While enjoying a hot cup of jasmine green tea and a toasted bagel at Fair Trade Cafe I got to check out their latest featured artist, Liliana Mora. She is a Colombian visual artist living in Phoenix and is very talented in creating illustrations, among various other types of artworks. The murals that I’ve seen on Instagram and other sites are amazing to behold. Mora’s depictions of desert scenes are especially rich, vibrant and create that visual excitement which never fails to dazzle me.
This past week, though, I was pleased to see another aspect of her works that seemed almost hypnotic. The first of these is an acrylic on canvas paintings is called “Desert Bloom”, it’s pair of disembodied hands languidly reaching upwards to Heaven, maybe? have an almost supernatural mystique. The alternatively lighter and darker green background somehow reminds me of the peaceful glow and calm to be found in the aftermath of a monsoon storm.
The orange and purple petals encircling the hands add a slightly sensual element to painting, but the significance of the triangular shapes suspended in midair eludes me. It’s definitely something to ponder more and periodically revisit! The second painting that got me thinking a lot was another acrylic on canvas from Mora titled “Gratitude”. This depicts a closeup of a woman’s face glowing in ethereal light akin to a wondrous spiritual experience. I love how the light effect plays on the cheekbones, the forehead moving down the bridge of her nose, and on her chin.
Whatever Mora’s woman is grateful for can only be surmised, but it prods me to think of how to feel more gratitude in my own life — which can be difficult to realize even though this is Thanksgiving week. That, however, could be another discussion topic for another time!
For more about Liliana Mora check out the following sites, or follow her on Instagram.
