Ana Escalante is a multi-medium artist & teacher. Ana lives in Mexico City and her magical studio is located in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

@tierramojada.2

Ana Escalante, Artist & Teacher

“These rituals are for You, not for anyone else - from You, for You. It’s a little pause and there is a magic in these rituals.”

— Ana Escalante

Your studio is inside a greenhouse. Can you tell us about that space?

My father made the greenhouse for me.

I started growing vegetables there, but eventually changed the space to allow for painting, ceramics and embroidery. Over the years, I've realized that all my work has a common connection: nature and botanicals.

What materials do you like to work with?
Ana: I use ceramics and encaustic painting with beeswax and natural resins from trees. I also use natural pigments that I get from stones and other natural items. Sometimes I buy some pigments from France. It's very fun to make the colors myself. I also put branches on my ceramics and make impressions. The nature itself creates the art.
You mentioned having an obsession with nature and botanicals. Where does that come from, and have these always inspired you?
Ana: It comes from a love of all things nature. I've always had a strong connection to plants and animals throughout my life.
Can you describe the process of encaustic painting with beeswax and resin?
Ana: I buy a big block of beeswax and prepare natural resins. I use a blowtorch to paint with fire, melting the materials as I go. It's very fun. I love to experiment with new materials and methods. It's a very fun and magical process to continue learning.

Can you tell us about your teaching?

I teach many students. Many of my students are elderly. Right now they are making a lot of ceramic leaves.

I think old people work like children, because they forget about all the things that have changed, and just create. When you are a kid, you make things for you - with your hand, with your mind, with your heart, and that’s it. When you become an adult, you think “is this beautiful? Should I be making this? Can I sell this?”, and you think too much. And when you grow much older, you don’t care about that. Many of my students are 80 or 90 years old, and their work is incredible.

What is a ritual for you?
Ana: Rituals are very important to me. They're a part of my daily life. I start my day with them, meditating, walking, and making my coffee. I make my own ceramic clay, and this has become a ritual for me - I gather different plants and materials from my garden and the earth and fold them into the clay.
I think rituals are more important than ever, because we all move so fast. It’s important to slow down, and we need to focus on what is important in our daily lives. Rituals help us to do that. These rituals are for You, not for anyone else - from You, for You. It’s a little pause and there is a magic in these rituals.
Do you have a favorite recipe that you make?
Ana: I love making conservas, which are preserved foods like lemons and cucumbers with salt and vinegar. I like to wait and see what happens after one month, or maybe two months. I also love tortas (sandwiches). Anything with ingredients between two slices of bread or two tortillas is the best recipe for me.
Ana: My dream is to teach a multi-medium art class, especially for people who are afraid to make art. I want to help them find the freedom to create and to find their own style. I'm working with a friend in Cuernavaca to create a two or three-day workshop for students. The name will be "With Fire" because we will use live fire for the ceramics and encaustic painting. We will make a big fogata (campfire) in my garden. It's going to be a lot of fun.

What would you say to a new audience member who is discovering your art?

You don't have to be afraid to do something.

Everybody has a talent. Just like singing - everybody has a voice - your own voice. If you are open to try it, you will create something special for yourself. Don't be afraid to create. You can help yourself with a good environment, with music that you love, and you will enjoy the process. I think that many people need this exercise - because many of us are closed all the time, waiting for something. We need that freedom to create art and to enjoy the process.