Michele & Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Second Floor

Rosa Ibarra was born in Puerto Rico, spent her childhood in Old San Juan, and went to high school in Paris. She studied painting as a child with her father, Alfonso Arana, a renowned Puerto Rican artist. She holds a degree in fine arts from the University of Massachusetts and has done post-graduate studies in France. Her paintings have been exhibited in numerous galleries across the country and abroad, and her work is being used in school textbooks.

Ibarra’s work focuses mainly on women and children. Inspired by the subtle beauty of a soft facial expression, the radiation of strength, or a quiet moment of contemplation Ibarra conveys the humanness of the figure. The artist paints in oil and uses different layers to emphasize the vibration of light, creating complex, multi-dimensional texture. In her mixed media pieces Ibarra uses materials that move her, such as sea glass from the beaches of old San Juan, gold and silver leaf, or abalone shells. This approach allows her to recreate experiences and share them with the viewer.

The exhibition has been planned in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month.