Pilar Bocanegra
Pilar Bocanegra says her multicultural heritage has filled her with a rainbow of colors. Her paintings reflect a reverence for that heritage as she reaches out to touch the emotions of others with her work. Homeless and looking for work, Pilar was inspired to paint by a chance encounter with a gallery owner. But before she could act on her inspiration, fate took yet another turn. On an Atlanta street, Pilar passed out and fell, breaking the bones of her face. A long period of hospitalization and recovery followed, but during that time Pilar maintained the desire to paint. She studied and taught herself. Having little or no money to survive on, Pilar used any kind of art materials she could salvage. When there were no canvases, she painted on paper. When there were no brushes she painted with her fingers. She never stopped painting. Today Pilar is still trying to pick up the pieces of her life. Painting has given her life a purpose. Her dream is to be able to support herself with her art.
TRAIL OF TEARS
17.5" x 14"
oil on canvas
unframed
$215
“My grandfather is part Cherokee Indian and as a child he would tell me stories about the Trail of Tears, a march forced on the humanity of our people who were moved from their own nation to unfamiliar territory. A great number of them died in the displacement and others felt they lost their identity. If you observe the trees, below are renditions of feet, which represent how people died on their land and how their spirits are now part of the land.”
Atlanta, GA
WELCOME
20" x 26"
oil pastel on canvas board
with frame
SOLD
“In my mind I saw the faces of people from several countries in Africa. Most of them are waving, offering a ‘welcome’ to all who saw them. One woman is holding a loaf of bread as her welcome.”
HER DRESS
9" x 12"
oil on canvas
unframed
$160
“Tells the story of a young girl in her first formal dress for either a prom or her first special event, so the color is focused on the girl and not her surroundings.”
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Comments from the artist are shown for each painting.
THE STORYTELLER
27" x 21"
acrylic on paper
with mat and frame
SOLD
“A good storyteller can conjure up images that can make you excited or scared and glued to your seat. I portrayed this through the children listening to the garish figure, holding each other tight for security. Storytelling can also get our family histories of people from our past.”
BLUE NUDE
12" x 15"
watercolor & charcoal on paper
with mat & frame
$110
“The reluctant nude. She isn’t comfortable with the nudity, but her face is full of color asking the viewer to look into her eyes and her spirit.”
FLOWERS
20" x 16"
acrylic on canvas board
with frame
SOLD
“An exaggeration of colorful flowers. I left the chair empty, but you can see the reflection of someone in the spoon. This indicates to me a great spirit that wanted to linger”
I'LL FLY AWAY
13" x 16"
oil on canvas board
with frame
$195
“Every culture has a story of injustice. My cultural background is also based on slavery. The painting depicts a lynching and the main character wants to release his hurt by flying away. Most people want to escape hurt and I’m sure want to just fly away.” 
HOMELESSNESS
19.5" x 23.5"
acrylic on paper
SOLD
The text at the top reads:
"I am homeless. I carry everything I own. I own nothing. Someone stole it all. Others have disappointed me and broken my [heart]. I used to smile but now I am angry so I will just give you the finger. I am suspicious of everyone. I wish I could find peace but there are too many demons. Sometimes I go to jail to rest. I'm hungry in more ways than 1. But for the help of angels I would not be able to change."

And the text at the bottom: "My art is my hope"
FERTILITY
24" x 24"
acrylic on wooden panel
$425
“The spirit in the tree is fertilizing mother earth. It shows a kind of love story as mother earth is surrounded by flowers”
Pilar's comments:
“’Homelessness’ is a compilation of stories I heard from different homeless people. It’s about the reasons they became homeless. About the things that lead to their sense of hopelessness. And about how, with the help of a few good people who act like angels, they can find hope again. This is also my story in that my art is my way of finding hope again.”
AN ANGEL WATCHES OVER HER
16" x 20"
acrylic on canvas board
unframed
$300
“A little girl sits playing with her doll in an open field, but she is not alone; an angel watches over her. An angel watches over all of us & we should feel their comfort, love, and guidance."
I WAS CREATED BY GOD
11" x 14"
oil on canvas
unframed
$155
“In this painting a young man is being painted by God's hand while angels look on with delight. What I wanted to say is that we are all beautiful. Our differences in color, shape, and gender are just God's variation on a theme. We are all beautiful in His sight."
DAMSEL
18" x 14"
acrylic on canvas
unframed
$200
“This painting is a whimsical look at love. The knight in shining armour whisks his dreadlock-wearing damsel off her feet and carries her off on his valiant steed. They ride off into the sunset blessed by God as shown by the mountaintops surrounding them. The three mountains represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost."
THE VINEYARD
18" x 14"
acrylic & salt on canvas
unframed
$200
“I wanted to create a peaceful landscape, so I painted a vineyard beneath some mountains. Beside the vineyard a darkened house waits for someone to come home."
DAYDREAMER
16" x 12"
acrylic on canvas sheet
unmounted & unframed
$150
“A woman looks out her window daydreaming of romance. Behind her a single glass of wine sits, a violin plays and there a vision of a couple kissing. Underneath the table her cat is having a dream of its own."
HE HUNTS
12" x 9"
acrylic on paper
unmounted & unframed
$95
“This painting is just about the joy of life. A hunter waits in the bushes to slay his dinner. A fish leaps for joy, an antelope comes to drink, and a giraffe sticks his head out to survey life."
RESURRECTION & THE FUNERAL
12" x 9"
acrylic on paper
unmounted & unframed
$95
“I wanted to paint the idea of resurrection after death. DNA helixes circle crosses as spirits rise towards the heavens. A bird represents the Holy Spirit which gives direction upward. The crying face of the Lion of Judah shines behind the bird. His tears are taken by a bird to water a dead tree bringing back life. Overhead the eye of God keeps watch."