Boss Women of the Art Women: Annette Valentina Choy de León

Dogs are ubiquitous in our everyday lives, particularly in the present day with ever more spaces such as offices and restaurants which previously would had shunned the mere sight of dogs becoming dog friendly. We are living in a period that cherishes the companionship of these loyal animals and it has been proven that the friendships provided by dogs are highly beneficial for positive mental health, according to various testimonials from mental health organisations and charities such as Mind.

Tokyo-based Annette Valentina Choy de Leon shares her studio space with a plethora of plants and her trusty Shiba Inu, Kiki who frequently serves as a muse for her owner. Pairing intricate floral patterns with vibrant technicolour palettes, Annette’s enchanting oeuvre is not only inspired by her canine companion but also her Hispanic and Chinese roots. With tropical landscapes echoing her Abuelita’s home in Maracaibo and delicately detailed animal motifs emulating Chinese watercolour and calligraphy. She favours mediums that allow her to explore an eclectic variety of colour combinations. With a broad range of subjects, from portraiture to dreamy landscapes completed en plein air, Annette takes fondness in her immediate surroundings. However, due to the social distancing measures in response to the global pandemic, Annette has taken to undertaking her art projects at night-time. During these late hours, Annette can fully immerse herself in her work without the distractions of daytime activities. However, she has missed en plein air sessions and is now ready and raring to return to the outdoors now that social distancing measures have been lifted in Japan.

On top of this, she has a penchant for recreating breath-taking scenes from her favourite animes, a possible nod to the culture of her current Japanese surroundings. Many parallels can be drawn between Annette’s work and those of her inspirations, most of whom are contemporary and modern artists and designers. The intricacies of her floral details are comparable to that of Toronto-based Janice Sung. Similarly one can observe similarities through the floral and fruit motifs of Frida Kahlo in Annette’s large scale portraits. Annette’s use of vibrant colours can be traced back to Matisse, Hockney and O’Keefe.

Annette’s canine companion, Kiki has accompanied Annette through all of her big moves throughout her adult life from Birmingham to London and now from the UK to Japan. As a steady constant in Annette’s life, she is a frequent subject in Annette’s works. A skilled draughtsman and a dab-hand with watercolours as well as an accomplished digital artist, Annette’s delightful depictions of Kiki are multifaceted, ranging from swift and kitschy digital illustrations to intricate large scale acrylic works on canvas. The Kiki-portraits are bursting with contentment and affection that give viewers a glimpse into the simple lifestyle Annette leads with her beloved companion.

“Kiki has made anywhere I move into a home, she brings me to new places and people which become part of my usual routine.”

Although Japan has dealt with COVID-19 far better than its Western counterparts and required more lenient social-distancing measures, Annette has had some difficulty in sourcing materials for her non-digital works. Despite this current hurdle, Annette is in the process of undertaking and planning a series of large oil paintings on the concept of spatiality of memory. She also hopes to explore the wide range of natural Japanese landscapes. Annette’s current pieces will also be available in a plethora of print merchandise such as T-Shirts in the hopes of bringing a smile to people’s faces.