About the artist
Yilva Martínez Kalmanson has been painting for nearly 30 years and works primarily in oil on canvas. Her works have been featured in galleries and exhibitions in Florida, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. She currently lives in Richmond, VA.
For Yilva, painting is an exploration of the unknown. Each canvas begins as a blank space, evolving as she forges an emotional bond with her subject. Her art is not merely an outward expression but a profound encounter with her inner world. Through vivid colors and surreal imagery, she invites viewers to reflect, feel, and wonder. Every brushstroke is a deliberate act of storytelling, creating beauty, resonance, and connection.
Often, the artist does not know exactly what she is going to paint until she starts a new project and develops an emotional connection with her subject. In recent years, she believes that her paintings are not just an expression of art but an encounter with her innermost feelings. She strives to elicit an emotional response from the viewer by creating a sense of beauty, wonder, and inner reflection using intense colors and surreal imagery. For Yilva, every brush stroke counts.
“My work is a vibrant exploration of human emotion, brought to life through abstract oil portraits that reimagine the human face,” according to Yilva. “I transform my subjects allowing their innermost emotions to emerge in striking and unexpected ways. Over two decades of experimentation, I have perfected a unique technique that combines oil paint with liquid graphite, creating dynamic textures and altering the visual depth of my pieces. This fusion of traditional and modern mediums adds a sense of mystery and intensity, inviting viewers to uncover the layers of feeling within each artwork.”