Ines Vela is the name I use for my art practice. 

I paint what catches my attention and sparks my imagination: landscapes, animals, everyday objects and geometric patterns. Color sits at the centre of my work: it is a way to explore, express and evoke emotions, to see things with fresh eyes. As a self-taught artist, I work instinctively. My practice value exploration, spontaneity and freedom over traditional rules.

The influences

Modernist and avant-garde art, particularly expressionism, naive painting and magic realism.

The toolkit

Journaling, art therapy, visualization, and dance, particularly flamenco.

The spark

Using photography to capture raw snapshots of emotions on the move, transforming them into paintings later