Fatima Ronquillo was born in the Philippines, grew up in San Antonio, and now lives and works in Santa Fe. The blends of cultures that make up the places where she has lived enrich her imagination as she paints seemingly classical portraits with a magical contemporary twist. She keeps a “mental card catalog” of literary, musical and art historical references to draw on for inspiration.
Ronquillo will show eight of her recent inspirations in the exhibition Gardens of Good and Evilat Meyer Gallery in Santa Fe, August 30 through September 12.
Three For A Girl, oil, 30 x 24"
Her subjects have their own mysterious presence as they gaze out at the viewer. Ronquillo says, “They are characters who believe in their moment, living in their own reality.” Man with Gila Monster is draped in a magnificent floral shawl over his embroidered jacket and wears a lover’s eye miniature ring. She says, “Compositionally speaking, the framed ornamental eye gives context and a reason for a floating third or fourth eye in a painting. It’s a device of conceit: a portrait within a portrait. For me, it’s an iconic symbol about the figure represented not unlike the reliquaries of saints in old devotional images. The lover’s eyes are held by uniformed or exotically dressed figures that may have been away at war or estranged in some foreign land. Romance runs the gamut of emotions, which can be symbolized by the language of flowers and even physically visible wounds.”
Man With Gila Monster, oil, 24 x 20"
In another time, the figure in Man with Gila Monster might have been holding a pet or a wild animal from his own time and place. Here, he protects an endangered venomous lizard of the American Southwest.
Magpies, like the other birds of its family such as crows, ravens and rooks, are considered to be very intelligent. In different cultures, however, their symbolism is complex. In Western culture they often symbolize bad omens whereas, in Eastern culture, they often symbolize good fortune.
Poet With Roses and Nightingale, oil, 16 x 16"
In Three for a Girl they are objects of beauty visiting a girl with a coral necklace and holding a red coral pendant, a protective talisman in some cultures. She is wearing another of Ronquillo’s magnificent inventions, a floral landscape dress.
“Fatima Ronquillo’s art takes viewers into an enchanting world,” says Meyer Gallery owner John Manzari. “Her skillful use of classical techniques and imaginative themes brings each piece to life with rich storytelling.” —
Hand With Arrow, Hummingbirds and Honeysuckle, oil, 12 x 12"
Meyer Gallery 225 Canyon Road, Suite 14 & 15 Santa Fe, NM 87501 • (505) 983-1434 www.meyergalleries.com
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