Women, paintings by Noya

If you’re tired of seeing images of crime on the news, then the next piece is sure to be a welcomed change. A painting exhibit called women was launched on Wednesday night at the Belisle Art Gallery inside the Bliss. The oil paintings are the creation of Miriam Ochoa, who is better known as Noya. Noya says she hopes that the rich hues in her works will evoke a feeling of happiness in everyone who absorbs her musings about Women.

Jose Sanchez

“The pieces are mostly female, they’re all female, what’s the reason for that?”

Miriam Ochoa, Painter

“Because that’s what I’m attracted to. I was just talking to my aunt over the weekend. I was telling her women, certain women just pull me into it. I don’t know, I don’t know! I have some paintings of men, but I think women mean more.”

Jose Sanchez

“All the women seem to have this innocent quality, even the ones that are semi-nudes.”

Miriam Ochoa, Painter

“Innocent? Really? I don’t know, I don’t know. It’s what I feel when I’m painting I guess. I thought that some of them looked sad. And in the different times that I was painting it, maybe I was sad. For example, the woman with the fruit; I’ve always thought of her as sad; you’ll see tears falling down her eyes any minute and maybe I was sad when I was painting it. I don’t know. It’s just a feeling of when I’m painting that’s what comes out.”

Jose Sanchez

“It’s hard not to notice that all their eyes are very large in all your paintings.”

Miriam Ochoa, Painter


“I think our eyes are what they call the window to the soul and maybe that’s what attracted me to the image in the first place; you know, to the photograph or the women I chose to paint. I think that’s maybe what pulled me into paint.”

Jose Sanchez

“It’s hard not to notice that your artwork and even one of your subjects is very much like Frieda Kahlo, the Mexican painter, is she a great influence?”

Miriam Ochoa, Painter

“Yes, Frieda is a great influence to me and probably. I got introduced to Frieda when I was around twenty years. I read her autobiography. I even went to Mexico to Coyoacan where she had her house and I’ve always been inspired by her. So yes, yes. This is my first portrait of her and I’m very happy with the way it came out.”

If you like Noya’s work, some of the pieces are on sale. The exhibit will be on display for the rest of the month.

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