College student Carla Castillo is a 3rd year English major who for the past month has been working on a mural like drawing adorned with many different colors, figures, symbols and even broken glass.
Entitled “El Pezo del mundo y del Corazón”, which is Spanish for “The weight of the world and heart”.
Castillo’s reason for doing the drawing was not for any school project or commissions but just to indulge in her artistic side.
“I basically did it for the sake of my sanity,” she said, “what I mean by that is everybody has some sort of outlet and my outlet is drawing it always been and it always will be.”
While working on this piece Castillo brought her art to school almost everyday and worked on it in the cafeteria, in the same spot where she was surrounded by her friends.
“You see I love the hustle and bustle of people” says Castillo, “they always offer some new insight. I love listening to them and I love the energy I get from them”
Along with being inspired by those around her Castillo was also inspired artistically by the works of Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali, and various arts from the renaissance era.
To Castillo symbolism plays an important part in her work as she feels that it is universal.
“But the reason for those symbols is so that I will always remember where my roots are, where the individual pant themselves, and what a certain symbol means to them.”
One of the symbolic themes of her art is the liberal use of ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics.
“I use Egyptian hieroglyphics in my work because I am greatly influenced by ancient Egyptian culture.” said Castillo, “I even went as far as to teach myself Egyptian hieroglyphs”
One of the biggest and most notable aspects of Castillo’s art is the broken mirror fragments in the upper right hand corner. And like everything else in the picture its presence also conveys a symbolic nature.
“When people look at broken mirrors they think ‘Oh you have seven years of bad luck’ when in reality in other cultures breaking a mirror can mean several different things” said Castillo, “It can mean that you are placing a reflection a reflection of your own with another, or it can also mean that your sharing yourself with the world its not just a distorted image”
Although her art has only been completed for a short period of time potential buyers have already lined up admiring her work.
“People have been interested in looking or buying or acquiring it” said Castillo, “someone has already offered to give me money for it but if they really want I would really give it to them”
Although giving it away for free is an option on the table between Castillo and who ever wants it she has stated for the record that she is unsure of what will ultimately be its fate.
