April Sorrows

Narayana Montúfar / Introductory Image: Storm

"I love being the link between art, astrology, and spirituality. Through my painting, writing, and astrology practice, I see myself as a channel that connects people to their own personal power."

Narayana Montúfar is a San Francisco-based abstract artist and astrologer who finds inspiration in the symbolic language of astrology. In her process, she visualizes how the energy of zodiac signs, planets, and astrological aspects translates onto paper and canvas in the form of richly colored and textured abstract paintings.


Tell us about yourself and your background.
I am originally from Mexico City, where I was exposed to art at an early age through my family. But back then, my appreciation for art was always as an outsider, as I never attended art school or was interested in making art. It wasn’t until my eighth year of living in San Francisco that I began a deep spiritual journey, which eventually drove me to explore painting, originally as a self-discovery and healing modality.
​

"I time my process with what is happening in the sky to channel its vibe and meaning in the form of color, shape, and texture."

Flores

Love Is Blind

Tell us about your work and style, why is it unique?
I came to art through astrology. I always loved art, but it wasn’t until I began to work with my birth chart that I realized the creative potential within me that was begging to be explored. This astrological influence set the tone, not only for the style of my work and inspiration behind it, but also for my process, which is closely tied to the never-ending ebbs and flows of the planets and the influence they have on us here on Earth.

Tell us about your process and what you feel when you are creating.
As a painter and astrologer, keeping up with what’s happening in the astral plane is of second nature, as I continuously strive to materialize the famous motto: “As Above, So Below.” I time my process with what is happening in the sky to channel its vibe and meaning in the form of color, shape, and texture. When I am creating, I tap into a side of me that I can’t otherwise access, as I enter a meditative state of peace, and a feeling of oneness with the universe.

Waterfall

Red Rose

"I am fascinated by the wide variety of ways we humans approach our connection to the universe; and how realizing this is the key to unlocking its power and reaching that ultimate state of self-discovery and self-empowerment. This human-cosmos connection is the driving feeling behind my art."

What are your sources of inspiration?
My biggest source of inspiration is exploring the cosmic dynamics that not only affect us as a society, but that also live inside of us as we each create a unique relationship to them. I am fascinated by the wide variety of ways we humans approach our connection to the universe; and how realizing this is the key to unlocking its power and reaching that ultimate state of self-discovery and self-empowerment. This human-cosmos connection is the driving feeling behind my art.

Why are you attracted to your preferred mediums?
My favorite mediums are ink on paper and acrylic on canvas; which are on opposite sides of the spectrum. I enjoy painting with ink on paper when I am in the mood for a dynamic and fast-paced process that creates a bright and eye-catching look. With acrylic on canvas, the process is much slower and meditative as I patiently work on a painting for many days, letting each layer dry before adding the next one to get a deeper and more mysterious look.

Venus

True Self

"I love creating something beautiful out of nothing, whether that is filling a white canvas with a colorful composition, bringing vital information to light, or helping someone turn an insecurity into a strength."

Bygone Horizons

Art Fair

"I mostly try to create momentary joy and happiness through vibrant colors and light compositions.
But sometimes, what’s behind the painting is a call for inward observation; which is normally induced by intense patterns and dark palettes."

Inner Transformation

Sixties Nostalgia

Tell us about some of your art achievements.
Becoming a self-taught artist feels like my absolute biggest achievement because I always knew that the classical way of learning would not apply to what I wanted to do with my creativity. I only began taking my art practice seriously at the end of 2017, and by February of 2019, I was invited to form part of my first gallery show with two other female artists. And in the summer of 2019, I presented my work in the San Francisco Castro Art Walk for two months in a row!

Tell us about some of the themes you have explored.
Using geometric forms and distinct, solid colors, I created a Sixties Nostalgia Series in which I delved into the concept of reminiscence for bygone eras as a way of resurrecting the past. I also created a method for visually translating the energetic essence of certain planetary alignments through a more fluid and spontaneous process. These fluid paintings help the viewer connect with the larger cosmic forces affecting us all, and that otherwise would be difficult to grasp.

"Every time I create, I do it hoping my creations provoke a moment of stillness and contemplation."

Mars Attack

Earth My Love

What are you passionate about?
I love being the link between art, astrology, and spirituality. Through my painting, writing, and astrology practice, I see myself as a channel that connects people to their own personal power. I love creating something beautiful out of nothing, whether that is filling a white canvas with a colorful composition, bringing vital information to light, or helping someone turn an insecurity into a strength. I am passionate about helping others manifest the best possible reality they can imagine for themselves.

Tell us about some of the feedback you typically receive from people that discover your work.
When people discover my work, they say they love how vibrant and expressive it is, often admitting it makes them feel happy and even want to smile. Some astrologers that have been looking for art that truly reflects what astrology means say they are glad to have finally found it. But even those who are not that well-versed in the language often like what they see, as this visual expression helps them better understand the overall feeling of what is currently happening in the sky.

Sacred Duality

"When people discover my work, they say they love how vibrant and expressive it is, often admitting it makes them feel happy and even want to smile. Some astrologers that have been looking for art that truly reflects what astrology means say they are glad to have finally found it."

Gaia

Below the Surface

What are you currently working on?
I am currently fully immersing myself in a newly launched ​product called Birth Chart Painting. Although the idea had already been sparked by an artist friend of mine, it wasn’t until one of my clients requested hers as a commission, that I dared to paint someone’s astral DNA. Although it was a bit terrifying at first, I found the process quite fascinating, as it blends both of my passions in a unique and personalized product that people can truly enjoy as they connect to the uniqueness of their chart.

What can we look forward to in the near future, what directions will you be exploring?
To me, being an artist means constantly exploring other mediums as well as concepts. For a while, I have been considering playing around with cyanotypes as well as site-specific installations. Both concepts seem quite interesting to me from the process perspective, and I think that when mixing art with astrology, installations could really help create a time and space experience that would help the viewer better understand the complex way in which astrology works.
​

Narayana Montúfar

"For a while, I have been considering playing around with cyanotypes as well as site-specific installations. Both concepts seem quite interesting to me from the process perspective, and I think that when mixing art with astrology, installations could really help create a time and space experience that would help the viewer better understand the complex way in which astrology works."

Rebelde

The Beginning Of The End

Tell us about your location and its influence on your work.
San Francisco has had a huge influence on my work in the sense that creativity can be found in many different forms, coming from people of many different places and backgrounds. Originality and inspiration can be found everywhere; and what’s most exciting to me is how artists here are usually collaborative and willing to help each other along the way. I also find the San Francisco art scene exciting in the sense that most artists here are spiritually woke, as well as interested in playing a meaningful role in our society.

​How do you want your art to affect the viewer?
When I create my art, I do it hoping that the feeling I was holding at that moment of conception translates into the painting to invoke a certain sentiment in the viewer. I mostly try to create momentary joy and happiness through vibrant colors and light compositions. But sometimes, what’s behind the painting is a call for inward observation; which is normally induced by intense patterns and dark palettes. Either way, every time I create, I do it hoping my creations provoke a moment of stillness and contemplation.

What has the Covid pandemic meant to you and how has it influenced your creativity?
Even though the pandemic has been a time of great sadness, for me, it has been a time of huge transformation, which I believe is being reflected in my art. I have also noticed people responding more positively to art and even being more interested in buying art; perhaps because it is one of the most underestimated forms of healing. In a way, this has been a window of time in which my creativity has been given more room for play.


www.naramon.com
​

Biological

Full of Fire

"Even though the pandemic has been a time of great sadness, for me, it has been a time of huge transformation, which I believe is being reflected in my art."

Bell Bottoms

Vibrating to New Heights