Interview
Ana Coutinho
Ana is a 62-year-young woman who always puts her personality into the things that she touches. She was born and raised in Brazil but later moved to Austin, Texas. In 2018, Ana became an American citizen.
Ana studied biology in college for two years. Because it was impossible for her to work with dead animals, she stopped college education and started to work in advertising, mostly with radio, film, and photo production. The difficulties involved in raising 2 children as a single parent gave her strength.
In 2015, Ana started studying shamanism. She is a healer; a quality that she always had, but for which she needed these studies to put into practice.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“My art journey started in Brazil in 1959, in São Paulo. For 51 years, I denied that I was an artist. It wasn’t until I married my second husband in my forties, and he gave me the chance to finally accept my art vein. It was difficult to accept, but when my family and I moved to Texas, I changed the way I saw my role as an artist, as a person, and what I have to offer to my community. Now, I want my existence to be fulfilled by my mission. I want to show the world the power of the colors, and how they can vibrate.”
“I feel nature during my creation process, and completely surrender to it. Movement is my master. Spirituality is another key that opens my senses when I start to create.”
What inspires you most?
“Since childhood, life has always fascinated me. Nature is all I need to feel inspired. I love to see the leaves moving with the wind in the trees, clouds moving after the rain, the movement of the waves, water running in the river, birds flying high in the air, cats walking smoothly. Nature is always moving, always changing. I don’t paint nature as it looks, but my soul is always moved by nature, and much of my work is inspired by it.
My friends say that my home is always ‘moving’; that it is different in some way every time they visit. I feel that when I move my furniture to create different scenery, I’m flowing; I’m expressing and respecting my process of change, of moving forward.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I never know what I will paint until it’s done. For me, painting is an intuitive process, and I let it take me wherever it goes. This sometimes leads to deep, personal experiences that are uniquely connected to a painting.
I’m a shamanic healer. Joy, harmony, light, movement, and love are always the foundations of my artwork. I hope that whoever sees my work can feel that joy and love in some way.”
How would you describe your work?
“I work in multiple media. I paint, dress small wooden dolls, make and decorate musical instruments, make and customize clothes, and paint my furniture. But painting oil on canvas is my passion. Some of my paintings take more than six months to complete. I have a strong personal relationship with my paintings.”
“I don’t like using dryers. I wait until I can paint another layer. I respect the magic that happens when the oils merge with the canvas and with each other, living their own lives. And sometimes, all of a sudden, this moves my inspiration and everything changes. I love it.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Rubens, Anita Garibaldi, Frida Kahlo, Van Gogh, Paul Sesame, and Miró, to name a few. But it’s not only painters, and not only famous artists, that influence me. When I am touched by the expression of any artist, I feel their voice inside me and it becomes part of my influences. I carry all the emotions that these artworks created in my heart.”
What process, materials, and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“On my canvas, I just use oil paints. I also like to mix with other materials, like clay, fabric, dry leaves — whatever my inspiration puts into my hands.
Creating my dolls is always an interesting process of bringing to the world all the beings of light that I imagine. I also enjoy taking photos of special moments of light in nature. My photos play with movement of light. When I want to show the beauty of the colors and new ways of expressing oneself, I make silk clothes.”
What’s your favorite artwork and why?
“I don’t have just one. I have a personal relationship with all my pieces; they all tell me something. Their names are my summary of our experience. But if I had to name one, Shamanic Venus (shown blow) is very special to me, because of her light. The colors of it move me every time when I look at it. I used clay in parts of that painting, and it took me four months to properly add the clay to the canvas. I always feel grateful and honored by its beauty.”
What is your creative process like?
“I don’t approach paintings from the forms. I always see them in their colors and movement. Sometimes, I see figures in movement with my eyes closed, and I know they’ll one day belong to a canvas of mine.
When I’m painting, I’m usually in a trance. Normally, I paint while listening to music, mostly classical, blues, and rock and roll. It seems that the music is inside of me, running through me, and my hand dances with the music that I am hearing. I feel so much pleasure and excitement. Sometimes, I don’t care about anything or anybody around me. It is a void of creation; it is pure magic for me.”
“We are all artists, whether you’re a mathematician, an engineer or even a doctor. We are artists in our own ways. But when we use the traditional arts, like painting, sculpting, writing, acting, reciting, dancing, singing, and playing music, we remind ourselves of our capacity as creators. I believe that each of us can have a better world for each one of us. Art is an irreverent way of reminding us of that.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
In 2021, participated in a showing of short films in Torino, Italy. You can watch the film here.
Other exhibitions include:
2017:
- Big Artist Exhibition, Mondo Gallery, ‘Shamanic Venus. Oil and clay on canvas.
2015:
- Riverbend Inspirational Gallery (juried exhibit), ‘Light”. Oil on canvas.
- Tour the Talent, Dripping Springs, Peaceful Power. Oil on canvas, ‘Because the Sun’ oil on canvas, ‘Moon Shadow. Oil on canvas. ‘Texas’ Oil on canvas, ‘After the Rain’. Oil on canva, ‘Shamanic Venus. Oil on canvas.
- Big Artist Little Artist, Daugherty Gallery, ‘Just Purple’. Oil on canvas.
2014:
- Amplify Credit Bank, Burnet Road, ‘Tropical Transformation’. Oil on canvas, 36”h x 48”w.
- Hecho En Mexico, Steiner Ranch, ‘Mandala’. Oil on canvas, 36”h x 48”h, and ‘Female Soul’ oil on canvas, 48”h x 36”w.
- Cypress Grill, ‘Texas’. Oil on canvas, 48”h x 48”w.
- Daugherty Gallery (juried exhibit), ‘Peaceful Power. Oil on canvas, 36”h x 48”w.
Instagram: @visualartstories
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