We met Lulu Figueroa in Madrid to visit the Sorolla Museum. Lulu has studied Art History and combines her two passions, fashion and art, in her professional life. In the garden she takes pictures where she finds inspiration for her paintings. Lulu is calm and sensitive, we talk about her roots in Jerez, and she tells us that she has just exhibited in the mythical Cock bar. We stop by to see her work on display in the bar. She uses a mixed technique of acrylics and watercolours, with flowers, family portraits and her two dogs standing out.
Q - What is your creative process like and what is the part you enjoy the most?
A - I am inspired by the photos I take, I like to play with perspectives and sudden changes in light. Flowers started being my main subject, then dogs and recently I started with portraits but I probably won't continue working on that subject because it's very complicated. The part I enjoy most when I start a new watercolour is the drawing, I don't know why but I love it, it relaxes me. Then the colour, the beginning is always more difficult for me. Sometimes I like to abandon watercolour for a while, and then come back to it because you see new things that can be changed.
Q - How did you start painting your surroundings (family, dogs, flowers)?
A - I've always liked painting, I've spent hours painting since I was very young. And many of us in the family share the same hobby. I paint what surrounds me, my dogs, Lora and Mollie, accompany me every day and are an important part of me and that's why I paint them. Flowers on the other hand allow me to experiment with sudden changes of light thanks to the multitude of petals, especially roses.
Q -Where would you like to take your work, are you thinking of changing your technique, or other artistic fields, or would you like to try other artistic techniques?
A - I think it's an evolution that takes time, things happen by themselves and the techniques have their moment, at the beginning I only painted with oils. I wouldn't change technique right now but I would like to try sculpture, I'm very attracted to it, I've been saying it for years but I can't make up my mind.
Q - What other projects are you currently working on?
A - I have just exhibited at Le Cock, a very famous cocktail bar in Madrid. The exhibition was divided into several stages that I have been developing throughout the year. I have tried various techniques, but I always end up coming back to watercolour. And before the end of the year I would like to do another exhibition, this one only focusing on flowers.
Q - Which artists do you admire? References that you would like to suggest.
A - I admire Sorolla, Velázquez, Magritte and of course my uncle Cristián (Cristián Domecq) I am very close to him and I can admire his work whenever I want, he lets me see unfinished works and his sketches.
Q - Anyone you would like to collaborate with?
A - More than with whom, how. I would always like to collaborate in an artistic way, to combine fashion with art.
Q - Fashion is another of your passions, how do you combine it with art?
A - It's true that I love fashion, but for me painting comes first. Combining the two is almost a necessity for me and, fortunately, it's usually easy. Thanks to fashion I can do what I love, which is painting. There are times when I have to abandon one to continue with the other, but seen in perspective it's a small sacrifice.
Q - A book.
R - The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Q - A restaurant.
R - Aire, (c/orfila 7, madrid)
Q - A film.
A - The Cloud Atlas.
Q - A place.
R - Jerez
Q - Something that puts you in a good mood?
A - A lemon tart
Q - What's wrong with it?
A - Having to share the cake.
Q - When would you wear the clothes you are wearing in the photos?
A - The first one is perfect for spending the day painting, then going for a walk, meeting up with my friends. And the second one is perfect for any summer day, going out to a party, a special dinner.
