Pamela Polanco | Painter

Realism, particularly photorealism, has always demanded a great amount of technical skill, dedication, and most of all patience. Not as commonly associated with realism is the heart and emotion that Pamela Polanco brings to her work. In her latest series of paintings, influenced by the pandemic, she depicts faces devoid of identity — broken, and surrounded by flowers — making the explicit challenge to the viewer to perceive the emotion and empathize. 

| BACKGROUND

Born in 1994 in Salcedo, Dominican Republic, the inspirations for her art began right in her childhood home. Flowers are a frequent subject for her, and a connection to the early memories of her mom’s flower shop, which was a special gem that her mother later had to let go in order to dedicate herself to educating her two children. The feelings Pamela portrays frequently reflect positive and negative aspects of her childhood, life traumas, and teenage experiences. 

From an early age she showed an aptitude for art, which she honed in on at several local art schools and private classes. She experimented with different mediums including acrylic paintings and graphite drawings, which she sold to members of her family. Eventually, through her consistent work and the guidance of her mentor, she developed her skills in realism, portraits, and nature. She primarily uses oil paints but continues to create with graphite, colored pencils, and even digital pieces. 

| ACHIEVEMENTS AND ADVICE

In addition to Pamela’s accomplishments as a realist painter, she has also secured a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, and is currently a senior architect at a local firm in Santo Domingo. She lives by the mantra, "Consistency is the key, work hard for your dreams and eventually they will become your reality". You can see Pamela Polanco’s motto in action on her Instagram @pamelapolancoart!

Written By

Tristan Dominguez

Tristan Dominguez is an innately curious autodidact with a focus on the humanities. Over two decades he’s written for a variety of passion projects, work characterized by diligent research and conscientious use of language. You can read some of his essays here: https://soundmind.substack.com/

Edited By | Katherine Berg | @kurleykath

Katherine is an artist, vegan activist, and the founder and curator of Creating Freely Magazine. She’s passionate about living on her own terms and maximizing her potential.