“The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away” are the wise words of Picasso, and a mantra that one Croxley artist lives by.
Having always loved colouring, art has woven itself throughout Valeria Aguiar’s life. However, it was only in 2018 that she decided to research and teach herself various different techniques.
Now, Valeria captures the individuality of Croxley and eternalises snapshots of moments through her artwork – particularly taking pride in her prints.
From children playing in the skatepark to people inside her favourite coffee shop, Valeria seeks to find “inspiration in what is around me”.
Valeria was also asked by the parish council to repair some of the village’s landmarks, including the ‘Welcome to Croxley Green’ sign.
Speaking to CROXLEYnews, Valeria said: “To feel inspired, you need to be in a place for a while. It takes time to be in the community and then you can really appreciate and enjoy what is around you.”
Valeria is hoping to share her gift as she composes a series of prints from her travels in Croxley, adding: “I want to give appreciation to where I am.”
The artist is also making an imprint on her hometown in Brazil, where she teaches children art as a form of therapy. During her next visit in March, she will teach as many techniques as she can during her three-hour workshops.
Lovingly nicknamed the ‘Aunt of Art’, Valeria hosts these sessions for free, using money raised from her exhibitions to run them.
She said: “I go there each year because I can do something for my community.”
You can keep up to date with Valeria on her Instagram @woodcutfairy.
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