Gina Maldonado On Painting Her Dream
The Hong Kong-based Latina shares her journey as an artist.
Gina Maldonado had worked in interior design in Italy and Hong Kong for several years before she made a shift to art and illustration. Influenced by her Latin-American heritage and her experiences in Europe and Asia, her art encapsulates an appreciation for all the colours in the world. She takes artistic inspiration from her surroundings, from swaying trees and chirpy birds in a park, to spectacular artwork at national museums and galleries.
As Gina Maldonado continues to push her artistic boundaries, she is set to release more original artwork and a new collection of giclée wall art prints inspired by the colours of Spring. We speak to her about her journey of becoming an artist and building her own brand.
How did you become an artist?
I’ve always been an artist but it wasn’t until I made the change that I started to focus all my energy and attention into improving my skills. I took many in-person and online courses. And with a lot of practice and experimentation, I started to develop my skills and build up a portfolio to show to clients.
What is the best thing about being an artist?
For me, it is the freedom to create a natural universe filled with beautiful plants, flowers and animals. It allows me to explore new topics, techniques and create a joyful world to share with people in many countries. It makes me happy to see people delighted by my work.
Walk us through your creative process.
All my art starts from a rough pencil sketch in my sketchbook. Before I paint, I choose my colour palette and the kind of paper that I’m going to use. Once I’ve settled on the colours, I transfer the rough sketch to paper with a watercolour pencil. I paint or draw on top of that with gouache, watercolours or oil pastels. The last step is adding details to the design with white ink and a dip pen.
What are your career highlights?
Seeing my work in bookshops around the world has been really lovely. I also enjoyed illustrating a children’s book series that were displayed right in front of the Christmas tree at Peninsula Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.
What is the favourite piece of work you have done so far?
I’m proud of the designs I did for my collection of silk scarves. It was a long process but I loved creating and adding details to every single flower and animal. Every design was inspired by gardens around the world.
The squirrel scarf was inspired by the Hong Kong Park. The tiger scarf was inspired by my travels in India back in 2019. The deer scarf was inspired by summer travels in the UK.
What is the design process and the inspiration behind the scarves collection?
I’ve been thinking about creating a product that people would love and treasure. Something that would make a delightful gift. I came across the history of silk in Asia and Europe in the XVIII century while looking at a fashion history book. It sparked my imagination. So I decided to create a colourful collection that brings joy to women, even on their gloomiest and busiest days.
What do you hope to bring to the world with your designs?
I want people to feel joy and delight when they buy or look at my paintings and products. I want to inspire people to be more curious and interested in nature. We take care of the things we know and love. I hope my art inspires people to care about the environment.
Who are your favourite female artists at the moment?
I have quite a few. Recently, I came across the work of Maria Prymachenko, an Ukrainian folk artist and I fell in love with her beautiful, bright designs. I’m also a big fan of a French artist Nathalie Lete and the embroidery work of a Japanese artist, Yumiko Higuchi.
What advice would you give to upcoming illustrators / artists?
I think that it’s important to invest time in developing your own voice. It’s quite easy to feel pressured to follow trends or copy artists that seem to be doing well. Try to find inspiration from things that are not necessarily art. Avoid comparing your work to artists that are doing something similar to you.
“We take care of the things we know and love. I hope my art inspires people to care about the environment.”
Who’s your Chika?
My mother has always been my biggest cheerleader. She always encouraged me to be creative. And she taught me to be strong, independent and inquisitive.
