Art Scene & Seen: A Través Del Círculo Cromático

By Meryl Truett

At Estudio Mario Oliva, color becomes more than pigment. It becomes memory, atmosphere, language, and emotion.

A Través del Círculo Cromático is an evolving series of exhibitions exploring the emotional and symbolic power of color through the work of contemporary artists whose practices move fluidly between abstraction, figuration, photography, and mixed media experimentation. Each exhibition inhabits a different point on the chromatic wheel—sometimes vibrant and explosive, sometimes restrained and meditative—inviting viewers to experience color not only visually, but emotionally and physically.

The series is anchored by the visionary work of Mexican artist Mario Oliva, whose paintings and sculptural works are deeply rooted in gesture, symbolism, and the expressive possibilities of color. Through his studio and exhibition space, he has created an environment where experimentation and dialogue between artists can flourish.

Among the artists joining Oliva in this chromatic conversation are artists Rae Miller, William Martin, and Meryl Truett, Juan Pablo Zamora, and Oso, each bringing a distinct yet complementary voice to the series.

Rae Miller’s mixed media works move between fragility and structure, layering photography, collage, textiles, and painterly surfaces into compositions that feel at once intimate and archeological. Her use of muted palettes interrupted by luminous bursts of color creates visual narratives that evoke memory, displacement, and emotional residue. Miller says, “When Mario asked me to participate in the Chroma series of shows, I was intrigued and excited. I was a little dubious when he assigned me to creative something in Yellow or Violet. I chose Violet. It has been a real challenge, trying to make a painting in this way. It is not my usual thought process, and it’s been really fun.”

William Martin approaches color through rhythm, abstraction, and spatial tension. Fields of color emerge and recede, creating meditative spaces where light itself seems embedded within the surface. “I found the challenge to create a piece of art using primarily one pair of compliments, in this case Yellow and Violet, a welcome challenge and I was very curious as to what I would come up with. I chose Yellow as the dominant color with its compliment, Violet as the secondary. I then wanted to paint a subject that would not normally fit within these parameters!”

The mixed media works of Meryl Truett draw inspiration from the weathered walls of México—surfaces layered with torn posters, fading advertisements, fragments of typography, graffiti, paint, dust, and time itself. Influenced by the visual language of urban streets and roadside signage, her pieces blur the line between abstraction and memory.

Juan Pablo Zamora is a prominent Mexican artist and painter originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco. His work focuses on neoexpressionism, standing out for exploring deep psychological and philosophical themes above technical perfection.

Together, the artists transform the gallery into an immersive chromatic environment. Within the walls of the historic studio, hues echo the intensity of México itself: sun-faded facades, electric bougainvillea, oxidized metal gates, mercado tarps, sacred textiles, candlelight, and twilight skies. The exhibitions unfold as conversations between artists and atmosphere, between intuition and composition, between silence and saturation.

Rather than organizing exhibitions around medium or theme alone, A Través del Círculo Cromático asks how color shapes perception and carries cultural memory. What does blue remember? What does red demand? How does yellow hold both joy and warning?

The series offers an invitation to slow down and see differently. To move through color as one moves through memory. To experience art not simply as image, but as vibration, atmosphere, and emotional terrain.

See thre show at Estudio Mario Oliva, Fábrica La Aurora, Local 1-D (in front of Cafe La Aurora) For more info call 415 120 5063

Meryl Truett is an artist, writer, curator, and workshop teacher in San Miguel de Allende. Check out her bio and portfolio at www.meryltruett.com and IG @trumeryl