Camille S.

Malvecino October 23, 2019

ARTS 1 E1

Before Dark by Lara Latosa

Lara Latosa is known as a self-taught artist and the founder of Simbolo. The

majority of her paintings are made of acrylic. One of her paintings that caught my

attention was the “Before Dark”. As I walked around in the museum, her artwork has

been my favorite.

In terms of the reception of acrylics in the fine art world painting scene, acrylic

painting becomes the new trend. Before, artists usually use oils and watercolors but

now, painting with acrylic goes much more quickly than other medium of art. It is also

much affordable than using oils because pigments are more cheaply priced. In case of

Latosa’s artwork, she used acrylic paint as the medium of her artwork entitled Before

Dark. One of the advantages of using acrylic is being water-soluble. Since it is fast-

drying, it is easier to transport and travel because they dry quicker and are less brittle

than oils. The versatility, durability, adhesive qualities, and low toxicity, of painting with

acrylics, are what keep people coming back. It also allows for a variety of textures and

surfaces. The texture and the combination of the color of the artwork complement each

other that made it beautifully. Besides, the stroke of the brush gives an extra detail to

the artwork, making it more pleasing and attracting to the eyes.

As I stare at the painting, I remember the famous artwork of Hokusai, The Great

Wave because there is somehow a resemblance between the two. Among the three

artworks, I chose Before Dark. It reminds me that life comes in waves. A wave depicts
the tides in the sea. Just like a wave, it can either be a calm or aggressive one. The

same goes with our emotions – it is far beyond our control. A large and uncontrollable

wave depicts anger. If it aggressively splashes against the shore, it means that we no

longer control our frustration. Surfing on the large waves also indicates great

adventures of taking things positively. On the other hand, silent and peaceful wave

indicates calmness. Drowning can also be possible. It only means that we are afraid to

lose something.

Furthermore, the artwork also reminds me of sunsets. As the name suggests,

Before Dark, it means that it happens before the sun sets. For me, I find peace every

time I catch the last waves before sunset, listening to the calm sound of the waves until

the sun sets and it’s dark. I know this may sound cliché but it is true that sunsets are

proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully because the sun will

rise every day, waves will keep coming back. In fact, I love going to the beach. The

reason why I love going to the beach is that it reminds me of my life. I cannot stop the

waves. I may be struggling but instead of quitting, I learned how to surf. If we fail to surf

in our dream, we should not be discouraged because our dreams never run out. Hence,

it is what we run for and reach out for. Running away from a huge wave is not an option

for us being the surfers.

In a nutshell, I can say that Latosa’s artwork was so fascinating. To be honest, I

won’t be tired staring at it. The feeling was so surreal. Her artwork was made purely by

heart and with pure dedication. I guess, she made use of waves as a symbol to paint

through her experiences. It was a privilege for me to see her artwork once in a lifetime. I

had a great experience strolling around the museum.