Three questions to Maísa Champalimaud
Maísa Champalimaud (b. 1987) is a Portuguese-Brazilian visual artist. She began her professional career with portrait artist Luís Guimarães and, since then, has participated in residencies, sharing studio space with other contemporary artists. a natural communicator and storyteller, she breathes art and has no memory of doing anything in life unrelated to the arts, whether it was theater or painting.
When did art meet you in life? Tell us more about your artistic journey.
Looking back, I have no memory of doing anything unrelated to arts, whether it was theater or painting. At that time, I also dreamed of being a pianist. One thing I could be sure of: my life would be connected to the arts. Later, during my teenage years, still unsure about what I wanted to be—especially because my family thought painting was just a hobby—I met a painting master in Cascais (Luís Guimarães) and began taking lessons with him. This was a turning point in my life —both personally and professionally. From that moment on, I was certain of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
In 2005, I started my journey with painting, specifically with portraits. At that time, I began receiving many invitations to create portraits of brides to be gifted at weddings, gradually reaching new heights. In 2011, I attended the Faculty of Fine Arts and an artistic residency called Mart (2014-2017), where I started engaging in collaborative projects with other artists. I became a businesswoman in the arts sector, and since then, I’ve maintained an artistic space where I develop creations, either in my studio or at home. I have dedicated myself to exhibiting both solo and collectively since 2011, also being involved in projects that include exhibitions, and the development of various murals for restaurants, film production companies, hotels, and luxury buildings. I enjoy filling spaces beyond the obvious, which is why I have increasingly invested in public spaces. I’ve also collaborated with several brands and frequently participated in charity auctions and social initiatives.
How do your Portuguese-Brazil roots influence and intertwine with your art and life?
Since childhood, I have been telling stories and can’t keep quiet about them, honestly! My artwork has, somehow, meaning hard to explain, actually - but the truth is that it doesn’t end with me. It completes a full circle when they are taken to someone’s home—the paintings never truly finish; they continue to gain other stories. I confess that when I see the paintings filling real spaces, I feel my duty has been fulfilled. To convey feelings to others.
Having a Brazilian mother and a Portuguese father made me mix two realities. I don’t follow a strict line; I am the sum of everything I see and everyone I interact with... I reinterpret the things I see and feel; I mix it all together. I feel like a puzzle. My loose stroke, my acceptance of mistakes and my constant ability to tear, mend, and never be satisfied are what drive my paintings across the board, definitely, I attribute these to my Brazilian roots, for example. We all know that art has the power to overcome pain, and from it, truly, generate life. My work brings with it a lot of anguish, pain, and anxiety. With my works I precisely intend to transform all of this: by giving cloth to my voice, I find life and joy in it.
Your paintings radiate life and energy - what’s your main source of inspiration?
I tend to be very impulsive; everything inspires me—travels, exhibitions, music, books, a new restaurant. All these perceptions stimulate in me a desire to create a new series, guided exclusively by the heart. Through the potential of painting, I seek to carve a path of self-discovery. I seek truth from countless influences that have decisively marked me: whether in the form, strength, vibrations, colors, and themes of my works. Most of my creative process is based on feeling. It’s something so intimate, a shedding before others. An autobiographical exposure. My paintings are a mechanism for catharsis, a way of surviving in such a hostile world. If you want to know why I paint, looking back at my journey, it's a need for expression. Simple as that!
Our top selection of Maísa's works
