Discover the contemporary work of Layla

I am Layla, born in Cataguases, in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais, where I spent my entire childhood and adolescence. At the age of 13, I started my first drawing and oil painting class. It was at that time that I was fascinated by the spatula and texture in the paintings. I graduated in International Relations from the Catholic University of Brasília and did a master's degree in Economics at University of Buenos Aires. After my master's degree, I moved to Belgium. In Brussels, in parallel with my work, I took courses in art history and drawing at the Ixelles School of Art. I then lived in Rio de Janeiro, Boston and Washington, before settling permanently in Paris. Currently, although I live in France, I also have a residence in Cataguases and I am often present there. During the pandemic, art began to to occupy a more important place in my life. Since then, I have devoted most of my time to painting and I participate in various visual arts workshops. I took a course in art history at the Grand Palais. Today, I am affiliated with the schools "Paris Ateliers" and "École du Louvre" to continue my training, which is also the fruit of my research and personal learning, nature being my main source of inspiration. I work with different techniques, ranging from Indian ink to acrylic paint, oil pastel, gouache and watercolor, often producing works in mixed media. I love exploring different media such as paper, canvas, canvas board... My art is varied, the result of what I feel and my need of the moment. I don't like to lock myself into a specific style or technique. The common element present is nature, its elements, its strength, its fragility, its colors. I like to think of my works as a way to show the beauty of nature and at the same time encourage its preservation. All my works available on the gallery website can be found at Cataguases, MG (except those exhibited).

April 2023: group exhibition "Les invisibles" at the Maison des Pratiques Artistiques Amateurs in Paris, France

1993-1995: Drawing and painting courses, SESI - Industrial Social Service, Cataguases, Brazil

2011-2012: Drawing and art history courses, Ixelles School of Art, Brussels, Belgium

2020-2021: Art history courses, Grand Palais, Paris, France

2022-current: Fine Arts courses, Paris Ateliers, France