Evita Flores creates ethereal subtly erotic scenes with faeries, elves and nymphs, exploring the mystical and the dualities of good and evil. I spoke to her about inspirations and her Catholic upbringing influenced her creativity.

House of Theodora: How did you begin your journey as an artist?

Evita Flores: “My journey as an artist mirrors my journey from adolescence into womanhood; wanting to emulate and feel what most curious girls do. Exploration, ideas of magic, vices, sexuality, fashion, music, relationships etc, but most importantly searching for a feeling of being hugged by the universe through artistic expression. I also suffered from severe sleep paralysis and had frightening visions; so I took a Spiritual Painting class at (art school) (The School of the Art Institute of Chicago), SAIC and it opened up doors in the sense that it was the first time I was encouraged to approach fear through painting; which has since allowed me to enter into other subjects I’m drawn to that may not be so favorable to others. In other words, getting out of my comfort zone.

How do you describe your style of art?

“Cheeky, Fantastical, Surreal, Folksy, Ethereal, Sad, Feminine, Dark, Cute, Erotic. But in the end, I hope to wrap up my life's work with the word Elegant. That's the challenge.”

It is indeed a challenge but I love that you have so many varying words to describe your art because that reminds me of what it is to be a woman. Traditionally there is what feels like a very stagnant definition of womanhood and if you’re one thing, you can’t be another. The Madonna-whore complex is just one example of this. As a woman, have you ever felt the need to be one thing and not another or do you feel you can embrace all your qualities?

“Mostly others have used these words to describe my art and I certainly agree. And to answer your other question. I know it’s contradictory but I feel both things, and I think that pretty much sums up being a woman; especially in the arts. I’ve felt that when I’m uninhibited in my work, it’s well received and that’s a feeling everyone wants to chase. But there will always be judgements from others whether it be family, critics or even yourself. Dealing with that tension is inevitable.”

Where did your fascination with faeries, nymphs and elves come from?

“From all ideas of the divine, mystical and the dualities of good and evil. There are no limitations when you enter those worlds, which is why I don't ever see myself tiring of this subject matter. “

Those fascinations certainly come through. If we were faeries peeking into your studio to watch you paint, what would we see, hear, smell?

“A disheveled 5 '2" woman in a paint-stained uniform wearing leopard print or pastel crocs, with coffee or a glass of wine in hand depending on the time of day and stress level. A bedazzled Bluetooth boombox, probably blaring sounds of SiriusXMU Indie music, or sexy electronica kinda stuff, I also have varying genres in my Itunes playlists. I like gardenia and lavender-scented candles.

Your works of art are so intricate, there is so much detail. Take “The Heart Dances with the Taste of You”, it feels as though you could stand in front of that painting for hours and it would continue to reveal itself to you. Not only is the detail rich on canvas but your brush dances across the frame, too. Where do you even begin? Talk us through the process of creating these magical scenes.

“Oh, this painting was a special commission and did require loads of work. I’ve always been inspired by the works of Hieronymus Bosch and Henry Darger, when it comes to approaching a fairyscape idea I always have them in mind. Honestly, there isn’t a lot of preliminary work I do when it comes to these types of work. I just start sketching with pastels straight onto the canvas until I see interesting things forming. It’s working through a stream of consciousness and is very intuitive. The hard part is what goes on once I start slapping on the oils, it’s a whole lot of reworking and editing when things aren’t balancing well. With this painting I had moments where I had to step away and work on other jobs which allowed me to take a breath, observe and then continue with fresh eyes.

You once posted to Instagram a famous quote by Marlene Dumas “At the moment my art is situated between the pornographic tendency to reveal everything and the erotic inclination to hide what it’s all about.” Do you feel this way about your work because while your art is not explicitly erotic, there is an eroticism to it?

“Absolutely. I come from a conservative catholic family with traditions, morals, values, and respectful careers. I’m the only one painting fairy wands up a butt. I still slightly cringe when painting nudes, but then that tension starts to intrigue and leads into other realms. I try to make sure the works don’t feel vulgar, and I remind myself I’m making art. I’ve found true beauty and magic in figurative and allegorical paintings by the greats throughout history. That’s what makes me shameless.”

I love that you’ve used the word “shameless” because shame still seems to pervade the many aspects of our lives. For someone who grew up in a conservative Catholic household, was there an expectation that you would choose a different path?

“Oh yes. I’m getting better at blocking out commentary about what I should or shouldn’t do but it’s still annoying lol.”

I started House of Theodora as a place for people, and especially women, to be able to celebrate and elevate sexual expression. What kind of challenges have you faced as a young woman in elevating and discovering your own pleasure?

“The main challenge has been to not give power to voices that only serve to block me creatively. “

From what you reveal of yourself on Instagram, it looks as though you have a life and an aesthetic that could very well slot into one of your paintings. Does surrounding yourself with the ethereal help the muses?

Yes! Aesthetics are very important to me. I like to surround myself with eye candy, all things that bring joy and wonderment.

You were asked to illustrate Fairy Tales, the erotic folklore of short stories by Petra Collins and Alex Demie. How did that come about and what were some of the surprising or interesting things you learnt/discovered?

“Well, Petra and I connected through our art on Instagram. She pitched FairyTales, gave me the assignment, and luckily signed off on the artwork I delivered. It was such an honor to be a part of this project. If you stay determined and consistent with your art/ideas sometimes the universe will gift you and being a part of Petra and Alexa’s project was indeed a gift.”

If you could invite any five people to dinner (living or past), who would they be, what meal would you serve and where would you sit to eat?

“I would set it in a crystalized cave, with enough time to witness a pink sundown as you enter. I’d bring back my dog Floyd who was the best chiweenie (chihuahua X dachshund), ever so I can give him delicious table food, kisses and hugs galore. I miss him so much it hurts. I’d invite Francesca Woodman, Jeff Buckley, Fernando Botero and Brittany Murphy. That was a tough question btw, there are so many I’d love to invite. The feast would of course offer vegan and non-vegan options. I do like my food with a bit of spice so the chef better have all sorts of spicy ingredients. I’d have an open bar with a range of tasty elixirs and ice cubes that glow.”

Amazing, pure magic! I might have to turn myself into a faerie and sneak an invite ;)

Meet the artist / Evita Flores

Evita Flores creates ethereal subtly erotic scenes with faeries, elves and nymphs, exploring the mystical and the dualities of good and evil. I spoke to her about inspirations and her Catholic upbringing influenced her creativity.