Paintings by Guatemalan artist Violeta Marroquín de Björkas.

Violeta Marroquin is a talented Guatemalan artist that I ran into entirely by accident while staying at the hotel built and managed by her husband and herself. Her atelier is upstairs and it was possible to see her original work as well as understand her passion for painting. I especially like her cat looking out the window. And all the Guatemalan scenes from a Spanish Colonial atmosphere of Antigua Guatemala appeal to me (I have been living in Guatemala since visiting Central America as a tourist at age 17).

Violeta Marroquin whit some of her paints.

Already exhibited internationally; already written up in newspapers.

Violeta Marroquin has exhibited in Europe and has been written up in local newspapers. The Prensa Libre is the highest circulation newspaper in Guaemala. Their issue of June 3rd, 2007 has an article on the paintings of artist Violeta Marroquín.

Violeta paints primarily on silk.

At present Violeta sells only originals, but she will be adding giclee now that she has become familiar with the potential of giclee limited edition printers through the giclee studio of FLAAR.

The transition from selling only originals to offering both originals and limited edition giclee prints is a process that FLAAR is now beginning to take notes on in order to publish “how to become a giclee artist and publisher.”

She is a talented Guatemalan artist that I ran into entirely by accident while staying at the hotel built and managed by her husband and herself.

Being “discovered” as an artist.

Many people in each walk of life hope to be discovered. For an artist to be discovered means to have a publisher and/or exhibitor or writer find them. Similarly many models hope to be discovered and be sought after by European fashion houses. Many beautiful women who never had time to take training as a model also hope to be “discovered” so that they can escape the real world and move into the world of international modeling.

My interest in a new artist like Violeta Marroquin is to document the best ways for them to be “discovered.” My feeling is that exhibits and publicity are crucial after the moment of discovery. The question arises, what art exhibit venue and what art magazine.

So I conceived a project, to accompany Violeta Marroquin on each step of the process after discovery, through exhibits and through publicity in appropriate art magazines.

Much of the documentation that I wish to do is to indicate the pros and cons of the leading venues and the many different art magazines. I feel that ArtExpo as an exhibit venue and Art Business News as an art magazine could conceivably offer the best avenue for advancement for a new artist who has the potential to be sought after internationally.

Since being discovered as an artist has parallels to being discovered as a model, it was interesting to learn about modeling from Tina Košir, who was with me while we were visiting the artist Violeta in Guatemala. Tina, now 23 years old, was a model since age 16, and appeared in several international events. Tina, however, prefers to study and to earn her living from her brains, not her beauty, so Tina finished her high school even with a busy modeling career also entered the university. She is now preparing her thesis in advanced digital imaging, and was visiting FLAAR in Guatemala for several weeks to discuss a wide range of possible thesis topics in 3D imaging and/or digital photography. Tina was at the Hotel Atelie del Mar while photographing for a FLAAR ethnobotany project in the nearby mangrove swamps. Fortunately being discovered as a artist focuses also on your brain and your artistic talent, not on your beauty. But of course it never hurts also to be an attractive person, both physically and in personality. Thus I feel that Violeta, being young and attractive in person as well as her paintings on silk, has considerable potential.

For further information you can visit the artist in person in Guatemala, or contact her via e-mail or telephone
info@hotelateliedelmar.com. For information on the hotel or the paintings on silk e-mail or call (502) 5752-5528. If dialing from the US dial 011 502 5752-5528.

Violetta is multi-lingual so you can communicate easily in either Spanish or English, or most Scandinavian languages. Her husband is from Scandinavia so handles a diverse variety of European languages as well as English.

First posted January 5, 2009.