Yolanda Barreto wins Artist of the Month by the Nature Coast Art League. Visit her exhibition at the Spring Hill Library through April.
A watercolor painting of a butterfly has won Spring Hill colorist, Yolanda Barreto, recognition as Artist of the Month from the Nature Coast Art League, whose mission is to promote visual arts and support artists in Hernando County and surrounding areas. “I was competing against ten or more other submissions,” Barreto said. “So I am very honored to have been chosen.”
And at just about 25 by 27 inches, Yolanda’s butterfly piece is striking with its brilliant colors and rich, bold detail.
[Courtesy photo]
A Spring Hill resident since 2014, Yolanda’s artistic journey has been shaped by her cultural background and travels. “I’ve loved painting since I was very young,” said Barreto. “I was always creating, but my parents tried to discourage me. My mum would say, I don’t think that’s wise, otherwise, you’re going to starve.”
“I became a school teacher in my native Puerto Rico,” she continued. “First, in elementary, then as a general English supervisor, and then as a school principal.”
However, Barreto used her artistic skills to teach English. She explained that although English is taught as a first language in Puerto Rico, when it comes to teaching it, using a lot of illustrations helps students understand it better. “Everything, every story, every concept, I was always drawing and illustrating it, she said. “I was always painting and doing different things for my students or to decorate my classroom.”
Art can convey a whole spectrum of emotions from joy to sadness. Barreto’s work conveys happiness through the kaleidoscope of colors, symbols and other visual elements she uses.
Barreto has a real relationship with color in art. She is not afraid to use bright and bold palettes and makes everything look vibrant and sharp. Her paintings of street scenes in San Juan bring the culture and essence of Puerto Rico to life. She stated that she aims to “make the viewer smile when she depicts with a sense of playfulness and humor.”
“I started off using acrylics, but I absolutely love watercolor,” says Barreto. I also use gouache, and I like liquid charcoal very much. I also try to work with different papers to see what comes out.”
“I love experimenting and I’m taking classes with renowned portrait artist, Diane Becker,” she added. “I think the best part of creating art is the journey, not the final product.”
Barreto works in series using various media— acrylic, ink, mixed media, oils. Her love for art drives her to regularly paint in her home studio and the plein air. “I like to travel, and wherever I go, I’ll just take photos for inspiration,” she said. “Sometimes I’ll just use my imagination to develop an image from the photo.”
She believes that her art is her voice; via that universal language, she captures nature, interprets her surroundings and communicates her emotions and experiences.
“I am on a constant journey and I am a lifelong learner,” she added. “I love learning more, and I feel that with art, you can never stop. My art is always evolving, changing so much because it’s a constant journey. It’s like us as individuals, we change constantly.”
Barreto is a member of the Citrus Watercolor Society, Florida Watercolor Society, the Nature Coast Art League, Spring Hill Decorative Painters, and is the coordinator for the Shadow Chasers Plein Air Artists.
In April, Barreto’s work will be exhibited at the Spring Hill Library at 9220 Spring Hill Dr., Spring Hill, FL 34608. Visit: www.ybboricua.com to view her virtual gallery. To contact Yolanda Barreto directly or for more information, email: [email protected]
[Courtesy photo]
Sue Quigley writes regularly for The Hernando Sun. She can be reached at 727.247.6308 or by email at [email protected].
