Valerie Camila
Soon i'll be glittering in the water (2023) is a large-scale self-portrait demonstrating personal strength and perseverance using fish as a representation of self. It is a cathartic way to visually represent personal growth and tenacity. Using the literary idiom "fish out of water", Camila illustrates a fish as a symbol of courage and persistence. The subject occupies both the caregiving and recipient position as the fish is helpless out of the water; she helps it with a comforting yet firm grip. The relationship between the subjects creates a vision of perseverance and guidance of oneself. The fish poses a significant weight on the figure's shoulders, causing a responsive facial expression of exertion. The open sky, sunlight and forward-facing gaze enforce the narrative implications of returning this displaced fish back into the water, a place of solace. The complementary colours in this piece reflect the balanced and harmonious relationship between the subjects. Further, the imposing, larger-than-life scale of this painting puts the vulnerable subjects into a powerful, heroic position– a position of strength.
Subject: Self
Soon I’ll be glittering on the water, 2023, oil on canvas, 60” x 36”
Valerie Camila (b. 2002) is an emerging Canadian contemporary figurative oil painter and student from Southern Alberta, currently based in Kingston, Ontario. She is pursuing her BFA (Honours) and Certificate of Media Studies at Queen’s University. Camila’s work explores self-representation through a unique blend of stylistic brushwork, surreal motifs, and intersecting personal experiences.
Throughout her academic career, she has developed a unique artistic signature– playing with stylistic brushwork that gives life to her figures and atmospheric qualities to her scenes. Her body of work is dreamlike yet corporeal as she maintains both surrealist motifs and highlights personal experiences through her work. Camila’s practice hinges on establishing profound connections between the subjects of her painting. She infuses her figures with vitality– seeking to uncover the unifying qualities and idiosyncratic interplay between them.
As a young queer Colombian-Canadian woman, Hispanic subjects take centre stage in her work. Camila’s pieces visually capture emotional resilience by fearlessly exploring queer realities representing intimacy, strength, and themes of self-realisation. Through her art, Camila aims to illuminate the intricate tapestry of human connection, showcasing the diverse manifestations of self and celebrating the power of affection.
Her work has been exhibited in local galleries across Canada and the United States. Notable galleries include The Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG) in Lethbridge, Alberta, TERAVARNA Art Gallery in Los Angeles, California, and the Union Gallery and Modern Fuel Galleries in Kingston, Ontario. Camila’s works have also been featured in publications internationally, like Ultraviolet Magazine, Suboart Magazine and MUSE Magazine, where she holds the position of Head Illustrator.