What is the best thing that I love about my work?

What I like most about my work is when I start painting and I look at the blank canvas, that’s when my imagination starts to work, I visualize images that come and go to my head and I have a ritual of looking at the canvas for a while with a coffee in my hand before starting to paint, it’s wonderful and at the same time it seems magical to me, when shapes start to emerge from nowhere and they start to make sense and even make no sense, that’s the world of art, creating whether it makes sense or not, but in the end everything has its reason.

What is my idea of happiness?

Happiness for me are the little moments, those moments that make us smile and even without smiling, those moments that fill you up, that make you think positively, visualizing those things that make you feel good thinking that they will always be there, seeing yourself fulfilled as a person, having your self-esteem active, keeping your conscience clear and not letting anything make you think otherwise, those little moments of pleasure, having a coffee by the sea, that music that delights you, that ray of sunshine that hits your face and you let yourself go, sitting on a swing and swinging like when you were little, those moments of tranquility.

What is my greatest fear?

not having control over things, letting myself be carried away by negativity, letting people have an opinion about my life, but above all my biggest fear is not having that brush in my hand due to lack of creativity, that’s why I run away from that little devil that sometimes wants to talk to me in the ear and makes me doubt because it’s the same one you shouldn’t listen to, you always have to go for your dreams and never give up because that’s when your life begins to make no sense when you let yourself be carried away by that fear of failure, that’s why if a little devil talks to you, literally blow it away.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

What I like most about myself is tenacity, I don’t give up easily even if someone tries to destroy me, there’s something I’ve learned and that is that colors are for tastes and you have to always respect because each person can have a taste or not but never think that they are the center of the world and what they say is the word of God, that’s why sometimes I put up a shield so that I don’t get hit by those arrows that are sometimes shot and that you have to dodge along the path of life, I think I’m a strong person with character but I don’t try to hurt anyone because no one is more than anyone else.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire?

I really like Yayoi Kusama for the color of her work, it’s wonderful that mix of colors that have life, I also like Banksy, his work is incredible, very meaningful, Merello is an authentic fascination for that world of color and texture in his works.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

The truth is that I don’t dislike anything except cleaning the brushes haha, on the contrary, it’s where my imagination spreads out and is released and begins to fly and sometimes I fly so high that it’s hard for me to return to the ground, it’s very difficult for people who like to paint to see something negative in it because creativity is one of the most beautiful things about our subconscious, which is where ideas come from because deep down all the images that come out of our heads are stored there, we just have to open the key to those pieces and fragments of our lives.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work?

When I lived in a house that overlooked the sea it was wonderful, that feeling gave me a lot of tranquility, due to life circumstances I had to sell it and then I started painting in a completely closed space without windows, but there I even tried to escape and visualize my favorite place, sometimes my mind would leave there and fly to my little corner overlooking the sea, then I continued painting in a very pretty stone house but I had to leave it and return to the store, but at the end of life everything is for a reason, and the most important thing is that whether you are in your favorite corner or not, you always visualize it.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

Well, I would change my way of thinking that everyone is good, I have always tried to help many people, because I am a very empathetic person but after seeing the results in a few people I have realized that there are people who take advantage of that empathy, they are experts in knowing who has it and who doesn’t, and today I would change my way of thinking about this, because life teaches you by slapping you what you would not do again, even so I never lose faith and I think that in the end they are life lessons that you learn.

What is my greatest achievement in work?

My greatest achievement in my work is when I was invited to receive an award for one of my works in Palermo by the Costanza Foundation and its director Alessandro Costanza. I met Michael Lam who was interested in my work and talked to me about exhibiting in New York. That’s how it was. Several of my works have been exhibited in Time Square and have been quite successful. I feel a great honor to see my work exhibited there. Michael Lam is the curator and director of Vision Art Media and besides that he is a great painter and a great person. Sometimes it’s those things in life when you find people who bring you closer to a path that you yourself sometimes don’t see or if you do you turn into another. You never know who you might find, that’s why you should never give up.

Where would I most like to live?

Right now I love living where I am, I am Spanish and I love Spain, there is joy especially in the South, one day I think I would go to the south of Spain but I would always return to the north for my son because he is a very important part for me, he is my base and with him I feel strong and protected, but I would never leave Spain although if it were for work I would definitely go wherever they called me because what greater pleasure is it to travel to do something that you love and that gives you the freedom to feel yourself. That is the lottery, it is the best thing in the world that wherever you are you are happy to be there.

What is my most treasured possession?

I have no doubt about it, they are my son and my 2 grandchildren, they are the most sacred thing I have, there is no possession more sacred than love, love is unconditional and moves mountains, feeling loved is the best vitamin you can have, if I didn’t have love the feeling of emptiness would be tremendous, we all need love and even if we think we don’t, it can be from a couple, friends or family, but not feeling alone is a liberation for the mind and that I am one of those who think that solitude is sometimes good to reconnect with yourself and get to know yourself better, but as long as you feel loved by someone or that they call you and care about you.

What is my most marked characteristic?

What stands out most about me is that I am a very impulsive person, I think about things and sometimes I jump in without thinking, sometimes this is a mistake but other times they have turned out well for me, I am not usually afraid, I do not usually doubt, I push forward and wait for results but sometimes they are not what I expected but I do not give up, I always say that there are many doors and that when one closes another opens and if it closes again another will open, also a bit stubborn but that helps me to continue with my goals and not give up.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?

It’s El Sardinero and the Botin Center. I’m very lucky to live in a place with a beach, and El Sardinero is one of the most beautiful places in my city. When I walk around there, I relax watching people walk along the beach or swim in the sea, whether it’s sunny or not, because in the north there are fewer sunny days than in the south of Spain. It’s a beautiful place that has inspired many painters, sculptors, poets, photographers, etc. Santander is a fascinating place to find inspiration for all kinds of work. Then there’s the Botin Center, a wonderful work of art with spectacular views of the Bay of Santander and with continuous exhibitions of great painters, sculptors, etc.

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city?

My favorite place is the fishing district, it’s where it smells like the sea and there’s an incredible selection of fish and they prepare those paellas that you can smell from far away, that smoke from the barbecued sardines, that life there, that hubbub of people here and there, that laughter, those waiters shouting the order in a singing tone, those red and white wines, those vermouths, the typical rabas of my city that are squid that leave an indescribable taste in your mouth, specifically it’s one of the most beautiful places I know and with so much life.

What books influenced my life and how?

I love reading, one of my favorite books is The Clearing of Your Darkest Thoughts, it is a true marvel because apart from being very sarcastic and making you laugh but it also makes you think because it talks about the harsh reality of people in how we act in many moments of life, we find our neighbor, friends, family etc… this book has made me reconsider and change many ways of my life and the way of thinking even and that false morality that many people have and do not realize or do they?

I also liked The Shadow of the Wind, the truth is that reading opens your mind

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day?

The music I would listen to would be Venetian Ronda and classical music. Classical music transports me to other places. When I paint, I always put on great classical music masters and that music makes me vibrate because it gives you the energy to pick up that brush and start handling it to the sound of the music. With that, I want to rest in peace and take it with me when I paint in the universe.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

He is undoubtedly Superman, he can do everything, he just raises his arms and takes off towards the sky, he goes at full speed and does things and leaves, then he does good and helps people without wanting anything in return, that red cape is passion for what he does, I love his firmness, his security, he is an incredible superhero, if we all had something like him life would be different and many of the things that happen around us would change for the better, there is nothing more beautiful in life than feeling super sure of your actions.

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime?

I would recommend It’s a Wonderful Life, it’s a fascinating classic, this film makes you see that we all have dreams to fulfill but there are people who everything gets in the way when it comes to making their dreams come true but they never give up and when they give up in the end they discover that their dream was not that one but another that was very close and that didn’t let them see the blindness that when you want something you don’t see beyond that, that’s why sometimes it’s good to also look at many things that you have around you.

What role play stories in my life and work?

The stories of my life are a reflection of past events that sometimes surprise me and I transmit them to my paintings. In the end, everything is related because everything that happens to you in life is recorded like on a cassette and when you rewind you realize that the painting takes me back to that time. That is my case. I believe that many of my works have a lot to do with my life and what I still have to learn.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ to me?

That phrase for me is that no one will be able to tell your life story the way you tell it, absolutely no one because you are the protagonist of your life and there are people who like to talk about other people’s lives without knowing half of anything and those who know something don’t know everything because the only person who can tell your authentic story is yourself.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

The biggest sponsor I have had is Michael Lam, because besides being an outstanding painter, he is a great person who has supported me from minute one and has trusted me, valuing my work and showcasing it in Times Square in New York through Vision Art Media, of which he is the director. Alessandro Costanza also opened a very important door for me with his awards for recognition in contemporary art. This happened in Palermo, Italy, where I met very important people in the art world. I always think that everyone who crosses your path is there for a reason.

Which people or companies would I like to work with?

I would like to work with Art Basel; it would be wonderful to exhibit there. I would also love to have an exhibition in my city at the Centro BOTIN because sometimes it’s hard to get opportunities in your own city. I would love to work with a Spanish film director, Roberto Ruiz, because he recently made a film titled Stoyan, which is dreamy and very impactful, combining Tibetan religion and its landscapes are incredible. It was filmed in Sofia, Bulgaria, and it leaves you unimpressed, and I believe many of my works match very well with his scenes.

What project am I looking forward to work on?

My project where I would love to work is in the world of museums, where perhaps someday my paintings will be recognized there and fit so that the people who look at them see reflections of their souls, because that is what I try to convey through my works—that morality and hypocrisy should be set aside in the face of so much superficiality. I would love for my work projects to help convey sequences of life that we sometimes take lightly. One of my works I titled ‘The Dancers,’ and it conveys the nostalgia of a past and false morality at the same time. It is a work that surprised me when I finished it.

Where can you see me or my work?

You can see them on my Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/colores.balongo, on my Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/pintorabalongo, and on LinkedIn: http://www.likendin.com/in/rafaela-balongo-129406321

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

That phrase is magical to me, when passion is taken away from a person, that person loses a big part of themselves and can end up being nothing, with no desire to move. Passion gives you strength, it gives you vitamins to continue and to give meaning to life, passion should never be lost, you must always carry it with you, even if there are people who try to steal it from you, take care of it, protect it like your greatest treasure because it is the very thing that will make you move and give meaning to your life. Never let anyone diminish you or make you feel inferior, NEVER… because the most important thing in this life is that whatever you do, you do it with passion.

Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story?

An amazing girl is Jennifer Baz, she is super original and I love her clarity in her work. Another one I really like is Lina Forsdahi, she is a wonderful painter. Then there’s Andrea Stanic, besides being a very strong woman, she is incredible in every sense. Then we move on to the marvelous artist Gloria Fu Keh, an incredible woman. Maria Cespedes is a wonderful writer whose books appear on Amazon and she is a person who details the harsh reality of life. Then there is Nathalie Martin, whom I met in Palermo, and her work is impressive. Daniella Rossi is a star, and Dora Labora’s work is incredible. Then there is Angel Gonzales, she is marvelous, and a tremendous painter, Dolors Castells.How 

How can you contact me?

At my email nocheydia42@hotmail.com or my phone +34 615256539, and through facebook, linkedin or instagram.