About
Travel To Publish
Surf Art
Valentina Flores Dorio
Art
My work, mainly minimalist, includes acrylic paintings and China ink drawings inspired by ocean, waves and surf.
Since the very beginning of my art studies, I instinctively approached to minimalism, so fascinated by the synthesis process behind it and its evocation power. A few essential strokes can convey strong emotions by evoking a scene and so take us away, in a memory or a dream...
I take inspiration from observation, experience feelings during walks, surf checks and sessions in the water.
My paintings show the beauty of the waves: their movement, rhythm and evolution, their shapes and colors. I paint them totally uncrowded, bordering the abstract, in all their purity.
On the other hand, I have chosen black China ink to draw surfers silhouettes and surf scenes. Just a few strokes for significant surf positions and nice moments in and out of the water.
I mainly use nibs I make out of aluminum cans and empty pens but also qalam pens and Japanese brushes.
I am pretty strict on a point: I do not copy or take reference from photos (I kinda consider it as cheating!).
I do not make any pencil trace, color and ink are spread directly on the blank support and strokes are quick and vibrant
Background
Italian-Argentinian, I have always loved studying, travelling and board sports and I wanted to do it all. I got my diploma from art school in Italy in 1999 and participated in a few local group exhibitions then, intrigued by the application of creativity in communication, I got away from art and started working in advertising. I studied digital arts in a renown school in Buenos Aires in 2005, took the opportunity to start surfing in South America then worked as graphic designer once back in Italy. Couldn't help moving so I left for San Francisco where I spent some time for English studies then travelled across Europe for a marketing job.
Wanted more expertise so I got a master degree in Public Relations in Buenos Aires in 2011.
After working as communication manager in Italy for a couple of years I needed a change.
Love and change came together when I met Cristian in Fuerteventura, an old friend who has quickly become my life companion and whom I have settled with in Guéthary in 2014.
We have created Travel To Publish combining our respective skills and proposing his fine-art photographs.
Basque Coast waves and being back to art exhibits have made my passion raise again so I grabbed my brushes again in 2019 and launched in 2021.
