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Some observers tell the artist Kalina Schulz her figures remind them of the Surrealist Salvador Dal铆.

Others say they resemble fairies, dancers, even aliens.

The sa国际传媒官网网页入口-based artist insists they are all open to interpretation.

Now showing her series of work at Santa Fe鈥檚 San Francisco Street Gallery, Schulz says she fell into painting thanks to the pandemic.

Open to interpretation: Artist Kalina Schulz fell into painting thanks to the pandemic

After growing up in Madrid, New Mexico, and the remote jungles of Belize, Schulz moved to the concrete canyons of New York to become an actress. She was successful, too, appearing in 鈥淭he Marvelous Mrs. Maisel鈥� as a cocktail waitress and in a DWI commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.

鈥淚鈥檓 chasing my keys,鈥� she said with a laugh. 鈥淭hat was my first time doing stunts, which was fun.鈥�

Then came the pandemic.

Schulz moved back to sa国际传媒官网网页入口 to return to her family. She traveled to Chaco Canyon with a friend. It changed her life.

鈥淲e were just meditating and we ended up seeing a couple of these figures,鈥� she said.

A month later, she began sketching those figures obsessively, then turned them into watercolors. Her father said, 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 try to get into an art gallery, I鈥檒l be disappointed in you, because these very much have potential.鈥�

Soon she was selling her work in Austin, Texas, at Old Town鈥檚 Romero Street Gallery and at Santa Fe鈥檚 Houshang Gallery. She鈥檚 been at San Francisco Street Gallery for about a year.

A self-taught artist, she was coy about the meaning behind her current acrylic on canvas and board paintings.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e definitely anthropomorphic,鈥� Schulz said. 鈥淚 tentatively call them 鈥楾he Others,鈥� but they鈥檙e open to interpretation.

鈥淚 give them a name and let them speak for themselves.鈥�

She names them with ancient languages derived from Aboriginal, Sanskrit and Mayan cultures.

鈥淭ianlong鈥� was named for the Chinese dragon, she said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the most important dragons. Clients say it reminds them of a mother figure because of the three kids.鈥�

鈥淭huja Plicata鈥� came from the stories of the Northwest Coast people. Schulz said it was a tree of life, like the redwoods the Indigenous people use in ceremonies. The 13 figures represent the number for female in Sanskrit, she said.

鈥淭hey make redwood boxes and use them for both birth and death ceremonies,鈥� Schulz said. 鈥淚t does seem like a tree of life with this egg in the center.鈥�

鈥淧an Ch鈥檈el鈥� is the Mayan name for the toucan, Schulz said.

鈥淓verything else is open to interpretation.鈥�

At the gallery opening, Schulz gave a percentage of the profits to sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Pink Warrior House, a nonprofit devoted to providing support for breast cancer survivors.

鈥淭hey create a community around it,鈥� Schulz said. 鈥淭hey offer reiki and yoga, as well as painting classes and therapy.鈥�

Schulz鈥檚 mother died of a brain tumor when she was 2 years old.

鈥淚t has stayed with me throughout my life,鈥� she said.

She has already amassed about 2,000 collectors. She plans to continue in this series 鈥渂ecause of how much it has touched people.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 50% me and 50% the figure,鈥� she added. 鈥淚t feels very much like a relationship between me and the figures. My goal is to get a show in New York.鈥�