Rosa Jimenez
Posted on August 1, 2012 by Fox Cities Magazine
Rosa Jimenez grew up in Mexico, but for the past 10 years she’s lived in the Fox Cities. She may have grown up speaking Spanish, but art (you might call it her other native language) is completely universal. Jimenez has been making art for as long as she can remember. In the beginning, Jimenez never meant to sell or exhibit any of her pieces, but simply painted because she loved it. Opportunities to share and sell her art came unexpectedly. After searching for the right words to describe the way painting relaxes her, Jimenez settles on an interesting turn of phrase, “My mind falls down when I do it.”
Artist Mary Jo Weidert, owner of Wild Apple Gallery in Menasha, describes Jimenez’s paintings as “very Picasso-like.” Jimenez loves to paint canvases with acrylics in bright, swirling colors and geometric shapes. Most pieces are abstract, though some include glimpses of recognizable images: a violin, or perhaps the suggestion of an eye. More recently, she’s begun to experiment with paper collage. Jimenez describes her process as “spontaneous;” each of her works begins as a simple idea, taking shape as it is created. For her, the most important thing about art is what she calls “a pleasure in your eyes.”
Jimenez has a bachelor’s degree in music and her educational background is visible in many of her paintings. Some clearly depict musical instruments, while others suggest musical forms and emotions through abstract shapes.Most recently, Jimenez created a show in collaboration with 5-stones, an Appleton based organization devoted to fighting sexual trafficking in Wisconsin, which has experienced increasing rates of human trafficking throughout the state. A collection of Jimenez’s work was displayed in Madison as part of the show.
Jimenez is currently working on sharing her art with audiences beyond the Fox Cities, but that doesn’t mean she’s withdrawing from the local arts community. Jimenez is contributing to the Doty Island Community Art Center, a hub for artists and creative collaborations throughout the Fox Cities.
To learn more about Jimenez or set up an appointment to view her art, visit rosaj.crevado.com.
—By Cassidy Wilson
Artist Spotlight
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