Oil on Masonite, 8” x 10”.
This is my interpretation of the three graces with a contemporary twist. I have recently started experimenting with gestural marks that compliment the naturalistic classical way of painting.
This painting is a play on chaos and control of how the two coexist in one space.
This individual used to be a professor and a Dean at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. My neighbor has known him for over forty years and introduced us not to long ago. I went to his studio to get to know his work and who he is. He is ninety years old and you would never think of it by his impeccable memory and attention to details. He is a character that grabs your attention with each syllable and animated gesture.
This painting is influenced by the traditional 19th century portrait pose. The portrait is of a friend from Columbia who has been living in the U.S. for several years. Through our conversation I learned so much of them, how they viewed their mother as a hero figure and how music is a major influence in their life. This painting is coming into terms with who they are as they are giving the viewer a slight look as if the viewer should understand this. The cork board holds a lot of clues into their identity, at first it can be mistaken for shapes, but with a closer look one can start piecing things together that were not so obvious.
Mi Familia da Color a Mi Vida, is a portrait of a friend that my wife met while riding the public transportation. The nature of his pose represents his humbleness and gentle soul. The room where he is seated is the playroom for his kids. His life is his kids and is the basis for everything around them. The colors that are used in the painting reflect playfulness and tranquility.