“In the art creation process there are no rules, and there is nothing more powerful than creating art that is personal, soulful and with narrative.”
Bridging Worlds Through Art
Maite Baron is a Spanish-British artist whose unique blend of talents has carved a distinctive niche in the contemporary art scene. Born in the heart of Barcelona, renowned for its artistic and architectural heritage, Maite’s upbringing was steeped in the rich cultural environment for which the city is celebrated. Her formative years at the Teresianas school, an architectural gem by Gaudí, imbued her with a profound sense of spirituality and an appreciation for symbology and simplicity, which later became integral to her artistic expression. Her early exposure to Miró’s works, the colorful mosaics of Park Güell and Tàpies ‘matter paintings’, ignited her passion for collage, vibrant colours and the innovative use of non-traditional art materials.
Through her life, Maite’s journey has been a confluence of diverse cultural and philosophical influences. Her travels across the world exposed her to a plethora of artistic styles and different ways of thinking, enriching her world perspective and infusing her work with a deep sense of unity and beauty. This global exposure laid the foundation for her eclectic and cross-disciplinary style, which seamlessly blends various art forms and materials, reflecting the Bauhaus influence of interconnected art disciplines.
Maite Baron: The Evolution of an Artistic Vision
Embarking on her career in high-end fashion in Barcelona and Paris, Maite Baron utilized art as the creative springboard for her designs, laying the groundwork for her transition to a full-fledged artistic career in London. Her journey in the British capital marked a significant evolution in her approach to art, as she delved into printmaking and abstract painting, honing her skills through rigorous training at distinguished institutions like Kensington & Chelsea College and Central Saint Martins University of the Arts. This period of exploration and education allowed Maite to synthesize her diverse interests and experiences, culminating in a unique style that is deeply personal.
Maite’s transition from fashion to fine art was not just a change in medium but a profound shift in her creative expression. Her work in haute couture fashion was an initial foray into the world of art, but it was in London where her artist identity truly began to crystallize. Here, she embraced the freedom and fluidity of abstract painting and mixed media, allowing her to experiment with textures, forms, and materials in a way that was unrestricted by the conventions of fashion design. This was a pivotal moment in Maite’s career, marking her emergence as a multifaceted artist who draws upon a rich tapestry of influences to create works that are not only visually striking but also full of with depth and meaning.
Considering herself a contemporary abstract-expressionist-conceptual artist, Maite Baron transcends conventional boundaries, crafting artworks that delve deep into the core of human existence. These are more than visual poetry; they are profound journeys of self-discovery. Each piece is a vibrant conduit of energy and emotion that fosters a dynamic connection and interaction with her audience, inviting viewers to engage in a dialogue that goes beyond mere observation to touch upon deeper reflections, feelings and emotions.
In a significant leap towards broadening her artistic horizons and reaching out a wider international audience, Maite, alongside her partner Keith Grafton, launched the Baron Grafton Arthouse gallery on Artsy in March 2020. This initiative serves as a dynamic platform for showcasing their individual artworks and collaborations to an international set of collectors, art enthusiasts and trade members. This initiative demonstrates her dedication to not just creating art but also establishing a vibrant community of engagement and dialogue. Moreover, Maite’s exhibitions across cultural hubs like London, Paris and New York, highlight her global resonance, underlining her ability to connect with and captivate a diverse and international audience, thus reinforcing her status as an artist with a truly universal appeal.
A Tapestry of Inspirations and Influences
Maite Baron’s style is a cross-disciplinary, eclectic, and iconoclastic approach embodying a fusion of energetic mark-making, bold imagery, and a rich palette that showcases a blend of abstraction with playful twists and collages with an art worldview reminiscent of Tàpies, Kandinsky, and Rauschenberg.
Her canvases are not just visual spectacles that incorporate philosophical underpinnings of both Western and Eastern traditions with non-traditional materials, but narratives woven from the fabric of her experiences, memories, and dreams, where every stroke and texture is a dialogue between various expressions. Maite’s thematic explorations are deeply personal yet universally resonant, ranging from the existential to the ephemeral, transforming profound ideas into tangible art that encapsulates the fragility of time, the gender roles in society, the critical dialogue on the climate crisis, and the celebration of love and the spiritual.
Maite’s art transcends the visual to become a medium of emotional and intellectual engagement, where each piece is an invitation to a dialogue that is both introspective and outward-looking. Her commitment to capturing the essence of life and its myriad emotions is evident in her work, which is a reflection of her continuous quest to explore the interplay between art and life, the individual and the universal.
Maite Baron: Creating a Sacred Space
For Maite Baron, the creative process is as vital as the artwork itself. Her studio is her sanctuary, a place where the external world fades away, allowing her to fully immerse herself in her artistic endeavors. The organization of her workspace is a delicate balance between order and chaos, mirroring the dual nature of her artistic process, which is both disciplined and intuitively driven. Maite’s approach to creating art is deeply ritualistic, involving a meticulous setup of her materials and workspace, setting the stage for a creative journey that is as unpredictable as it is structured.
The physical act of creating is a spiritual experience for Maite, where each brushstroke and material selection is a deliberate act of exploration, imbued with intention and meaning. Whether she’s layering textures, blending colors, or assembling found objects, Maite’s work is a constant dialogue with her materials, each element revealing a new facet of her artistic vision. This intimate relationship with her creative process underscores Maite’s philosophy that art is not merely about the end product but about the journey of discovery and expression that leads to it.
Through these explorations, influences, and creative processes, Maite Baron emerges as an artist who not only captures the aesthetic beauty of the world around her but also delves into its deeper, more nuanced layers. Her art is a reflection of her life’s mosaic of experiences and inspirations that she skillfully translates into captivating visual narratives.
Her process is a testimony to her belief in the transformative power of art, not just as a visual medium but as a conduit for exploring deeper existential themes. Each piece she creates is a medium through which she delves into these pivotal subjects, inviting her audience to embark on a journey of reflection and introspection. Her work is a vibrant dialogue with the viewer, a call to awaken the soul, open the heart, and expand the mind. Through her art, Maite Baron aims to evoke a profound resonance, encouraging observers to confront and contemplate the intricate layers of her themes. Her mission is to create art that not only captivates aesthetically but also serves as a catalyst for personal and collective change, offering a gateway to explore new realms of understanding, awakening and possibility.
