Carmen Carbonell's works are far more than mere paintings: they are windows into the heart of an artist in constant pursuit of beauty and meaning

CHRONOLOGY

1994. Birth of Carmen Carbonell in Badajoz, Extremadura.

2001. Creates her first oil painting at the early age of 7 years old.

2010. Begins to develop her own style autodidactically.

2012. She excels academically, receiving honors in high school for her academic excellence.

2013. She starts combining painting and photography. Holds her first solo exhibition.

2014. She starts working with textures.

2016. She receives the award for the best academic record in Engineering and decides to move to Madrid to pursue a Master's degree in Engineering and Water Treatment, thus broadening her horizons.

2017. She begins to work on her relief technique.

2018. She moves to Blanes Catalonia, where she experiments with abstract photography.

2019. She moves to Torrevieja Alicante, to work in Europe's largest desalination plant. She creates a series of photographs using dynamic and ephemeral paintings, which are later destroyed.

2020. She relocates to Garrucha, Almería. She combines her technique with dripping.

2021. She settles in Paris, France, where she perfects her technique and starts participating in renowned collective exhibitions and fairs.

INTRODUCTION

Carmen Carbonell, a self taught artist and photographer with a background in desalination engineering, has crafted a unique body of work that merges her passion for art with her expertise in the engineering world.

Since childhood, art has been her chosen form of expression, exploring a wide array of techniques and materials.

Over the years, Carmen has cultivated her own style, characterized by vibrant use of color and a knack for capturing the essence of nature. Her series COLORS PARADISE serves as an example of her stimulating and energetic approach, conveying joy and vitality through 53 lively pieces.

In addition to her dedication to art, Carmen has enjoyed a successful career as a desalination engineer, working on various desalination plants in Spain and international projects. This professional experience has left its mark on her artwork, particularly in her series MINE OF TEXTURES, where she incorporates salts, crystals, and filtration media inspired by her desalination work to create unique textures in her photographs.

In her relentless pursuit of creative freedom, Carmen has explored the relationship between painting and photography, employing macro techniques to immerse viewers in her pieces. Her series DEPTHS, inspired by the vastness of the seas and oceans, exemplifies how she seamlessly blends visual beauty with profound introspection.

With a trajectory spanning from her early artistic experiments in childhood to her recent residency in Paris, Carmen Carbonell continues to captivate audiences worldwide with her unique and multifaceted art.

2001. Her first painting, the sea

In 2001, the sea became the canvas upon which Carmen painted her first masterpiece. Since childhood, Carmen has been a fervent lover of art, finding in painting a refuge for her creative soul.

Painting became her deepest passion, a way to explore the world around her and give shape to her boldest dreams.

Accompanied by her family, Carmen embarked on journeys that fueled her thirst for knowledge and adventure. In every place, in every landscape, she found a new source of inspiration.

From still lifes to portraits, from flowers to everyday landscapes, Carmen passionately explored a variety of techniques and materials, always seeking new ways to express her vision of the world.

2010. Started her own style

The year 2010 marked the beginning of a new chapter in Carmen's life, where her own artistic style began to flourish self taughtly. Her works, imbued with contagious energy, transmit joy and vitality. Particularly, the COLORS PARADISE series, comprised of 53 pieces, is a feast for the senses that transports the viewer to a world of vibrant colors and palpable emotions.

Since her adolescence, Carmen immersed herself in philosophy, exploring transcendental themes and seeking answers to the questions that troubled her. This constant quest for knowledge and self awareness is reflected in her works, where reflection and introspection intertwine in a harmonious dance of shapes and colors.

The insatiable need to create drives Carmen to express limitlessly all the feelings that flood her, from the subtlest sensations to the most intense emotions. Each piece is a testament to her inexhaustible desire to convey essages, to germinate thoughts, and shape her deepest dreams.

2012-2016. Engineering & Art

Throughout her academic journey, Carmen garnered numerous accolades, with the prestigious Best Record Award in Engineering Degree standing out among them in 2016. However, it was in that same year when her passion for painting took a transcendental turn with her masterpiece ONIRIC FREEDOM.

ONIRIC FREEDOM is not just a work of art, it's a portal to a world of imagination and freedom. In this creation, Carmen captures the very essence of dreams, inviting the viewer to explore the deepest corners of their subconscious.

2016-2017. Art & Water

Transferring to Madrid in pursuit of new challenges, Carmen immersed herself in the thrilling world of engineering at the prestigious Business School, EOI. It was here that she pursued her Master's in Engineering and Water Management, broadening her horizons and acquiring knowledge that would shape a new chapter in her career.

But her journey didn't stop there. Carmen forged ahead, exploring new forms of expression through art. Thus, the UNIVERSE series was born.

In UNIVERSE, Carmen blends canvas textures to create works with relief, inviting the viewer to immerse themselves in a universe of light and color.

2017-2018. Art & desalination on the Costa Brava

After completing her academic journey, Carmen took her first steps into the professional world at a multinational desalination company. It was in the picturesque town of Blanes known as the "Gateway to the Costa Brava," where this exciting chapter of her life began.

During this period, Carmen not only deepened her exploration of textures but also brought to life her first texture book, a large format replicable showcase.

Furthermore, Carmen ventured further into the fascinating world of abstract photography, where her works RED & BLUE DIAMOND shine brightly.

2018-2019. Art & desalination on the Costa Blanca

The artist moves to live on the Costa Blanca, in the charming city of Torrevieja in the province of Alicante, Spain, where she worked at Europe's largest desalination plant.

In this seaside paradise, Carmen experiments with marine elements, merging pictorial art with dynamic photography to create a unique series of works that captivate the senses.

Using a variety of mediums, from sheets to papers, Carmen brings her artistic vision to life, highlighting among them her acclaimed series MINE OF TEXTURES. This series of photography was created through mobile and ephemeral painting works, which were subsequently destroyed. Carmen used salts, crystals, and filtration media such as sand or anthracite used in seawater desalination to create textures.

2019-2021. Art & desalination in Almería

Carmen moves to Garrucha a dreamy corner in the eastern part of the Levante Almeriense region, Spain, where she started to work at a multinational industrial production company.

In this chapter of her life, Carmen finds inspiration in linen canvases, capturing her passion for painting in a time of global uncertainty. Amidst the pandemic, the series EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS.

This series is an intimate exploration of the invisible bonds that connect us as human beings, and invites the viewer to connect with their own inner world.

2021-2022. Art & desalination in Paris

The artist moves to Paris, the City of Light, to embark the world's largest LNG project.

Carmen begins a new chapter in her professional life by joining a major French multinational water treatment company in late 2022. It is during this period of exploration and discovery that she brings to life her series DEPTHS, a series that captures the emotional and visual depth of marine landscapes.

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibition at Gaudí Gallery in Madrid, Spain. // February 2024.

Exhibition at the International Contemporary Art Fair Art3F, Paris, France. // January 2024.

Exhibition De l'abstrait au figuratif in La Galerie Libre Est L'Art, Paris, France. // October 2023.

Exhibition Bleu & Couleurs froides in La Galerie Libre Est L'Art, Paris, France. // September 2023.

Collective Exhibition of Artists from the Old Town of Badajoz, Spain. // March 2016.

NH Gran Hotel Casino de Extremadura, Spain. // January-May 2015.

The White Night Badajoz 2014, Spain. // September 2014.

NH Gran Hotel Casino de Extremadura, Spain. // June-September 2014.

Faculty of Education, University of Extremadura, Spain. // October 2013.

Official Association of Technical Architects of Badajoz, Spain. // April 2013.