Arantxa Solis

In her bright Mexico City studio, Arantxa Solis opens up about her practice and the origins of her artistic journey. Read our interview below.

Where are you from, and where do you reside?

I was born in Cali, Colombia (my father is Colombian and my mother is Mexican), and I have been living in Mexico City for 25 years.

What necessities do you require when making your art? 

I normally require coffee (with more milk than coffee), a lunch (the kitchen is an essential space in my studio), always music, good lighting, ventilation, and large brushes with soft bristles.

Describe a typical day in the studio for you.

I usually arrive and open windows and doors to let the air circulate; I like the space to be well ventilated. Then I do the mise en place at my painting station — setting out the thinners, oils, and brushes I’m going to use. Sometimes I have a work plan, depending on whether it’s a commission or not. I usually work in the mornings and for a short while in the afternoon after lunch. I make myself a coffee, put on some music, and start painting. In the afternoon, I water my plants while the mosquitoes bite me; they are always there at the same time. I live very close to my studio, so I come and go easily.

When did you begin painting?

I started painting at a very young age, but after finishing my university degree in architecture, it shifted from being a hobby to becoming my profession. 

I worked in an office for a few months, only to realize that it wasn’t what I wanted — architectural drawings and measurements just weren’t for me. So, I left it all behind in order to paint.

Did you go to art school or have a mentor?

I’ve never really had a formal art education, either through school or a mentor. Everything I’ve done and learned about painting has been self-taught. I studied design and architecture at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, where I learned some representation techniques and took a few drawing courses, but it was very different from the training you’d receive in an art school.

How has your work developed in the past few years, and how do you see it evolving in the future?

My work has changed over the past 10 years — I went from figurative painting to a more abstract approach focused on color. I always feel the urge to try something new, but I still don’t know exactly where this path is leading. I like when artistic accidents guide me toward new things. I think I’ll stay within abstract painting, but I’d like to explore new materials different from oil, like inks or pastels.

Can you say more about the evolution of your practice from figuration to abstraction?

When I started painting, I was very interested in the human figure and landscapes. I used to combine both, and the pieces were figurative. I worked a lot with photographs and collages. Over time, I realized I was no longer enjoying copying and working from an image. I also didn’t like highly technical processes — precise perspectives and body forms weren’t for me. I felt I needed a freer process.

However, I noticed that in that figurative painting of bodies and leaves, I really enjoyed working with light effects. For example, my way of constructing the volume of an arm was by thinking in terms of light gradients — moving from a bright highlight to darker colors with multiple tones that gave the impression of volume, or spatial depth in the case of landscapes. That’s how I decided to develop the work I do now: focusing on light and color gradients, combined with certain observations of how light behaves in the landscape, to create sensations and volumes in a more abstract way.

You have a particularly unique process for creating your artwork. What led you to this process and how did you know it was the right one to pursue?

I think I was never really sure if it was the right process. I believe it was trial and error that led me to the technique I use now. I went from small figurative strokes to something on a much larger scale. I almost don’t use small brushes anymore; most of my brushes are wide. I think the only thing I knew was that I wanted something free and fluid, that wouldn’t dry quickly like acrylic, and that would be on a more immersive scale.

What is the most difficult part of the artistic process for you?

I think the hardest thing for me is stepping out of my comfort zone or allowing myself to make mistakes that let me explore and develop new pieces.

Are there any aspects of your process that are left to chance?

In general, I’m quite controlling and like to plan what I’m going to do. However, there are days when I take a blank canvas and develop the painting with complete freedom and as much spontaneity as possible — as if the plan were being drawn directly onto the canvas.

How do you choose your colors?

Most of the time, I work with digital sketches before painting, especially when they’re commissions, so I already have an idea of the colors I’m going to use. But sometimes I enjoy going to art supply stores and picking out different or new colors, and then I plan a piece around those unusual shades.

I love the names of oil paint colors — I’m always amazed by the wide range of blues that exist, and I enjoy collecting them and using them all together in a single, unplanned piece. That’s how I learn to understand them — when I use them together, it’s easier to see which blues lean toward magenta and which lean toward green.

What are you most interested in representing through your works?

I like to think, on one hand, that I can represent luminous sensations, calmness, and harmony through color. But I also want there to be depth in the painting. I’d like the viewer to feel immersed, drawn into a sea of colors, and for their gaze to go beyond the foreground

What are some themes you find recurring in your pieces, intentional or not?

Circular forms and blue tones appear repeatedly in my work.

How do the different elements of composition and color come together in your works? How does your technique/choice of material inform the final piece?

Color and form usually come together almost at the same time, although color tends to dominate. I typically start by placing the heaviest and most striking colors in the lower parts of the piece. What influences me most in terms of materials is the type of brushes I use. Depending on the colors and the type of piece, I need brushes that are larger, softer, or firmer. Dark tones are the most complex for me — the thicker and softer the brush, the better.

UA: Where do you find your day-to-day inspiration?

It’s difficult to find inspiration every time I create a piece. Lately, I’ve found that taking breaks (for several days), meditating, or going for walks in nature helps me find that inspiration. For me, it translates into finding the flow and freedom that I want to reflect in my work.

But on the other hand, I also believe — even if it sounds contradictory — that consistent work is like a kind of mental exercise. Playing with paint almost daily, in a sort of repetitive trance, can also lead to inspiration.

Sometimes, I’m simply inspired by memories of trips I’ve taken in natural settings. I like to express those on the canvas by simply recalling the moment when something in the landscape caught my attention.

UA: Do you find that environment relates to your work?

I feel that I need a quiet space to work, but definitely with music. I get distracted easily, so I prefer not to have other people around or things happening around me that could pull my attention away. Following a routine really helps me stay focused and get my work done.

Is there another hobby or interest of yours that has influenced your practice?

Alongside my personal work in my painting studio, I share another studio and a brand with a friend and business partner, where we create decorative pieces using gold leaf. It’s a technique that’s not widely explored in Mexico and comes with challenges that are very different from painting. This other craft has taught me about different processes, timing, and how to have, or sometimes lose, patience. I don’t use this material in my painting studio, but it has helped me become more organized with my painting process and has fueled my creativity.

Are you influenced by any author or non-visual artist? Are you influenced by any artist that does something completely different than you?

I’ve noticed that when I paint, I often think about something I read during university — an essay by Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa titled The Thinking Hand. It’s a text primarily aimed at architecture, but I believe it’s highly relevant to the practice of painting. It speaks about the crucial role of the hand in the evolution of human skills, intelligence, and conceptual abilities — the hand as the executor of art, craft, and architecture. While I paint, I like to think that my hand makes certain decisions — decisions I might not even be fully conscious of — and I try to let those movements flow freely and naturally into the piece.

Do you remember the first work of art that captured your attention?

I remember that a Lucian Freud painting was one of the first to really catch my attention, and I had never enjoyed an exhibition as much as I did a show by Gerhard Richter.

Do you admire or draw inspiration from any of your peers who are also working now? Have you ever collaborated, or would you? How solitary is your art-making process? 

I admire the work of my friend Rachel Levit Ruiz; her illustrations and artworks are extremely expressive and full of meaning.

I haven’t done any collaborations so far, but I think I might like that. Although yes, my work is very solitary, and I enjoy it that way.

Is there any artwork on display in your home/studio? Whose is it?

Yes, I actually have a small head sculpture by Rachel in my studio. It’s very smooth for being made of plaster—I love its texture.

What’s one of your favorite objects you own? What’s the story?

This question, which seems so simple, has made me delay my answers for several days. I’ve been thinking about it for almost a week and can’t seem to find a favorite object. Maybe it’s because I have too many favorites and I cannot decide? Or maybe sometimes I just think that one day I could get rid of all the material things I own...

So I can’t really answer this question. I think I’d rather tell you that my favorite thing (which isn’t really a thing or an object, but I play with it a lot) is at home — it’s my cat.

My cat showed up one day, knocking on the door, and for two years, he would visit almost every night. He’d arrive around 8 pm and ask to leave by midnight — until he fully adopted us, and now he lives with us full time. The story is full of adventures, even ones involving the police - but I’ll stop here, and maybe in the next journal interview, we can go into more detail..

Is there something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I take mini breaks from my work to read song lyrics and memorize them while I paint. Sometimes I choose the most difficult ones, like rap... I’m good at repeating them, but my singing voice is pretty terrible.

What’s next for you? I get really excited about exhibitions. I’ll soon be working on one for Uprise Art in March!

What else would you have done if it weren’t for painting?

When I ask myself that question, I think about the professions I would have chosen in childhood. I still think I would have really enjoyed being an archaeologist and, even more so, being a soccer player.

Published September 10, 2025