My colors give voice to the light of our shadows

Coming from a family with deep roots in education and the arts, Roca Rico Macias grew up in an environment where creativity played a central role. Her father, a poet of great sensitivity, instilled in her a love of words, emotion, and beauty, while her mother, a passionate educator specializing in early childhood education, passed on a deeply humanistic view of education, child development, and personal fulfillment. For several generations, the Roca family has cultivated a genuine passion for art in all its forms. This legacy naturally shaped Roca Rico Macias’s journey: she first built a career spanning more than 25 years in graphic design before devoting herself fully to painting. Today, her work reflects this dual influence: a solid mastery of visual composition, inherited from graphic design, combined with an artistic sensibility that invites imagination, emotion, and contemplation. Her artistic approach underwent a profound transformation following the loss of several loved ones. As she navigated this period of deep sadness, she chose to explore her grief rather than flee from it. In the midst of this darkness, she discovered that, despite her suffering, colors continued to live within her—present, vibrant, and full of hope. From this experience emerged the series Alebrijes – Textures of the Imagination. Inspired by alebrijes—fantastic creatures from Mexican tradition typically depicted in vibrant colors—she chose to paint them in black, making their colors seem to escape their bodies and sweep across the canvas. These small black silhouettes symbolize our fears, our sadness, our loneliness, and the trials that each of us carries within. Yet they are neither threatening nor frightening. Enveloped by the colors that surround them, they soften and become an invitation to look at our own wounds with kindness rather than fear. The colors, now freed from these figures, represent the joy, love, hope, life, and light that continue to dwell within each of us, even in the darkest moments. They expand, fill the space, and remind us that light can coexist with shadow. Through this series, Roca Rico Macias seeks to convey a universal message: even in the deepest darkness, the colors of life are always present. They never disappear; they simply wait for us to allow them to reclaim their place.