Raquel is a figurative painter delving into the complexities of the human psyche and emotions. Her artwork navigates the landscapes of trauma and human connection.
Her works are a reflection of her own emotions and experiences. It is her mission to create a window to the world of mental health, opening up conversations about topics that may be uncomfortable to discuss. By creating spaces where vulnerability is welcomed, she fosters a sense of safety and connection. Through her art, she invites the viewer to explore the complexities of their own experiences and emotions, and to find healing in the shared human experience.
Her process starts with abstract, colourful backgrounds created through intuitive play, mainly using acrylic paint. From there, portraits are overlaid using oil paint. Colour is used as a carrier of emotions and loose brushstrokes as a representation of movement and continuous change within the individual and as a collective.
Selected exhibitions
Drawing Down the Moon, group show
54 The Gallery, London (October 2024)
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'Persephone', group show
The Old Lock Up Gallery, Cromford (August 2024)
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'Burning Sisterhood', solo show
The Island, Bristol (July 2024)
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Bath Art Fair
Bath Pavilion, Bath (Feb 2024)
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'Precious Postcards', group show
That Art Gallery, Bristol (Dec 2023)
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Circular ArtSpace, group show
Circular ArtSpace, Bristol (Dec 2023)
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'Raquel Blazquez', solo show
Tobacco Factory, Bristol (Oct - Nov 2023)​
'Flow', group show
El Malago, Bristol (April - June 2023)
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People's Art Fair
People's Republic of Stokes Croft, Bristol (April 2023)
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'Stories from the past', solo show
No.1 Harbourside, Bristol (Dec 2022 - Jan 2023)
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People's Art Fair
People's Republic of Stokes Croft, Bristol (Dec 2022)
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Residency at North Street Art Gallery
Bristol (Aug - Oct 2022)
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New Artist Art Fair
The Truman Brewery, London (Sept 2022)
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'Transitions', group show
Bocabar, Bristol (March 2022)