My name is Otilia Salgado, a UK-based oil painter with Spanish roots. My work deeply explores the effects and complexities of colour and light, using them to create emotions of calmness, tranquillity, and moments of quiet reflection.

I am fascinated by contrast: the way colours interact, or harmonise. This interplay introduces a sense of unpredictability in my paintings, as each area of the canvas offers a new experience for the viewer. Through this exploration, I aim to create ethereal, dreamlike pieces. Many of my works focus on the human form and connection, where colour and light merge to invite the viewer into a more intimate, experience.

My background also plays an important role in shaping my art. With a degree in Aerospace Engineering, I know what it means to work in high-pressure, structured environments. Painting is a way to seek balance, an outlet for calm and creativity within the stresses of that world. That search for stillness now guides my artistic practice. Growing up between the UK and Spain has also inspired me. In Spain, I found myself surrounded by warmth, light, and vibrancy. In the UK, the colder, greyer days often felt like a sharp contrast. Painting became a way to bring that Mediterranean light back into my everyday life, infusing my work with the warmth and vitality I missed.

My hope is that when the viewer encounters my paintings, they feel a sense of openness. I invite them to let go, to be vulnerable, and to allow the colours and light to guide them toward deeper meaning and connection.