Artists to Watch | Yvonne Mendez - Southwest Art Magazine

Moments in time

Yvonne Mendez, Aleksandr, oil, 12 x 16.

Capturing an animal’s personality and spirit through portraiture can be decidedly more difficult than capturing a person’s. But Santa Fe, NM, painter Yvonne Mendez manages this endeavor effortlessly in her unique portrayals of horses, birds, dogs, and other creatures that embody many of the idiosyncrasies of human expression. Mendez’s still lifes, another beloved subject, possess a similar individualism, each communicating a meaningful moment that the artist hopes will remind viewers of equally beautiful memories in their own lives.

A Florida native and longtime resident of Atlanta, Mendez now maintains her home and studio near New Mexico’s Atalaya Mountain. Her formal training includes a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from St. Mary’s Dominican College in New Orleans, LA, but the signature style she employs today—as well as her sensitivity to her subject matter—derives predominantly from her own study and exploration. This self-education was enhanced over the years through workshops with such instructors as Sherrie McGraw, David A. Leffel, Kevin Gorges, Marc Chatov, and Bill Davidson.

: Yvonne Mendez, The Celebrity, oil, 48 x 48.

: Yvonne Mendez, Runaway, oil, 18 x 20.

: Yvonne Mendez, Fergus, oil, 48 x 47.

An avid traveler, Mendez is inspired by sights and experiences from her frequent sojourns as well as by her memory and imagination. Her painting process begins with the slow, structured development of the composition, which may take hours or days and involves several charcoal sketches. After organizing her tools and selecting her palette, she quiets her mind and prepares to enter a creative zone by closely studying her subject matter.

This is one of the most enjoyable stages of the process for Mendez, since being present is paramount to achieving her artistic goals. “In the calm of my studio, I fall into an almost meditative state and begin the creative flow that will bring the painting to fruition,” she says. “When I’m finished, I leave the interpretation of the work to the viewer, but I hope these carefully captured moments in time offer feelings of connection, nostalgia, and joyful pleasure.” –Allison Malafronte