Argentinean artist Fernanda Piamonti recently showcased her paintings at a special exhibit at the Argentinean Embassy in Washington. Piamonti has a distinctive style that features some unusual materials in her work.

A blank photographic paper, a spoon and a knife, and tar -- In the hands of Argentinean artist Fernanda Piamonti these are tools for creating her distinctive works of art.

Argentinean artist Fernanda Piamonti

"No one else uses these tools," Piamonti explains. "With spoons and knives I create lines, shadows, and contours to give depth and lights."

Piamonti started painting when she was nine. She graduated from National University of La Plata school of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires in 1998 and has won many awards and international grants for her artwork.

She was introduced to using tar instead of paint while in college, but tar limits her colors to cream, brown and black. To broaden the spectrum of colors, she uses graphic ink to generate original colors such as red, blue and green.  

Fernanda Piamonti painting

Piamonti builds the background of her art pieces with a brush. A cotton cloth and kitchen tools allow her to complete her creative vision. These tools allow Piamonti to transfer her deepest emotions onto the canvas in an expressionist style.

"When I paint some sort of sadness covers my mind, but it doesn't mean I am sad," she said. "It is completely natural. "

These emotions were evident to exhibit guest Fatemeh Madari. "I think Fernanda's art is defiantly something that I have not seen in the modern time. It reminds you of the things you see in the museums. It's very dark, it's very eccentric. I really enjoyed looking at them," Madari said.

Fernanda Piamonti painting

Artist Eduardo Hernandez was also impressed with Piamonti's artwork. "I think it's a great exhibit, because it's an interesting new combination of materials that the artist is using. And also I think she manages to capture the essence of things in a very quick and particular way. The faces are very simple," Hernandez expressed. "With some kind of shadow in the eyes, in the mouth, you can see a face and each one of them is very different. It is fantastic, and I love it."

Piamonti has showcased her paintings in Italy, Spain, Argentina, and Taiwan. Her recent "Themes and Variations" exhibited at the Argentinean Embassy in Washington in December was her first in the U.S.