Mabil Eustace

'My time in Guadalajara has been the most valuable and inspirational experience of my artistic practice as of yet. This is mainly due to the influence that the vibrancy found in the colours of the City and within the Mexican culture had on my work. I was fortunate to be given an opportunity to be involved with a cultural exchange between Wales and Jalisco. This involved traveling out to Guadalajara; Mexico for ten days and work as an artist in residence for an exhibition sponsored by the Welsh National Government. I worked in a Jalisco Government building (MIND)  and had only four days to create an oil painting that was then gifted to the Jalisco Government as part of a special relationship to develop trade and cultural links between Wales and Jalisco.

During my time in Jalisco I met with up with a successful Mexican painter called Rogelio Manzo who was extremely helpful and became my mentor, giving me a lot of advice whilst I was creating my painting. He also introduced me to many other painters in Guadalajara and took me to their studios, I was very excited to meet working artists within the city and see first-hand there means of creating art. I was also invited to attend a British Council and UK Publishers association reception (FCO event) at the Casa Borell and a cocktail reception hosted by Wales delegation at the Hospicio Cabanas. I valued this experience as it gave me the opportunity to network with a range of Mexican creatives and members of the British Council and British Embassy. I enjoyed meeting these people and feel that all these contacts will benefit my professional career as a young artist.

The piece I created  and presented to the Government of Jalisco was a depiction of a Mexican street that I visited filled with motifs of my experience in Mexico.

I'm so grateful that I was given the opportunity to visit Guadalajara. The vibrancy of the traditional Mexican culture and the intensity of colour in equatorial sunlight has provided me with many motifs and a continuous source of inspiration for my future practice. ​As well as having created something physical that ​​cements the links between the two institutes I have also created many important contacts and friendships out there that guarantee my ability to return to the city for a similar experience and will only benefit me throughout my artistic career.'

Read the press release about Mabil: Cardiff Met student holds successful exhibition in Mexico