Amaya Salazar

Amaya Salazar, painter and sculptor, was born in 1951 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Salazar studied art in Santo Domingo and later studied at the Academia Artium, Madrid, Spain and at the School of Fine Arts, Boston, U.S.A. She is known for colorful paintings with faceless personas.

Photo of Amaya Salazar

Through her training Amaya learned to dominate drawing, skillfully manage color, discover the emotion of giving form with her hands to clay and little by little without rushing but with a firm conviction she has become an artist completely dedicated to her task; always growing and reaching one by one all of her goals. It is with this dedication that Amaya has been able to exhibit her works in various countries.

In the Dominican Republic her first solo exhibition took place in 1981; since this show Amaya has presented her works at important art galleries and museums of her country. Her solo and group exhibitions in her country have been numerous. Following is a recount of her most significant shows.

In 1994, she was invited to exhibit her works in the Second Painting Biennale of the Caribbean and Central America. At this biennale she was also asked to give the opening speech on behalf of Dominican artists. In 1997, Amaya presented at Galeria Guernica the exhibition called, "Amaya in Three Dimensions"; thus, positioning herself as one of the first female artist to prepare an exhibition of sculptures.

She was also the first female artist to have her works exhibited in the altars of two churches of her country. Her work, "Christ Resurrected," a 7 feet by 8 inches bronze sculpture, is in the Church of Santo Toribio and her work, "Resurrection", a 5 feet by 5 inches bronze sculpture, is in the Church of San Mauricio.