Pili Tejedo.

Painter of color, joy and emotion.

Were you always certain that you wanted to become an artist? How did you start?

¡Not at all! Jajajaja, I have always been spontaneous and theatrical, but i wasn`t aware. I come from a very traditional and peculiar family. My mother, multitasking, took care of her parents and 3 children. She helped my father on the consultancy and kept everything in order, while he, doctor by profession and passion, was the one that made me take out everything i had inside me. He was an artist in everything he did.

He obliged me to study medicine, I didn`t want but he said that art, like in his case, had to be a hobby, not something to cause us some mind-trouble, “it is very difficult to live from it and also be free”, he used to say.I learned lots of things from him and passion for art was one of them without a doubt, including the seventh. He drew in a very peculiar way which I never saw again in anyone else, and I am certain that his genetic charge is to blame for my artistic and dreaming instincts…

I learned lots of things from him and passion for art was one of them without a doubt, including the seventh. He drew in a very peculiar way which I never saw again in anyone else, and I am certain that his genetic charge is to blame for my artistic and dreaming instincts…
I studied 2 years of medicine but i changed to psychology because my personality made me incompatible with specific studying methods. I didn`t finish it, my life changed and I just came very close to do so. On the other hand, the more I had to study, the more I wanted to paint, and little by little I ended up making it my life means.

My first paintings were signed by “Nena” (Spanish for little girl), the nickname I had and have from my family and friends. In fact, for the sons of my brothers, I am aunt Nena. When I started selling, my father told me: “but dear, don`t you have surname?” jajaja. Since then I am Pili Tejedo.
I went to courses and workshops to fill my need to investigate new techniques. Courses of personal investigation and studies of other abilities, but I didn`t go to Fine Arts (there wasn`t a faculty in my city, there was a school, in which I did participate). After that, I practiced and let go by my curiosity and intuition, my instincts and my personal taste, regarding the different times.

In the beginning, my father showed me everything. I stayed hours just seeing him do every kind of art: He painted, sculpted, enameled, drew… He used everything he had access to and kept creating always with the last thing that came out in the market. Later on, and thanks to the new window to the world that the internet represents, I continue to investigate on my own, aiming to strengthen my weakest part. The important thing, as almost everything in life, is perseverance, not giving up.
The people that found out that I painted, started coming home and buying my works directly from the easel. That gave me trust and made me consider to exhibit my work. We organized it and to my surprise it was quite successful!

By chances of life, members of NASA also bought some of my works. I remember that they were fascinated by the frogs, the iguanas, the color… In that time I even got an offer to exhibit in the Queen Sofia of New York, but it was not the moment yet, I had other priorities.

Painter of color, happiness and passion.
“I am color and fantasy, that is my favorite universe, my world.”

Why painting and not another artistic expression?

Painting is the artistic expression that fits my personality the most. Easier to transport, doesn`t require as much space as sculpture, for instance. I tried a little bit of everything, but it is true that not with such insistence. The conclusion is that, at least for the moment, (I don`t want to close any doors) my strengths have always been color and fantasy. That is my world and my personal style.

What do you remember from your first works?

I remember that I looked for eye-catching motives, a more naïve painting with far more primary colors…I saw them as if they missed some shining.
After the operation of my eyes, I could observe that I tended to see the images covered by a yellowish layer, and that made me rise those tones, for my vision to be what I wanted it to be. Following that same stream, I could highlight that everything was even more round, less poetical if you might, but nevertheless attractive.

Did you face any difficulty on the way?

Who doesn`t? I am tremendously emotional and passional! Everything influences me a lot in the ways I deal with brushes. I have sorted many difficulties, especially because I always want to paint through happiness and when I am sad my head doesn`t generate what I want to see. When I paint in that state I drown the paintings or I get fed up and return them to white for them to finish existing, even when for other people they might have been more worthwhile and I end up getting scolded for erasing them.

Once, with the pressure of painting felines, I drew three really realistic ones to face life and suddenly I said to myself: Why am I going to draw tigers, panthers or lions as I everyone sees them? That isn`t me. I’m not about scratching, I`ve eaten my nails almost all my life! That`s how, doing something as simple as an omelet, I took it out of the fire and run to erase them and start all over again.

That has happened more times when I get pressed to paint something in particular: I start, I develop it…and I end up reaching the point when I am not comfortable anymore, I punish the canvas and turn it upside down. When I order myself and start all over, I almost always change the concept.

My father got sick, that really made me stop, except for the classes I have been giving for 20 years, there I couldn`t stop, you have to continue and transmit, if not it doesn`t work.
When he got better I started painting more, but my first marriage was falling apart and I had to stop because of script needs. It was then when my life got the direction of my youth love, Eduardo. One of those loves that paralyze you and from which you think you could die if you get away, but it could not continue back then, it had to be 25 years later.

My last difficulty has been my husband`s cancer. It got installed just in the moment when I started this project. Thank God he is already recovered after months of tremendous full dedication to his recovery. Now is the time to reach the goals.

“I could say that my worlds are the works that define me the most, they are the hardest to say goodbye to.”

Where is your inspiration born?

From anything! According to my son, that has always been my main problem, my Achilles heel. Everything inspires me! I like to take everything to my world and I can`t focus in just one topic, except for when I started living with Eduardo, that for some reason, I only painted women. It was like if I told myself: “You can! Nor ugly nor nothing! You can!”

I am inspired by every corner of the world I have seen, the animals and their behavior. I am inspired by tenderness, passion, a mixture of energies, the defects of people which make them who they are, the crazy hair, the colorful bubbles mixed in the dimensions I invent. I get inspired by finding images that take me to my alternative world, in which I enjoy to live, and that has everything, but on top of that, happiness and good vibes, a world that gives hope and always adds.

What is the work that made the biggest impact?

I guess each time I had a favorite. My twisted houses and my fatties, the frogs, the dogs… People tend to love always the same ones but sometimes they surprise me choosing the ones that define me the least or those in which I was going through a moment that I could hardly qualify, those that I have painted with less care and attention, with less love.
As much as my relation with the brushes advances, I realize that I enjoy painting some things more than others and that there are elements that get repeated and I transform in different atmospheres.

In this moment, taking some risk, I could say that my worlds are the works that define me the most. These canvas are those that I find it more difficult to say goodbye to. I tend to enjoy them at home and when they take them I feel the emptiness. I find it very difficult to substitute that sensation.

If your works could talk… What do you think they would say from their maker?

Jajajaja… What would they say!? I believe that altogether they would say: “Well then! Where has this girl come out from? Sometimes she paints fatties, others she lengthens people, others she twists houses, then she erases the paintings and does them with different colors…. She takes her watercolors, pencil and paper and then after 7 stripes she paints this that has nothing to do with what she was painting…”

On the other hand, I also think they would say: “I like this girl, sad or happy, she always paints us smiling and looking forward. She places us in beautiful spaces every time that she can, caressing us with colors until the last corner…It is a pity that sometimes she places us in a closet only to take us every once in a while to breathe, but we know that, as soon as she can, she lights us”.

In which style are you more comfortable?

I am more comfortable with what I invent with few references, up to my free will. Alone, my head and me, me and my head. My world, my memories, my fingers, each with one color revolving to make the one I like….that is my style, without submissions and too many few haired brushes.

What do you want to transmit with your works?

I believe that my paintings show my essence, my values, but also my fears. I want emotion when I see my paintings, I want them to cheer up, not to let unperceived the good work. I believe that differentiates me. I want to play with people`s eyes to be truthful, I want to transmit peace and harmony and always attract good energies.

Is there any artist that influenced you?

Yes, of course, there has been many. Dalí for his fantasy and the character he created for himself. Klimt, that despite his history, what he painted transmits a tenderness and a somewhat hippy touch that fascinates me. Velázquez, because like me, something happened with his eyes. Lots of artists and their methods have laid a footprint on me, both the classic and the most contemporary.

If you didn`t choose to be an artist, what would you have done?

Psichology without a doubt. I love people, I am about helping. It makes me happy that my surroundings are feeling well. That discipline would have been a path that, despite the trouble, would have also made me feel fulfilled.

What do you think, the artist is born or is it done?

I believe that it is born, but also done. Lots of artists are born and die without knowing that they were, others are done and believe they are artists without being. So here we are, on the quest to discover what was first, the hen or the egg.

A little bird told me you don´t do paintings nor portraits on demand, What is the reason?

I like to enjoy without impositions. With portraits people want to see themselves improved and one becomes quite maniatic. Portraits aren`t my strength and when I do them I do them with my style. I can do a portrait and once finished, I place a veiling. For me it may be gorgeous but the client`s expectations might not be met and that is a frustration I prefer to avoid.

I only do paintings on demand on my own style and non-figurative. I need to feel free. They can ask me a certain color scope, but if the clients already imagines what they want it is very hard to meet the expectations as we still don`t have mind-bluetooth.

“That is how I am, my works show my essence, my values and also my fears. I invite you to take a round here and discover it for yourself.“

What is your next project?

My next project is the one that starts with this website and its marvelous team. We will be using my paintings and designs in different products. They will be served in an online store and, afterwards, if possible, in a physical one.

We will start real soon with a Blog too. We want to show how does an artist live and develop, because in the end, we are all “normal” people. We all have talents, artists aren´t a different species, nor weirdos (well, there`s a little bit of everything everywhere), we are only differentiated in that particular talent that is what we have to show to those that observe our art.

To show my world through painting is what I seek and I always say that “We have to wear the eyes to see”.

Did you like the interview? Keep knowing Pili Tejedo through her work.

Why painting and not other artistic expression?

Painting seems to me the artistic expression most adapted to my personality. Easier to transport, it does not require so much space as, for example, sculpture. I have tried a bit of everything, of course not with such tenacity, but the conclusion (at least for the moment, I do not want to close doors), is that my strength has always been color and fantasy. That is my world and my personal style.

What do you remember about your first works?

I remember looking for striking patterns, it was a more naive painting, the colors were much more primary … I saw them as if they lacked brightness.

Then, with the operation of my eyes, I could see that I saw the images dyed a yellowish color and that’s why I needed to raise both the tones, so that my vision was the result of what I wanted to see. I could point out that, even following the same thread, everything. It was rounder, perhaps less poetic, though attractive.

She painted more sustained, less courageous and determined, always afraid of not liking. The first works have something of childhood (there is always some innocence in my fabrics) and later every bit of the road that I have been traveling has been coming out.

Have you encountered any difficulties along the way?

And who does not? I am tremendously emotional and passionate! Everything influences me a lot in the deal with the brushes. I have overcome many difficulties, especially because I always paint from joy and when I’m sad my head does not generate what I want to see.

When I paint in that state I drown the paintings, or they make me tired and I return them to the white so that they do not exist, even though for other people they may have been more than valid and then they scold me for erasing them.

Once, with the pressure of painting cats, I drew three very realistic, facing life and suddenly I said: “Why am I going to draw tigers, panthers or lions, as the whole world sees them?”. It’s not me. I’m not scratching, almost all my life I’ve bitten my nails! So, making something as simple as an omelette, I pushed it away from the fire and ran to erase them and start over.

This has happened to me more times when they press me to paint something determined, I start, develop … and there comes a point where I do not feel comfortable and punish the fabrics, I turn them over. When I order and return, I almost always change the concept.

My father fell ill, that did make me stop, except in the classes that I taught for 20 years, there I could not stop, you have to continue and transmit, if not work.

When it got better, I went back to painting more, but my first marriage was undone and I stopped again due to the demands of the script. That’s when life put my love of youth on my path, Eduardo. One of those loves that paralyze you and of those that you think die if you move away, but could not continue on their way at that moment, we take it back 25 years later.

My last difficulty has been my husband’s cancer. It was installed just at the moment when this project began. Thank God, he is well after tremendous months of full dedication to his recovery and now the time has come to reach the goal.

Where is your inspiration born?

Of whatever! According to my son, that has always been my main problem, my Achilles heel, whatever inspires me! I like to take everything to my world and it is very difficult for me to focus on just one subject, except when I started living with Eduardo who, for some reason, only painted women, as if to say to myself: “You can not even be fragile , not ugly, or anything !, you can! ”

I am inspired by every corner of the world I have visited, the animals and their behavior, I am inspired by tenderness, passion, the jumble of energies, the defects of the people who make them who they are, the long hair, the bubbles of mixed colors in the
dimensions that I invent. It inspires me to find images that take me to my alternative world, in which I like to live and that has everything, but above all joy and good vibes, which gives confidence and always adds up.

What has been the work that has marked you the most?

I guess in every season I had a favorite. My crooked houses and my gorditas, the frogs, the dogs … People usually fall in love with them, but sometimes they surprise me by choosing the ones that define me the least or those in which I went through a moment that I could not qualify, those that I have painted without so much attention or dedication, with less care.

As my relationship with the brushes progresses, I notice that I like to paint some things more than others and that there are elements that are repeated and transformed into different atmospheres.

Right now, risking me, I could say that the works that have marked me the most are my “worlds”. These fabrics are the ones that I find most difficult to get rid of. I usually enjoy them at home and when they take them away, I feel the emptiness. I have a hard time replacing that feeling.

If your works could speak … What do you think they would say about the artist?

Hahahaha What would they say !? I think they would all say: “Good! This type of where did it come from? Sometimes he paints fat, lengthens people, twists houses, then deletes the paintings and revives them with different colors … He takes his watercolors, pencil and paper and after making 7 stripes he paints this that had nothing to do with what I was doing…”.

But, on the other hand, I think they would also say: “This girl I like, sad or happy, she always makes us smiling or pulling forward. She places us in beautiful spaces whenever she can, caresses us with colors until the last corner … It’s a pity that sometimes she puts us in a closet and only takes us out every now and then to breathe, but we know that nothing that can bring us to light ”

With what style do you feel most comfortable?

I am more comfortable with what I invent without many references, to my free will. Alone, my head and me, me and my head. My world, my memories, my fingers each one of a color stirring to get the one I like … That’s my style, without submission or too many brushes of a hair.

What do you want to transmit with your works?

I believe that my paintings show my essence, my values, also my fears. I want there to be excitement to see my paintings, to be happy, not to go unnoticed well doing. I think that makes a difference to me. I want to play with the eyes of the people so that it is true, I want to transmit peace and harmony and always attract good energies.

Is there any past artist that has influenced you?

Yes, of course, many have influenced me. Dalí for his fantasy and that character that was created. Klimt that, despite his story, what he painted conveys tenderness and a touch something hippy that I love. Velázquez, because like me, something must have happened in his eyes. Many artists and their ways have left their mark, both the classical and the more contemporary masters.

If you had not chosen to be an artist, what would you have dedicated yourself to?

Without a doubt the psychology. I like people, I am to help. It makes me happy that my surroundings feel good. That discipline would have been a path that, despite the problems, would also have led me to feel full.

A little bird told me, that you do not make commissioned pictures or portraits, why is that?

I like to enjoy and that there are no impositions. With portraits people like to be improved and one becomes manic. The portraits are not my strong point and when I do them they are with my style. I can make a portrait and at the end I put a glaze. For me it is beautiful but the client’s expectation may not be that and it is a frustration that I prefer to avoid.

I only do non-figurative commissions or within my style. I must feel free. You can ask me for a certain color arc, but if the client already imagines what he wants it is difficult to coincide with his expectation since we still do not have Bluetooth in our thoughts.

What is your next project?

My next project is the one that starts with this website and its wonderful team. We will use my paintings and designs in different products. They will be served in an online store and later, if possible, in a physical store.

Soon we will start a Blog. We want to show how an artist lives and develops, that in the end we are “normal” people. We all have talents, artists are not a different species, or weird creatures (although there is everything everywhere) we only differ in that particular talent that is the one that must be taught to those who see the pictures.

Show my world through painting is what I want and I always say that “you have to put your eyes to see.”

Did you like the interview? He continues to meet Pili Tejedo through his work.