Hello!
I am Candela, and I am an artist, illustrator, and academic. I grew up in Spain in a very creative environment, always making and inventing, and with creative people around me - my mother is a painter, my aunt is an all-round maker and interior designer, and my brother is a designer. I have always drawn, and since I can remember, making things with my hands is what brings me the most joy.
During my teens I worked for the Printmaking Museum (and their weekeend pop-up shop) in Marbella (Spain), and I began taking classes in etching and lithography. It was then that I started to pay more attention to composition, and many of the things I learned then I still use today.
However, it was not until my later teens when I art took a centre stage for me. When I was 16 I won a scholarship to go on a three month trip around Mexico, Belize and Guatemala learning about Mayan history. During this trip I was lucky enough to meet other young artists who inspired me to continue practicing and honing my skills. The following year, I was awarded a 2 year scholarship to study at UWC-USA in New Mexico, and there I was able to take art classes in a more serious and academic way. I got to explore a variety of techniques and also to think more critically about my art practice.
I discovered digital art in my late twenties - almost by chance, when I received an iPad as a present to work on my PhD thesis. I started using Adobe Sketch and a cheap stylus. I soon fell in love with digital art, and since then, I have continued teaching myself and developing my skills. I am currently based in Edinburgh (Scotland), where I live with my partner Roddy and our kitty cats Goose and Pickle :)