My appreciation for magical realism, was ignited by trips to Mexico for pleasure and anthropology field work.
Dreaming in the Zocalo (below)
Alebrijes
On my journey through Oaxaca, amidst stunning mountain springs and fine handwoven art rugs, I discovered alebrijes. Pedro Linares, considered the father of alebrijes, began making figures from paper mache which still continues to this day. Since then, many artists have adapted this art of fantastic animals to wooden carvings sold in both the tourist trade as well as to museums and art galleries. The intricacy of them, with artisan pieces having removable parts, fascinated me as did the fanciful painting and dreamlike animal combinations – from dragons to hybrid dog-elephants. As the epitome of magical realism they were the stuff of dreams for Linares, and for the children in many of my paintings.
More Magical Realism
When I visited Chiapas, the Zapatista movement was in full force decrying the North American Free Trade Agreement. Small hand-crafted dolls of Zapatista riders in all shapes and sizes were sold by small children at tourist spots. They were the stuff of reality – and dreams – of an indigenous- centered vision seeking to lift all citizens and their natural world. I painted some composites of the many children I met in Chiapas with the full moon over them and the Zapatista rider-dolls in their child-dream-space as they stood against a blood-red sky (below left).
Dreaming in Chiapas
(below left)
Dreaming in Oaxaca City (above right)
Dreaming in Quito (above)
The West and Southern U.S. & Magical Realism
My love of magical realism stayed with me after leaving Latin America. I found that it felt very natural to continue in this style as I explored closer to my own backyards from southeastern Florida to northern Nevada.
The Boy With a Bird in His Heart (below)
This acrylic painting was inspired by my son who has a passion for birding. During the days of the covid pandemic he taught himself about birds and bird biology. But beyond his natural history knowledge, he has a heart for birds and nature.
Our world faces a lot of challenges right now and this is an idealized vision of human and nature connections and harmony, because while of course we require action to solve our environmental and social problems, we also need hope.
The Boy with the Bird on his Mind (above)
This painting pairs a defiant Florida Scrub Jay whose scrub habitat is critically threatened by development and greed with a striking child who represents wonder, delight in the magic of nature, and hope…
Boy with Butterflies (below)
This was inspired by over a decade of citizen protests to protect Miami’s imperiled Pine Rockland habitats from development. When I was in graduate school in Miami, I studied and worked on the preservation of the Atala butterfly. This butterfly nearly went extinct in south Florida as its native food plant and its larger habitat were exploited by humans. Through native plants and some rogue conservation by area naturalists and backyard gardeners, the butterfly survived. And thanks to protesters, at least some Pine Rocklands are safe – for now. The butterflies on the boy are the magical Atala who are slow-flying and can sometimes be caught by hand. They have glittery blue-black wings and aposematic coloring – red on their abdomens and wings, alerting predators to their toxicity. They are truly magical survivors and tangible examples that we humans can devastate – but if we choose, we can also preserve.
Curiosities of the High Desert (below)
I find myself constantly adapting my painting subjects to where I am. My take on magical realism in the cold desert includes a vulture, Stellar’s jay, Anna’s hummingbird and a yellow warbler. All creatures that frequent Northern Nevada. The birds are curious about the child and the child about the birds. I wanted to embody the way everything gets silent and wonderous – almost otherworldly- when we meet a wild creature in its own habitat, on its own terms. We are all that child again.
Eileen Smith-Cavros 