The first thing you notice when scrolling through Luisa Salas’ paintings is her use of color. The second thing you notice is the abundance of geometric shapes. A former graphic designer and art director, Salas (known online as Hola Lou) relies on the fundamentals of visual aesthetics: composition, color contrast, and balance.
“I’ve always had a thing for minimalism and simplicity,” she stated in an interview with Inky Goodness, “but then I guess my Latin-American warm side always kicks in and adds a huge amount of color… without even asking.”
Based in Mexico, Salas admits she’s very much inspired by the colorful sceneries of her diverse country. “Over the last few years I’ve learned a lot about my local culture and environment, and so have found myself increasingly influenced by it,” she elaborated, saying that “subsequently, incorporating natural shapes and forms have become second nature.”
Her creations aren’t just influenced by her immediate surroundings, but also by her travels around the world. “Although I love traveling, when you have a 3-year-old at home you learn to enjoy simple things like camping with family and friends, or simply taking a stroll with ice cream,” she says.
Here are some highlights from her Instagram page:
