Over the years, Paola Bermudez has developed a painting style that goes hand-in-hand with the way they see life. Creating layers and scraping them allows one to see what is under the surface. Gradually, all colors emerge and become a part of the composition. Some of them might be brighter, others darker, some even dull, but within the whole picture they complement and highlight each other. This is how Bermudez sees life from an individual and a collective perspective. The layers in their work represent the experiences, memories, pain and healing, and the years they’ve lived. Even if everything is behind a thick coat, once Bermudez starts scraping and searching, what is underneath begins to reveal itself. Acknowledging each one of these layers makes them who they are.

Bermudez writes, “From the collective perspective, regardless of our differences, we are all part of the same painting and only by embracing and respecting each other can we create a beautiful and powerful piece in which we are all equally important. Once I finish my pieces, there is a long process of reflection. I spend hours looking at my art, discovering new things in the shapes, colors, undertones, and textures. I end up understanding something about myself and my experience that very subtlety comes to life through my art. Sometimes, the piece’s title comes to me during this process, and it usually ends up being as important as the piece itself. WHEN I AM PAINTING, MY SOUL, MY MIND, AND MY BODY ARE ONE, AND THE ONLY EXISTING MOMENT IS THE PRESENT.”