Each year, we feature the work of artists affected by multiple sclerosis in our annual MSAA Art Showcase. We receive many wonderful submissions from across the country and are delighted to share the work of these artists and their inspirational stories with you, including highlighting one artist each month as our Artist of the Month. This month, we are proud to feature artist Eileen Figueroa of Houston, TX:

About the Artist – Eileen Figueroa

“Painting has been a passion of mine since I was a child. The inspiration for my art comes from the color and music originating from my Caribbean heritage. My favorite subjects include ordinary people dancing in the streets and enjoying their traditional festivities, in addition to musical instruments, exotic tropical birds and farmers tending to their fields. My artwork captures the most vivid and fond memories I have collected since childhood growing up in Puerto Rico. I want to share those experiences with viewers so they can enjoy the rich, diverse and vibrant culture that is unique to the Caribbean. When I visit my homeland, I spend a lot of time in the streets observing everyday people as they celebrate life and their customs. I frequently capture those joyful moments in photographs and sketches which I use as references for my paintings. In my studio I create paintings that express my observations and heightened imagination. I use a bold palette of acrylic paint in contrasting colors. My compositions include simplified forms and movement in order to convey the exact mood and atmosphere. When visitors from the Caribbean community visit my studio, they experience a visual dimension that is reminiscent of their birthplace. It is always personally satisfying to hear them exclaim, “You take me back to ‘my roots’ through your paintings. I feel that I am HOME.”

Read more and see additional works from Eileen and others at mymsaa.org/artshowcase.