CARLOTA PEREIRO – FULL COLOUR

Graphic designer for patterns and illustrator, this young Galician artist based in Madrid adds her characteristic and coloristic approach to all different types of techniques. We spoke with Carlota about her art, her perception and the infinity of creative possibilities.

So Blue: You’re 26 years old, when did you decide to devote yourself to art and design? Where did you learn?
Carlota: I don’t think it’s something you decide, it just sort of happens. I’ve loved art ever since I was little; I was always glued to paper and colored pencils…I also really liked Liberal Arts, Psychology, etc. But I ended up studying Business Administration, no one knows why.
When I graduated, I took a somewhat general Design course that included projects in fashion, interiors, product and graphic design. Then I took a masters course in Textile and Surface Design, which allowed me to apply my drawings, designs and patterns to any type of product: from ceramics to carpets, wallpaper, any type of textile product…and I fell in love with this world.
Meanwhile, I also began painting in a sort of self-taught manner, working in graphic design, taking on jobs in pattern printing, jewelry design…in short, I work on all sorts of projects coming my way. I am currently broadening my artistic education in the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid.
SB: What is your creative process?
C: I don’t have a set creative process, although I’m very much of a night owl; I do my best work at night. I’m pretty spontaneous when it comes to creating, but I always write down things I hear, read or come up with in my journals and take things from there. Other times, I start doing something without thinking and, as I advance, it suddenly dawns on me what it will finally become; but the background of the work is important, what you wish to transmit. If you like something visually and it also comes with a good story explaining how it came to be, then I guess it seems like it is doubly good.
SB: And your inspiration?
C: Great artists like Picasso, Basquiat, de Konning, Matisse, Karel Appel, Asger Jorn, Joan Mitchell, Baselitz… but at the same time I’m inspired by thousands of things every day! Looking at someone else’s work, or just keeping my eyes peeled on the street, reading, travelling, having an interesting conversation, listening to music…I think everything inspires in one way or another.

SB: Your aesthetic is very recognizable and coloristic, what does color mean to you?
C: For me, life is full of color. Emotions, life lessons, experiences…Everything is reflected in colors. Through color, I express my way of seeing things; it’s essential to me. Colors provoke very different feelings and emotions.

SB: You’ve touched on very different areas within the world of design; in fashion, collaborating with brands like Alvarno, illustration, pottery with pieces for the Thyssen museum…what is your favorite technique? And which would you not dare use?
C: The truth is that I think I would venture with anything! I love to try new things, in fact, I always think I’ll never have enough time to do all the things I want to do!
I don’t think I could pick out a favorite, as I think everything I do is interrelated…

SB: An artist you’d like to work with?
C:  I’d love to collaborate with a myriad of artists; I couldn’t pick one in particular because I love working with any individual who has ideas and believes we could pull off something great together.

SB: A city full of art in which to get lost?
C: So many! I could say Florence, London, Berlin, Lisbon…but there are also so many places I still haven’t discovered and am dying to go to like Valparaiso, for example.

SB: Where can we see your work next?
C: I’ve got various collaborative projects on the go, which I will unveil as they progress. I have products in the Thyssen museum shop and am creating small collections of my own for products such as leather printed handbags, kerchiefs, journals…that I display through my website and social media.
With regard to painting, I am currently preparing an exhibition in Santiago de Compostela, my home, for this coming Christmas and have the idea to also hold an exhibit soon in Madrid.

You can find Carlota and her work at www.carlotapereiro.com

Text Paula.
Photography Carlota Pereiro Cendón