but enough about me

I wanted to toot someone else's horn for a change.  Someone who also does a little dreaming in their spare time, and whose creations deserve more recognition.  After several Blackle searches, I came across this YouTube video, featuring art work by Lucy Romero.

Lucy's colors are as bold as her designs.  Her pieces could be illustrations from a Day of the Dead inspired graphic novel.  I don't know how to talk about art.  I just know her blue-skinned creature in Por Vida has a haunting yet peaceful look with her shimmering green eyes and blood-red, full-lipped pout.  I imagine her as a fairy godmother character.

My favorite, though, is Blank Sugars, which shows the profile of a young woman.  I see her as the heroine, innocent and naive, with sugar beaded lips.  The sweetness of the roses that surround her is laced through her hair in pink, flowing ribbons.  The dark patterning around her eye is like a mask.  Lifting the mask would reveal to her the truths of the world, and that's where the story begins...

I found Lucy on FaceBook and sent her a message asking her about her artwork.  She is incredibly open and friendly, and I instantly liked her.  After e-mailing back and forth with her, here is what I learned:

She has been an artist as long as she can remember, at first drawing, and beginning at age 17, painting.  She was first 'discovered' by Keith "K Dub" Williams, who happened to see one of her paintings as she walked past his classroom at Oakland High School.  He included her work in an exhibit entitled "Cool Remixed" at the Oakland Museum, as well as in "The Most Known Unknown" exhibit at the Oakland Airport.

Lucy candidly admits that her motivation for painting at first was primarily to "show off,"but she soon developed a passion for it.  In describing what inspires her, Lucy wrote, "I get all my ideas from different places, mainly my Mexican heritage. I love Halloween, tattoos, Dia de los Muertos, Sugar skulls, eyes, clowns, masks, anything that has to do with decorating, painting, and piercing the body.  Most of the time when I get to sketching a piece those things cross my mind a lot."

Lucy has been a licensed cosmetologist for 3 years and does nails and hair at Mariely Beauty Salon (where more of her art is on display) in Oakland at 46th and International.  Some of her artwork can be purchased at Who's Your Betty? Boutique in Oakland, as well as on her FaceBook page and her Instagram page.