Medium: Mixed Media on paper
Size: 24×18
Year: 2007
Archive for February, 2009
Red Rain
On February - 25 - 2009
Medium: Mixed Media on paperCorey Heard
On February - 25 - 2009
Corey Heard is an undergraduate student at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. He will receive his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education degree at the end of Fall 2009. He grew up in Byron, Georgia before moving to Valdosta, Georgia 1994. His two and three dimensional art consist mostly of non-representational pieces focusing on surfaces and viewer interaction. His work has been seen in The Eleventh Hour publication, the Draw Project presented by the Turner Center in 2007, the Valdosta National, and Valdosta State University Fine Art Gallery Senior Exhibition and Student Juried Competition.
13 Lagrimas
On February - 19 - 2009
Medium: Mixed MediaJosefina Tomando
On February - 18 - 2009
Medium: Mixed MediaJosefina Pensado
On February - 18 - 2009
Medium: Mixed MediaEfrain Cruz
On February - 18 - 2009
I was born in Cordoba Veracruz, Mexico. I had an early inspiration to become an artist, however, due to the life obstacles I had to ignore my talents. At age of twenty I realized that the artistic inspirations were the major part of my life and could not be held back any more. I paint to (of) my people and from my people, my family, my friends, and God because he is special and they believe in me. My life in Mexico gave a brilliant simulation to a life of painting.
My work is a series of journal entries that document memories from my past. Life in Mexico gave a brilliant stimulation to my passion for painting. My work is a colorful representation of the culture of my hometown of Veracruz, with its rich history, deep spirituality and touching humanity. The themes of my work reflect well the many struggles and obstacles of my life endeavors. As far as subject matter, I tend to gravitate towards painting images of my God, my people, family and friends. The endless color possibilities of my palette is also a source of inspiration for me in expressing my love for life. The colorful culture of my hometown is reflected in the high intensity colors I use in order to achieve a more dynamic and active feel.
Besides my hometown, my main source of inspiration came from and still remains to be my mother. She taught me to feel, experience and appreciate life. To be strong, wise and thankful are just some of the virtues she instilled in me. The memory of her face is still fresh in my mind reminding me of the many struggles she overcame. The image of her sad eyes while keeping her trademark smile fuels my passion for painting. Through my artwork, I wish to tell my story and have the viewer connect by relating their own stories. By sharing a piece of my life, I wish to achieve unity with someone with similar experiences.
Artists in the News 2008
Discovering the Emotional Expressionism of Efrain Cruz
Written by: Maurice Taplinger
Born in Veracruz Mexico, now living and working in Valdosta, Georgia, Efrain Cruz is a “natural,” judging from the work on view in “The Allegory of Form,” at Agora Gallery, 530 West 25th Street from February 5 through 26. (Reception: Thursday, February 7, from 6 to 8PM.)
For Cruz’s work, most of which focuses on figures and portraits, whether imaginary or based on specific individuals, is refreshingly unselfconscious, and his take on Expressionism is unabashedly emotional. Although he is a populist who says “I paint of my people,” and one may discern the influence of Orozco and other Mexican muralists in his bold shapes and fiery colors, his approach is personal rather than political. Instead of indulging in the theorizing so prevalent among other painters of his generation, Cruz simply states, “I believe that life is beautiful and color possibilities are amazing. I like to use deep purple, sunbeam yellow, and strong shades of blue, green and red to make images active and sensuous.”
Yet for all his directness, his oils on canvas display an innate sophistication that comes across most impressively in the fluidity of his forms. In the composition he calls “Juntos,” for example, two faces flow together as though a single entity and dissolve at the shoulders into swirling rainbow ribbons that lend the composition a remarkable abstract integrity. Which is to say, while the subjects’ distinctively delineated features suggest specific individuals, the composition as a whole conveys a concern with plastic values that transcends conventional portraiture.
Along with conveying emotion chromatically, through generally intense color choices, Cruz alters his formal stance from picture to picture to capture particulars of personality through formal rather than anecdotal means. In “Maria,” for example, a saintly face is enveloped in luminous halo-like auras akin to stained glass or the hues in Rouault’s religious pictures. By contrast, in “Pedro Navaja,” a somewhat less spiritual character sporting a slouch hat at a rakish angle is captured in areas of neon-bright color and sharp planes more reminiscent of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.
Appropriately enough, among Cruz’ most rhythmic compositions is “El Musico,” where undulating areas of blue, yellow, and orange hues swirl around the central figure of a musician playing a bass fiddle, while jagged shapes influenced by African sculpture and, in turn, Picasso, dominate the strong portrait head called “Cesar.”
Efrain Cruz’ ability to avail himself of all the cultural riches of art history yet transform them for his own purposes reminds one of the late Jean-Michel Basquiat. Cruz, however, is an artist not so smitten with aesthetic heroes as with how his own gift can be applied to celebrating his friends and family, of whom he speaks glowingly, as when he says, “The internal image of my mother gave a great deal of inspiration. . . . She taught me to be strong, wise, and thankful for every day of my life. The many struggles she passed through made her eyes look sad, but her smile stays bright and happy.”
Reconciling such contradictions would appear to be the artistic mission of this passionate and altogether engaging young painter.
Image Credits: Mujer de Padro Navaja - Oil on Canvas 60 “x48″
Josefina Fumando
On February - 1 - 2009
Medium: Mixed Media 
Dos Vidas
On February - 1 - 2009
Medium: Mixed MediaDos Caras
On February - 1 - 2009
Medium: Mixed Media