Andrea Castro, an artist living and working in Spain, creates bright, colourful paintings that blur the line between abstraction and portraiture. We love how loose and intuitively Castro applies paint and how each gesture adds to the stories they tell.
In her work, Castro uses both literal collage and fragmented paintings that are very collage-like. In "Shame," the contrast between the fully rendered lips against the quickly painted blue shirt and the flat background colours reference a collaging of source imagery while still speaking strongly about the materiality of paint. Thin brushstrokes, full bodied colour, quick gestures, and delicate details make these paintings so intriguing and captivating! Castro's use of both natural alongside non-localized colour makes it clear that she uses colour choice to tell her narratives. We think it's as successful a story-telling technique as gesture and facial expression, which are also evident here. Facial expression is especially effective in these works because of the way Castro hides and reveals the features of her characters. We are dying to know what they are thinking!
Andrea Castro's compelling body of work keeps us staring for hours. Each painting's title also adds an extra piece to it's narrative puzzle, bringing together her incredible technique and expressive brushstrokes. This is a series that truly makes us want to paint!
