The allure for the Southwest and her art passion were the incentives that brought Isis Chirinos to Santa Fe in 1991. After viewing an exhibit of paintings titled “Santa Fe Light” the longing to live in Santa Fe prevailed through her architectural work in Washington DC and her studies in obtaining a Fine Arts Degree in California. When she moved to Santa Fe in 1991, she was elated by the magnificent light. The vibrant colors of Santa Fe were reminiscent of the colors she remembered as a child in Honduras.

The New Mexico landscape and sunsets never cease to inspire the creative spirit. Isis loves the challenge of painting on site, the passage of time and changes in light compel her to finish the painting right there, fostering a more immediate interpretation of form and light.  

Currently she is captivated by the fluidity of watercolor.  “At once I’m challenged and enraptured by the capacity of watercolor to capture a mood- it’s a delightful and fluid journey of letting strokes be active, dissolve with color and water into unexpected and happy accidents” Letting go has led her to explore her love with abstraction. 

Isis expresses “Satisfaction in painting is when all at once I see the intensity of light, the richness of color, and the sublime essence of my surroundings.”

With her monotypes Isis captures the beauty of the flower in an abstracted style. Monotypes are lifted from paint on glass and transferred to paper. After trying various approaches with flowers, she discovered this approach had an unpredictable and exciting result.

Isis Chirinos joined the Santa Fe Society of Artists in 2022.

To view her artwork visit gaby-creates.com. You can also view her artwork at The Roadrunner Gallery in Madrid. To see more work from the Santa Fe Society of Artists, visit santafesocietyofartists.com.