Meet Alicia Rodriguez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Rodriguez.

Alicia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have been working as an artist for more than 45 years. Born in New York in the 50’s, in a multi-cultural and multi-artistic family, and raised in Venezuela. Studied architecture at the Universidad Central de Venezuela and Fine Arts at the Escuela de Artes Visuales Cristóbal Rojas. Worked at Atelier Delta d’architecture in Paris France. Have been a Photography professor for the Graphic Design at Universidad Nueva Esparta and for Instituto de Diseño Villasmil de Leon. Art director in publicity and editorial companies.

Photography for public agencies and editorial companies was part of RADAR Centro de Arte y Ecología, Discussion, and growth for emerging artists, directed by Claudio Perna Conceptual Artist and photographer. Taught painting and photography at my private Studio in Caracas for 15 years. Moved to Florida in the 90s and started a company of Faux Finish and commission art, Fine Art Surfaces Inc. Got involved with a nonprofit organization for children with special needs, La Ventana de los Cielos, giving art lessons to the children. Learned gilding and Glass mosaic restauration in Florence Italy as part of a restauration program with UNESCO.

For the last 15 years working with mediums like fused glass, clay, and resin. I currently have a studio in Studio 18 where I give classes and develop my artwork. My work is based on my memories, roots, and experiences relating them to mythology and Alchemy. These paintings relate the Venezuelan diaspora to the Greek hell. The political exiles and the displaced lives are like crossing the biblical desert in search of the promised land that only exists in the Memory. Having grown up in a family with members who fought against dictators and suffered jail and torture from Hitler, Franco and Perez Gimenez I am not a stranger to the Feeling.

Now that I am living the horror of Dictator Maduro and had to leave forever the country where I was raised, I put it in my paintings their stories and mine, where every refugee can read his own story. I use many medias, tar and gold are the representation of the country that was rich and prosperous, and the verdigris is de color of hope that we can only find opening the Pandora box. “QUILT” is my new project. Like the myth of Ariadna I enter the labyrinth of my childhood memories and “fight” against contempt for the “feminine tasks” and winding the gold thread I go back to the 21st century where I understand and appreciate the work of these wonderful women without whom, the men of my family would not have been.

Seaming was a female space repeated for several generations of women in my family, my French grandmother embroidered as an angel. Widow and with her sons in WWII she started with other immigrants a sewing and embroidery group, embroidering tablecloths and other garments that allowed them to feed and raise their children during the depression in New York. My Venezuelan grandmother lived a comfortable life in a hacienda and taught the girls of the town to make their trousseau for the day they were married. They learned to take care of the house and the future Husband.

My mother, a new yorker graduated of Parson School of Design, knitted in the evenings with her friends while they drank gin and tonic waiting for the husbands to arrive from work to attend them. They have in common that it was a feminine space of time to talked about “women things,” secrets and Intimacies. Honoring these fabulous women I want to tell their stories through the quilt whose centennial function is to transmit information and tell the family history. Through my paintings, I bring the tradition into modernity and is the other link in the history of the women in the family.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
For me, the path of art has been an adventure. I wouldn’t say it’s easy, but I don’t think it’s more difficult than other roads. During these 40 years I have been able to do what I like and lived as I want, I’ve met fabulous people and seen amazing places I can not wait to see what tomorrow brings, is always something wonderful

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I make art, painting sculptures, glass, mix media, everything calls my attention. I usually paint and when I want to and breathe start a totally different project and experiment with all kinds of media.

Currently represented by:
-Weiner Museum of Decorative Arts. Dania Florida.
-Contemporaneo Asheville Gallery. Asheville North Caroline.
-Wynwood Art Gallery Wynwood Florida
-Ccucu Art Gallery Miami Florida
-Jorge Hulian Gallery. Miami Florida
-NSU ART MUSEUM FORT LAUDERDALE Store

Some Private Collections:
-Enrique Polanco CEO of Just Mad. Spain. Photography
-Luca Danese. Sub Secretary of State Italy. Paintings
-Ferrer Lehman Family. France. Glass and Collage.
-Petter Loftin. Former owner of Casa Versace. Custom art.
-Luca Minna. Ambassador of San Marino. Custom Art.
-Carlo Mario Camusso. Businessman in Fine Metal Trading. Venezuela. Painting.
-Among others.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me would be if through my work I can communicate with the viewer and see themselves in my memories and make them appreciate there own.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1101 Poinciana Dr. Pembroke Pines FL 33025
• Website: https://aliciarodriguezart.wixsite.com/aliciarodriguezart
• Phone: 7865432439
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @AliciaRodriguezArt

Image Credit:
Cristina Jaramillo

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