Meet the Artist #5: Carmen José

CARMEN JOSE IS AN ILLUSTRATOR FROM MADRID (SPAIN) RESIDING IN ROTTERDAM SINCE 2018 AND PART OF W1555 COMMUNITY SINCE SPRING 2022.

From the W1555 Buurtkrant April 2025 by Ester Venema

Your new book “I Don’t Know How to Draw a Tree” proposes alternative ways of looking at nature. Was there a ritual or process you had for doing this yourself?

Since I had a burnout from my teaching job I started going for long walks at parks, it really helped being under trees to calm down and breathe. I started taking photos from different perspectives, later drawing them in my sketchbook and writing my thoughts and feelings.

The book is made up of beautiful drawings and hand-written poems. Can you tell us about how the writings and the drawings interact?

After many long walks, I wrote a poem for one of the open mic of Queer Poetry Nights by Unwanted Words (<3). I sent the poem to the publisher Rotopol and when we decided to turn it into a book, I began connecting parts of the poem with the drawings I had and making new ones.

The colours green and brown are very present in the drawings. Did you consider a completely different colour palette to change the reader's perception of trees?

First I made many drawings in pink and blue of trees, then I realized that I actually wanted to have colors the reader could recognize from their own walks, and focus on the exploration when moving the body for changing perspectives on how to look at trees around us.

You are an experienced teacher, what assignment would you give someone based on your book?

I would invite anyone to go for a walk and try different ways of looking at trees around you. It can be even a short walk, there are often trees around on your own street! Take photos or draw directly, maybe even with closed eyes or without looking at the paper. Explore abstract and mixed forms and feelings, practising the letting go of “how a tree is supposed to look”.

In the book the tree almost acts as a conductor for people to connect. Was there a moment when you felt connected to a tree in an unexpected way?

I feel specially connected when friends and neighbours often join me for a walk. Once a friend said in the park “love, it is ok not to know” and that was a huge relief from feeling overwhelmed. It is very hard when you feel exhausted, so connecting with people and nature really helps to feel motivated and energized.

If you are interested in more information about the book, you can find it here: link