‘Oranges Swimming in Pink Fluff’

‘Oranges Swimming in Pink Fluff’, 2024

Claudine of  Claudine Castro Studio

Acrylic, Acrylic Gel, Mixed Media on Wooden Cradled Panel – 10″ x 10″

I started creating these sculptural painting hybrids because I wanted to experience the process as if I was making actual food. Each orange was crafted with paint, taking a couple of days to dry. The heavy texture of the oranges, nestled into the thick fluff of the pink background felt similar to making buttercream. Only this time, this dessert can last for centuries instead of real desserts ending up in our bellies. Plus, it’s aesthetically pleasing!

Claudine is Filipina American living in Orange County, CA who, for over 27 years, has been creating pieces ranging from live sketches to acrylic paintings on canvas. She always felt compelled to create, from a toddler drawing on walls in her home in Manila, to an adult, painting murals in Costa Rica.

As her work as an artist evolved over the years, Claudine realized that art can come in different forms and is not limited to technical, rigid practices that she learned in formal education. The pressure of creating art in traditional forms slowly dissipated. Claudine found that creating intuitive, minimalistic paintings from nature & passersby is enough to convey joy and gratitude for the simple things!