For the past few years a small flowing sculpture has been
blooming on my walls. Intensely colored,
rooted in the earth, and unfurling a vibrant blue butterfly, she makes me smile. This “Woman Transforming” reminds me to delight
in where I am, and to remember that where I am going would not be possible
without where I have been.
The artist who created my sculpture, Ana Ovares Ugalde, is a
woman who leaves the world more beautiful each day. A native of Costa Rica, she is an artist
specializing in sculpture and mosaics, a massage therapist, and the owner of a
natural foods store. Here are some of her thoughts on art and life (translated
from Spanish)….
Tell us about your art, Ana.
What do you hope it brings to the world, and to the people who see it
and own it? When I create my art I do it
thinking of the person who will treasure it, even if I don’t know that person
yet. I create it with love, and with a
particular person in mind.
When did you begin making art? How did your family and the people around you
view it? My family remembers me looking for clay in the creeks where I grew up. Art has always been part of my existence.
What would you tell people who long to create but are scared to do so or feel like they're not good at it? I’d tell them to make art. They will never know what they are capable of until they take the opportunity to try. I’d tell them that art is magical, and it has the power to heal.
What would you tell people who long to create but are scared to do so or feel like they're not good at it? I’d tell them to make art. They will never know what they are capable of until they take the opportunity to try. I’d tell them that art is magical, and it has the power to heal.
You are also a massage therapist and a Johrei practioner. Tell us about your experience of offering these healing practices, and how they are connected to your art. Everything is one. Energy is in art; art also heals. My experience has been very rich. Over the years I have gained the wisdom to receive my own gifts. Doing so has made me more sensitive to the energies around us. [The work I do] has helped me to see my daughters as my teachers, to see my husband in new ways—and all of this has made me a better person; has made me more aware of what we are in a spiritual sense
You have a powerful connection with your intuition. One of my favorite stories is how you saw a
photo of a man when you were twelve years old and knew he would one day be your
husband. Tell us about the role
intuition can play in all of our lives. Intuition is the thing that wakes us
up. It plays such an important role in
our lives. As parents, I think we have a
responsibility to encourage our children to recognize their own intuition. For me, my intuition is life.
What else would you like people to know? That I
touch happiness every day, and that doing this is easy. It’s a question of appreciating each moment as
it occurs.
To learn more about Ana and her work, see Ana Maria Ovares Ugalde on Facebook or visit her website in progress.
