GENTE DEL CHUCO: “At first, I found ceramics very challenging. I’d have an idea in my head, but my hands couldn't make it. But I liked the challenge. I loved how you could take a block of clay, and change it into anything.
My first collectors were actually from El Paso, while I was studying my undergrad in Fine Arts in UTEP, they bought four big pieces. After that, I went to Seattle to the University of Washington to get my Masters of Fine Arts in Ceramics. And I’ve been away from home ever since.
My art initially was a lot of self portraits. I always was very shy, so that felt like the way I could express myself. In 2010, I got this wonderful opportunity to travel around the world for almost a year. My artwork changed after that to be more globally conscious, exploring cross cultural connections.
There's so many similarities across cultures, and I think we sometimes focus on the things that make us different, but there's so many more things that make us alike. So I started attempting to piece those things together, through the decoration, or the historical references of some of the sculptures that I make.
I had my first museum show around 2017 at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. After that, I was invited to put a collection of work together, and they bought a piece for their collection. In the art world, it's hard to get in the door. But once you're in it, it creates a little bit more momentum.
Lately, I teach two days a week, and have the rest of my time in my studio to work on different projects. I love teaching. It’s fun, and I get to connect with younger people that have new ideas.”- @georgesculpts
Pic 4-(2018 Altar) Permanent Collection at UTEP Interdisciplinary Research Building
Pic 5- (2018 Mexican American Gothic) Permanent Collection of the Renwick Gallery of the American Smithsonian Museum.
Pic 7- (2020 Seven Indulgences)Permanent Collection of the National Museum in Stockholm Sweden.
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