For Chilean artist Camila Paz, moving to Australia not only allowed her to broaden her perspectives and connect with other creatives, but also marked the beginning of a process of selfexploration and empowerment as both an artist and a migrant woman. “My most recent work shows my own vision of feminism – the constant support, and sorority with other women; of being a bridge with women from all over the world, especially from South America,” she explains. With nearly a decade of experience working in graphic design and illustration, being selected as a finalist for the Southern Buoy Studios Portrait Prize in 2021 gave Paz the nudge she needed to begin painting in larger formats and experimenting with new materials and techniques. The self-taught artist favours watercolours, gouache and acrylic on canvas, marrying simplified shape with a pop-art palette in a thoroughly modern aesthetic. Flattened pictorial planes push elements forward, threatening to spill out over the canvas and resulting in vibrant, mood-boosting works that you just can’t help but be drawn to.
Featured image: Camila Paz, Azul – Blue, 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 91.4 x 91.4cm. Courtesy: the artist.