Blog

Travel has long been a favorite activity for artists, offering inspiration on different fronts. Seeing new cities and meeting new people opens up a whole new artistic world, and it's common for artists to start working influences from a trip into their projects. These influences range from representational physical characteristics to abstract thoughts and emotions.

New Landscapes

At the most practical level, travel shows artists new landscapes and cultures that the artists can then work into their art. For example, artists from New England who travel to the desert Southwest and see those fabled sunsets in person could work those colors into their art. Those new scenes give the artists more material. Unusual landforms, stunning vistas, and even a different setup for a market layout can all form the basis for new designs.

Old Landscapes

Taking time away from their current city and then returning can also give artists fresh perspective. They may not have noticed certain features or behavior before their trip, but now they do, and their art shows that influence. For instance, an artist who returns to a large city like Los Angeles after traveling to a rural town may find the city's road layouts or skyscrapers to be more stunning than the artist had previously realized. The local plant life, for example, might suddenly seem so wonderfully familiar and comforting that it becomes the subject of a new series of artworks.

Experimentation

If travel does anything, it shows people that there is more out there than what they are used to seeing. There are more artistic styles to investigate, more emotions to ponder, more color combinations to test, and more patterns to discover. Artists who travel often find themselves taking more risks because they now know that their previous artistic paths were not the only ones possible.

If you'd like to see art that shows how travel can inspire an artist, check out abstract artist Nubia Gala. Gallery installations and exhibitions around the country and in her own private studio in  Katy, Texas, showcase her colorful, travel-inspired paintings. Art is meant to open minds, and travel-inspired art brings those world influences to you, visit my gallery at NubiaGala.com

Early this week I was presented with opportunity to travel to the UK for a few days.  Hmm…My first thought was:  Since I would be already on the other side of the ocean waters why not take a detour to Spain and walk the CAMINO DE SANTIAGO.  I heard about Camino de Santiago from a lady traveling on a train down from Machu Picchu 4 years ago.   
Walking at my own leisure for days sounds relaxing, meditative, enriching to my senses and adventuresome not to mention the benefit of getting the exercise.  Since I like to create my own personal experiences and be surprised I have done very little reading about it except for the weather and what to pack.I  Packed light 12 lbs. I will be walking about 200 km from Astorga to Santiago de Compostella the old fashion way:  Asking people. At the airport: Where is the train station? Where is the train to Astorga?, Where does the path to Camino starts? That way I will have nopressure of time constraints to meet hotel reservations.  I am leaving plenty of room to get lost and find myself again.  I am sure I will make it  to the right path  the Roman style: by asking.
Why Am I doing this? When life presents itself with opportunities I like to embrace them even if they look like hard work.   Since I took my first leap of faith when I was 17 and traveled to Mexico from Colombia and a year later I found myself in Canada, I am no stranger to adventures. It is just a way of life for me.  Back then I was supporting myself and learning about life not from books but from my own discoveries.  Later I hit the books and got a degree but I still believe, for my life as a creative being, nothing surpasses meeting knew people, seeing new places, tasting new flavors, hearing new sounds,  in an unfamiliar surroundings where I can be in the moment every moment. 
 

Looking forward to getting to Asheville!

click here 

ArtEtude Gallery presents abstract artist Nubia Gala and her original paintings during its much anticipated grand opening weekend, October 19-21, 2012. Artist receptions are Friday, October 19, 6pm to 9pm; Saturday, October 20, 2pm -9pm with jazz, hors d’oeuvres and beverages; and Sunday, October 21, 10am to 6pm at 89 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC.  All events are open to the art loving public.

A resident of Houston, TX, Gala brings her Colombian heritage to her canvas with passionate reds, mystic shapes and abstract passageways. The effect is a glimpse into something infinite and revelatory.  This is Gala’s introduction to the Asheville art scene.  She will join ArtEtude’s celebrated group of artists for the slate of weekend events.

Contemporary, sleek, eclectic and oh! so au courant, ArtEtude is Asheville’s newest fine art gallery and offers a captivating blend of stunning artwork and southern hospitality.  Gallery director Perry Magee said, “Nubia’s works will add another dimension of visible energy to our gallery.  Her colorizations are relevant and current.  Each piece will speak differently to the person viewing it.”  more here...

When is a painting finished?  When I sign it--but it is complete when you discover the message it has for only you.

...let the paintings speak -- have a dialogue with the painting.  You will find your own interpretation.

...The game of golf taught Nubia how to live her life. “I found solitude and meditation in the sport. Golf has always been a game that brings me to the point of quietness. And if you are truly in the moment, you enjoy the sounds too. There is conversation and laughter that goes along with the game. It’s not just about the score but about getting together and making real connections.”

Our connections today can be very superficial. We are so involved with email, texting and posting that real conversation is fleeting. It’s hard to get time for oneself. It’s difficult to spend quality time with a friend, family member or colleague. Playing 18 holes of golf together is a luxury. “I find it very refreshing,” says Nubia. “Going out and hitting balls sometimes changes my whole perspective of what is going on in my life at the moment.”

Nubia also combines her work with pleasure. You might find her out on the golf course early, breathing in the images, sounds and smells of the course.  She takes the impressions with her back to the studio and onto the canvas. Afterwards she’ll play a round of golf. And while playing, she observes how the golf course changes through the day. The inspiration she gets from golf and the courses help inspire her abstract paintings. In fact, Nubia says she’s begun to change colors now. While her recent work is filled with splashes of color and lots of reds, she’s is creating an abstract series that depicts the spirit of golf through a range of colors – from the natural colors of the landscape to the splashes of color worn by golfers on the course. This series will be on display in her studio-gallery in Katy."

excerpt from Women On Course:  Nubia Gala

  full story:
http://www.womenoncourse.com/tales/2012/08/member-focus-nubia-gala-seibert-2/

 memories of dramatic beaches -- I named this painting

White Caps...Nubia Gala