J. Hill on the Work of Lorena Morales [Essay]

By J. Hill. August, 2013

Color, line, shape, texture; these are the elements that we most often refer to when describing someone’s artwork. Indeed Lorena Morales has mastered these elements. She uses the shimmering qualities of enamel paint in a way that creates a beautiful radiant glow. Likewise she has developed an ability to use line to create pattern like effects that repeat without ever being static or boring.

“She uses the shimmering qualities of enamel paint in a way that creates a beautiful radiant glow. Likewise she has developed an ability to use line to create pattern like effects that repeat without ever being static or boring.”

Yet to stop at the physical description of Lorena’s work would, in my opinion, miss the point and would undermine the experience of viewing them. The color, the line, the pattern in her work is all driven by her view of the natural world. That is to say her work begins with observation of nature; how one color effects another, how shadow interplays with light all to create an experience that vacillates from one moment to another. It is an experience that is alive, never static, changing as we move through it.

Back In her studio Lorena translates this experience by using color and pattern applied to a transparent acrylic support so that the patterned painting casts shadow and the color fills the space beyond what would normally be the canvas.

In this way Lorena creates an experience with her work. The room, not just the artwork is filled with color and crisscrossed by shadow. The room is no longer static; it is different depending on the light and upon your perspective. In this way, Lorena has not told us what to think or how to think about the world we live in but has given us a new set of glasses from which to view it. Through that set of glasses we see the world as a colorful dynamic and vibrant environment for us to experience.

J.Hill, Area Head, Sculpture Department
The Glassell School of Art
Museum of  Fine Arts Houston, Texas. U.S.A