Lunara

Lunara is the artistic name of the Mexican graphic designer and plastic artist Elda Mara Cárdenas Ruz.

Biography

She was born on September 15, 1975 in Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico. She started studies as plastic artist in the free workshops of Visual and Plastic Arts of the Veracruzana University in Poza Rica. Later, she studied to obtain the Graphic Design Degree in the Gestalt School of Design in Xalapa, Veracruz, graduating in 1997.

She has worked in the fields of Animation, (Puebla-2001-2002), Editorial Design, Illustration and Photography (Xalapa-2003-2006). She currently teaches Art History at the Panamerican Institute of Education of Xalapa.

Style

Lunara uses the style of surrealism. Emotions, feelings, dreams, spirituality, magic and fantasy are present in all her creations. For that reason, her art can also be defined as spiritual, symbolic, fantastic and naif. Her works are inspired by some of her favourite surrealistic artists, including Frida Kahlo, Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall and impressionists like Claude Monet. Some of her paintings, with thick brush-strokes and intense color tonalities, are reminiscent of the avant-garde expressionists Vincent Van Gogh and Vassily Kandinsky. Frequent themes used in her paintings include moons, large elongated eyes, small mouths, long narrow necks, hearts shaped like apples and intense colours.

The plastic art of Lunara, inspired by her intuitions, meditations, dreams and revealing experiences, is based on unconditional love, beauty and harmony with the planet and the cosmos.

Exhibitions

* Fair of Art, Poza Rica (1990-1991)
* Mexican Institute of Oil, Poza Rica (1991)
* Encounter with the Art, Poza Rica (1992)
* Cultural Week, María Enriqueta School, Poza Rica (1992)

* Veracruzana University, School of Engineering, Poza Rica (1992)

* Gabino Barreda School, Poza Rica (1993)

* Museum of Anthropology of Xalapa, (1993)
* Solo Exhibition "The Body on the Earth and the Soul on the Moon", Curiel Gallery, Xalapa, (May 2005)
* Group Exhibition of "Erotic Art" together with other plastic artists and photographers, Curiel Gallery, Xalapa (February 2006)

* Solo Exhibition "My Window Soul", Congress of the State of Veracruz, Xalapa, (November 2007)

* Group Exhibition "Christmas 2007", Curiel Gallery, Xalapa (December 2007)

Current Exhibitions

At present, Lunara's artworks are displayed in several Internet Art Galleries:

* "Artistrising" [http://gallery.artistrising.com/ExploreArtwork/PortFolio.aspx?AIID=31175&Col=] (1995)
* "BoundlessGallery" [http://www.boundlessgallery.com/artist/8266.art] (2003)
* "Rendiva" [http://www.rendiva.com/profile/artistname--1192 ] (2004)
* "Picassomio" [http://www.picassomio.com/MaraCardenas/] (2005)
* "Artelista" [http://www.artelista.com/autor/8204842397800408-cardenasruz.html]

Works

Most of her works are painted with oil, but she has recently created works with other media such as watercolor and acrylic. After a period of works based on the moon, most of her recent work has been centered on spiritual topics and contact with nature.

* "The Ant, Nostalgia." (Puebla, 2002).

* "Sad Lunara, The Family, Complicity, Impossible Serenade, Sensations, Nocturnal, Yesterday and Today, The Dream, Mara The Good One Mara The Bad One." (Puebla, 2003).

* "Naked." (Xalapa, 2004).

* "We Only Have Each Other Me and Me, The Goodbye, The Hurt One The Mad One The Strong One, The Savage Inside." (Xalapa, 2005).

* "Luxidy and Lunara Starting Fly, Inside Mandala, Moksha (Absolute Freedom), My Window Soul." (Xalapa, 2006).

* "Awakening, Jesus Christ, Mother Mary, Archangel Haniel, Nuptial Magic, Bird Moon Praying, Mother Tree, Angel's Hand, Archangel Gabriel, Angelical Fire, Lunar Angel, Men Sana, Feeling Presences, Tribute to Frida, Moon Cat, Archangel Michael, "You Are Not Alone" (Guardian Angel), In Love, Sorceress Kitty, Angels of Love, Magic Worlds, The Reflection, Intensifying The Fire Inside, Tattwas, Accomplices, The Photograph, Freedom Inside, The Freedom Watches Me, Archangel Raphael, Archangel Camael, Archangel Uriel, Star Angel, Flower Angel." (Xalapa, 2007).

References

*"Pintura en el Congreso del Estado - Ofrece Mara Cárdenas una ventana a su alma". In: Diario Az, Cultura, Mexico, november 16, 2007, p. 7E. [http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2047759975&context=photostream&size=o In spanish]
* Mario Ocadis: "La Ventana de Mi Alma", Obras Pictóricas de Mara Cárdenas. In: Diario Milenio, Cultura veracruz, Mexico, november 15, 2007, p. 30. [http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2048549610&context=photostream&size=o In spanish]
* Ricardo Rodríguez: "La ventana de mi alma". In: Diario Xalapa, Mexico, november 16, 2007. [http://www.oem.com.mx/diariodexalapa/notas/n491575.htm In spanish]

External links

* [http://www.lunara.com.mx Oficial Site]
* [http://www.artistasdelatierra.com/artistas/lunara/biografia.htm Biography]
* [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
]
* [http://www.zazzle.com/product/239067475039022740 "Sad Lunara" Postcard]