Artist Olga R. Signoret (English version)

"An Artist Who Breathes Art"

By: Roxana Rojas-Luzon

The Artist/Journalist

Member and blogger of  TLAL

Ologa R. Signoret

Before I met her, I saw her paintings and felt the 

breeze of the Caribbean Sea blowing strongly over my 

face. When I interviewed her, Olga R. Signoret told me 

she loves nature, "...it fascinates me. I love being close 

to all that is nature. It gives me life. I receive life and 

oxygen from nature." I wondered how much that has to 

do with the fact that she was born and resides in 

Puerto Rico. She responds, “Yes. In Puerto Rico it 

rains a lot, there are hurricanes and one can reach the 

beach in almost any direction,” then she smiles proudly.


All colors are my favorite"

In her work, every brushstroke is long and thin, but firm, denoting movement and fluency. 

Every color, including predominant blues, seems to be carried away by the wind, that 

wind of Puerto Rico. "All colors are my favorites, but which ones I choose for a painting 

depends on my mood. It depends on what I'm painting. All colors are a range of beauty. I 

use both pale and bright. For example, I sometimes use passionate reds mixed with other 

lively colors."

See Olga's video interview,

Among her works, I found one called “Ola de Mar” (Sea Wave). It is a close-up of a wave 

that covers the entire canvas. You cannot see the sky or the sand. In it, her brushstrokes 

look like multicolored threads hiding between the different shades of blue, ranging from a 

light, celestial blue to a bright night blue. She likes intense colors "because they are the 

colors of our island. I love to use bright colors against more nuanced ones, so that you can 

notice the contrasts."

Tireless explorer

Olga is a tireless explorer. "I began to study drawing when I studied at the university. I had 

teachers who taught me color theory, basics you should learn as an artist. Then I went to 

The Art League of San Juan and took additional courses. Four teachers influenced my 

work. Among these, the Spanish painters Guillermo Sureda, José Azaustre, Puerto Rican 

multimedia artist Marta Matos and the Italian master Piero Rosati. Under Rosati’s guidance, 

I studied the human figure using pastels, charcoal, and other media. Then I started a more 

experimental process. I began to focus on shape and color. I like to improvise and to be 

creative. Over the years, I've strengthened my skills through experimentation."

Her knowledge about different artistic techniques is deep and varied. "I've experimented 

with oil, acrylic, and mixed media. My art has gone through several stages, from figurative 

to completely modern art. I also really like expressionism,” she adds.

Inspiration

The image of her oil painting titled “Camino de Luz” (Path of 

Light) appears on the cover of The Fermentation of Light, a 

book of poems written by Arsenio Rodríguez. About this 

particular painting, which stuck in my mind for its dreamlike 

air, she added "It's a painting that shows a path. For me, life 

is a journey, it is a passage. One is always on a path to 

reach somewhere. Philosophically, I like a lot about that 

theme because I see it as part of my nature."

Coincidentally, Maryland is temporary destination for Olga. 

She is visiting her son, her daughter-in-law, and two 

granddaughters-she has eight-in Silver Spring. There too 

she has also found that nature which inspires her and she likes to breathe in. Near the 

house is a path to the woods on which she walks with her son. She admires the tall, green, 

abundant trees and the glittery stones. Her next destinations are Mexico and Miami. Upon 

her return to Puerto Rico, she will paint yet another new picture, because in her travels 

Olga is always looking for more ways to continue breathing art.

Her paintings are in several collections in the United States. She enjoys seasonal changes 

each time she visits Maryland (is it because of the colors?). She is a member of the Puerto 

Rican Visual Artists Coalition and of our Latino Art League of Greater Washington DC. 

Thank you for the visit, Señora Signoret!