Author Archives: Blanca Santander

Nudes & Mermaids

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Hot Apple Cider Bean Bag Toss Copy

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December 2, 2017

From 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

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Hot Apple Cider Bean Bag Toss

FREE EVENT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

December 2, 2017

From 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

<Click on the image to enlarge>

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Artist Statement

Originally from Peru, Blanca Santander brings to canvas feminine imagery of a spiritual nature. Painting in full vibrant colors, she expresses energies from our collective conscience. Having experienced in her career the traumatic effect of terrorism on her life and homeland she fights darkness and despair with a brilliant positive message of love, light, and peace. The first half of her work as an artist for international nonprofits like UNICEF sent her into the most impoverished areas of her country for research so that her educational illustrations were relevant to the indigenous people. Through the eighties into the middle nineties the threat of terrorism from the Shining Path became more widespread and devastating. On more than several occasions young Blanca faced death merely for living her life as an artist. Facing her mortality made her more resolute. It made her realize that she was born to create and dedicating her life to art was the path for her.

The chance to visit the USA several times gave Blanca a peace and tranquility that eluded her in Peru. She decided to restart her career in Seattle in 1996. Exhibiting constantly and participating in group shows and civic events brought wider attention to her unique talent using full color with the gentle, yet powerful essence of her imagery. As her following grew, she in 2008 won first prize in the National Hispana Leadership Institute’s art contest for “Timepeace”. In 2009 she was contacted by Barnes and Noble from New York and for three years was the featured artist for National Hispanic Heritage Month with Blanca’s paintings licensed out for the national sale and promotion of many thousands of tote bags in their retail stores and online. She is also been for many years the feature artist for the annual Nordstrom Latina Empowerment Summit. In 2013 Blanca received honors being recognized by the Northwest Women of Color Empowered as a “Woman of Courage” sponsored by Northwest Asian Weekly.

Blanca’s efforts successfully bring Latino art to a wider audience with her solo shows and participation in a group shows under her curatorship. It is her hope to demonstrate the diversity within the Latino community and bring it into the mainstream on the art scene. From an interview at her City of Kent, Centennial Center solo show in 2012: “It’s me, it’s my celebration of life, it’s my connection with nature, it’s my connection with the world. It’s my feeling that I want a better world for us. I don’t want to see the suffering. I don’t want to see kids crying in the street without parents. I don’t want to see those things. I want a better life for everyone.”

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