Jose María Cal

Why do I paint?
It is the way to communicate my feelings and sensations to others. In painting, words are superfluous. Everything is expressed for the imagination, enjoyment and interpretation of the spectator. To awaken their dreams, to identify with the work. Each brushstroke becomes a reflection of my inner landscape, a mirror through which I confront my fears, hopes, and dreams. Painting becomes a sanctuary, a space where I can unravel the complexities of existence, find solace in the beauty, and ultimately, discover the profound wisdom that lies within. An artistic work can accompany us in our times of loneliness and help us emotionally. Isn't it fantastic? Painting always looks at us and seeing that it sees us, we see ourselves.
Creative process
I carry out lines of research on subjects that move and motivate me. I photograph with my camera all possible scenarios in urban or natural environments. Also objects of any kind that transmit something to me. Photos with interesting framing, drawings, sketches and written notes on the choice of colours, composition and formal aspects. The final sketch: in pencil and acrylics. I transfer it to scale in the painting. Materials: mainly oil on canvas. Using acrylics to create the backgrounds. Sporadically for final finishes I use oil pastel. Maximum measurements of my works up to 1 meter on both sides.
The theme I explore
Pictorial style: Contemporary art. Figurative abstraction. Nature and landscape inspirations. I am interested in contrasts and the formal composition of paintings. Bright and saturated colors, although also broken. Drama in the light. Play between complementary colors, glazes and opacity of colors. Game between verticality and horizontality. Serenity and inner peace opposing the drama of the work. The theme is based on sensations and experiences of nature: the sea, fields and landscapes and their natural environments. Memories, melancholy, daydreams. Outlined narratives that invite the viewer to complete them; to create your own world when observing the work.