression I want the portrait to have, which colors, textures, and senses that person carries in her soul. I feel like I need to adjust, all that, to the person standing in front of me.

I have been drawing lots of people, in the street, in public transports, in school, while traveling, during shows and now I feel an urge to draw people in other contexts too. I feel like there are endless possibilities here! 

A portrait is something that lasts and that doesn't resemble to anything else! It's a unique and unrepeatable moment.

Whoever's been portrayed by me, and feels like commenting it, please share your experience here!

And if you are interested in being portrayed by me or in having a portrait of someone else made by me, you can order it to me. Please send me a message for more details.

The portrait can be of yourself, to mark an important moment of your life, to make timeless a certain phase of your children or parents, to have your idol represented in a different way, a special gift to surprise your girlfriend, husband, best friend, or can even be a reminder of that special someone that's already gone. It's up to you!

My core concept in these portraits is that together, we can make unforgettable what we have best!