Artist's Statement
"Art, for me, is a way of exploring life with its kaleidoscopic realities: the colors and shapes of nature such as those of a still life of flowers or land/sea/cityscape; the sensual form and lines of the human body; the revealing of the soul and emotions of an individual in a portrait; the mood of a still life captured....and so much more. The merging of heart and mind is what I strive for when I paint. It is a 2-way process, you're both passive and dynamic, you stand still in time, yet you strive to capture life as it unfolds, with all its nuances, slaps in the face, punches in the stomach, butterfly kisses, eureka moments, moments of genius, and last but not least, those accidental moments, and even simple pleasures which make up your life, whether you like it or not. Art is a crossroads of the senses, empowers you to dizzying heights, levels you to comforting reality, or punishes you with hell-bent truth. But it's all the same. And don't forget to breathe, sleep, and dream. The cycle repeats!"
About the Artist
Mona Lisa Aspiras was born and raised in Rome, Italy, and is of Filipino origin. She is the youngest of four of a former official of the FAO/UN in Rome, Italy, her father, and former economist and present artist, her mother. Mona Lisa holds a B.A. in Interdivisional Studies/Psychology from Virginia Wesleyan College, a diploma in Computer Programming from ECPI, and an Associate degree in IT/Internet Specialist from Tidewater Community College. While in Rome, Mona Lisa was introduced to art and studied basic elements such as color theory, perspective, line, form, and design while also exploring etching and silk-screening under the guidance of her high school art teacher, Mr. Dennis Cigler, an accomplished American painter. She then furthered her studies by taking a certificate course in Figure Studies at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma (Academy of Fine Arts of Rome) under the tutelage of Professors Avanessian, Ballestrelli, and Berdini. Later in Virginia, she took several art classes such as Visual Arts Foundation, Drawing I and II, Watercolor I and II, Three-Dimensional Design, and Computer Graphics at Tidewater Community College and Virginia Wesleyan College. In 2009, she undertook a couple of private lessons in Virginia Beach with an American artist, and renewed her studies in Drawing and Watercolor.
In Rome, Mona Lisa has exhibited with her mother at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Philippine Embassy to the Holy See (Vatican), and the Spanish Cultural Center. In Virginia (Norfolk and Virginia Beach), she has exhibited in occasion of such events as the Philippine Centennial and Philippine Independence Day at the Chrysler Museum of Art, Harrison Opera House, MacArthur Museum, Filipino-American Student Cultural Center of Old Dominion University, and the Huff, Poole, and Mahoney Lawyers Building. Mona Lisa was a former member of the Chesapeake Bay Art Association, Tidewater Artist Alliance, and Chesapeake Bay Watercolorist Society. In the spring of 2004, she has participated in the juried exhibition "Spring Fling" at Studio 107 in Norfolk, VA, the Spring Members' Show at TCC's Roper Fine Arts Center also in Norfolk, and the TAA Members' Show at the Barry Robinson Fine Arts Center at Virginia Beach.
She paints primarily in watercolor and acrylic, however, other mediums she favors are watercolor pencils, chalk pastels, oil pastels, ink, and graphite. Her style is mostly figurative and impressionist, with subject matter ranging from landscapes and seascapes, to still life, portraits, nature, and religious themes. She greatly enjoys drawing and keeping sketchbooks, for its immediacy and spontaneous quality. All living things: people, animals, plants are her favorite subjects for sketching on the spot. She is also interested in sketching architecture and common objects. Her sketching styles include abstracts, caricatures, and realism. She would like to experiment more with abstract painting, in particular with the use of color in painting, and the use of shapes and symbols.
Among her favorites styles are Surrealism, Symbolism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Expressionism. Favorite artists are Salvador Dali', Rob Gonsalves, Magritte, Kandinsky, Picasso, Chagall, Georgia O'Keefe, Matisse, Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Henri Rousseau, Gauguin, among others.
In Rome, Mona Lisa has exhibited with her mother at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Philippine Embassy to the Holy See (Vatican), and the Spanish Cultural Center. In Virginia (Norfolk and Virginia Beach), she has exhibited in occasion of such events as the Philippine Centennial and Philippine Independence Day at the Chrysler Museum of Art, Harrison Opera House, MacArthur Museum, Filipino-American Student Cultural Center of Old Dominion University, and the Huff, Poole, and Mahoney Lawyers Building. Mona Lisa was a former member of the Chesapeake Bay Art Association, Tidewater Artist Alliance, and Chesapeake Bay Watercolorist Society. In the spring of 2004, she has participated in the juried exhibition "Spring Fling" at Studio 107 in Norfolk, VA, the Spring Members' Show at TCC's Roper Fine Arts Center also in Norfolk, and the TAA Members' Show at the Barry Robinson Fine Arts Center at Virginia Beach.
She paints primarily in watercolor and acrylic, however, other mediums she favors are watercolor pencils, chalk pastels, oil pastels, ink, and graphite. Her style is mostly figurative and impressionist, with subject matter ranging from landscapes and seascapes, to still life, portraits, nature, and religious themes. She greatly enjoys drawing and keeping sketchbooks, for its immediacy and spontaneous quality. All living things: people, animals, plants are her favorite subjects for sketching on the spot. She is also interested in sketching architecture and common objects. Her sketching styles include abstracts, caricatures, and realism. She would like to experiment more with abstract painting, in particular with the use of color in painting, and the use of shapes and symbols.
Among her favorites styles are Surrealism, Symbolism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Expressionism. Favorite artists are Salvador Dali', Rob Gonsalves, Magritte, Kandinsky, Picasso, Chagall, Georgia O'Keefe, Matisse, Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Henri Rousseau, Gauguin, among others.
All Artwork, Photography, Poetry, Images, and Text property of Mona Lisa B. Aspiras © 2011 All Rights Reserved
