BIOGRAPHY SPOTLIGHT: LEONORA CARRINGTON WRITTEN BY CHANTELL VAN ÉRBE

HISTORICAL WOMEN ARTISTS PROFILED BY CONTEMPORARY WOMEN IN ART

Self-Portrait by Leonora Carrington, ca 1937, oil on canvas, collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

Leonora Carrington  (6 April 1917 – 25 May 2011) was an English artist, surrealist painter, and novelist. She lived most of her adult life in Mexico City, and was one of the last surviving participants in the Surrealist movement of the 1930s. Carrington was also a founding member of the Women's Liberation Movement in Mexico during the 1970s. 
Carrington stated that: "I painted for myself...I never believed anyone would exhibit or buy my work." She was not interested in the writings of Sigmund Freud, as were other Surrealists in the movement. She instead focused on magical realism and alchemy and used autobiographical detail and symbolism as the subjects of her paintings. Carrington was interested in presenting female sexuality as she experienced it, rather than as that of male surrealists’ characterization of female sexuality. Carrington's work of the 1940s is focused on the underlying theme of women's role in the creative process.

I discovered Leonora Carrington at a later age, via her progressive, surrealist book entitled The Hearing Trumpet. Her reflection of memory and proclivity towards symbolism are what magnetically drew me to her work. Leonora handled each piece of art as if it were a high ritual, rife with cloaked meaningful metaphors. She nurtured her creativity not unlike a child. Her artistic sorcery continues to move me and never falls short on reexamination.

Click HERE TO GO TO THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART'S PAGE ON LEONORA CARRINGTON


Chantell Van Erbé, is a contemporary mixed media artist, working in the genre of intuitive realism. Her method is instinctual with themes that are highly imaginative. She often employs bold colors and emotive themes in a passionate manner.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO CHANTELL VAN ERBE'S INSTAGRAM PAGE

"A Homecoming" by Chantell Van Erbe, 24 x 19, colored pencil on paper

Reference source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonora_Carrington