My admiration for Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington

Personage, 1958

Oil on masonite

Copyright © Walter Gruen

I have used this image without permission and will take it down if anyone objects to me using it. 

I first happened upon the artwork of Remedios Varo while I was working a temporary job at the Cornell University Book Store. It was the textbook rush for incoming students, and I assisted in organizing the books. In doing so, I saw an image on the cover of a psychology textbook that I found very intriguing. Sometimes, but not always,  the title of artwork and the artist are listed on the title page. I was in luck. "Remedios Varo". 

Who was she?

Luckily, a biography had recently been published: Remedios Varo: Unexpected Journeys

What a life...born in Spain, exiled to France...exiled to Mexico! My goodness!

As I cannot surmise the whole story of her life here, I will simply state what I admired  about her. She worked. She worked jobs so that she could to keep herself and her friends flush. That may sound simple or obvious, but it is not. Having to spend great amounts of energy and time on projects other than your own artistic vision is painful and soul deadening. 

She was great friends with the amazing artist, Leonora Carrington,  and they certainly did influence each other. Some of their work has great similarities, but I feel that Remedios, over time, discovered her true voice. Here is a Wiki-Art Page that lists some of her work, but I think that a basic Google Image search will bring you some of her most consistant work and the images that she went to again and again in various ways to create her world.

I love the creatures that she brought to life!