BIO
B. 1971, Montevideo, Uruguay
Josefina Zorrilla de San Martin is a South American painter born in Uruguay and living in Maui, Hawaii. Growing up in a well known artist family, Josefina’s love for art runs deep in her blood. Having resided in Maui for nearly a decade, the energy of the Hawaiian landscape continue to inspire her work as an abstract artist.
Upon graduating from the Center of Industrial Design in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1995, Josefina worked in the fashion and design industry for twenty years. Alongside her career as a designer, she enrolled in classical drawing and painting classes to further develop her technical skills. Prior to moving to Maui, Josefina exhibited her work at Casa de la Cultura in her native Uruguay - a cultural center that values both visual and performing arts.
During the pandemic of 2020, Josefina shifted her focus from design work to pursuing a career as a painter. Since then, she participated in Maui open studios in both 2022 and 2023, where she showcased a series of bold new work. Additionally, Josefina’s work has been selected for Hui No’eau Visual Art Center’s annual juried exhibition and Malama Wao Akua juried exhibition, and participated in “Awkward Contrast” group exhibition curated by artist Nino Yuniardi in Seattle. Her paintings belong in numerous private collections throughout the United States and abroad.
ARTIST STATEMENT
In my work, I am inspired by the contrasts that exist in Nature as a reflection of the dualities in us. Powerful winds followed by calm and vibrant beauty followed by decay, show us the importance of these opposing elements. As I aim to express this in each painting, I gain a deeper understanding of my inner world. My creative process echoes the polarities that exist both internally and externally.
Working on multiple pieces at a time and building up layers allows me to move fast without thinking. I use intuitive marks and loose brushstrokes as a starting point. My process is like a dance, every move is a reaction to the previous one. In that back and forth dialogue I discover and connect to deeper parts of myself. As I work on later stages of the painting, I slow down to a more detailed and introspective phase, until I feel there’s nothing left to “say.” I find this process to be a profound personal experience, where I get lost in every piece, and somehow I find the way back to myself.
My work expresses both sides of my nature, a calm introvert as well as a bold expressionist. I intend for the viewer to feel inspired to embrace all parts of themselves and empowered to go after their dreams. It’s our light and shadows that make us who we are. Just as Nature is perfect in its duality, so are we. Because We Are Nature.
