Julio Reyes

First Solo Show

2011-11-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

So the Arcadia Show was a big success!! It all felt like some marvelous dream; and in truth, it was one of the best days of my life! It was wonderful to celebrate with so many great local artist and art-lovers who showed up to the opening! Being from California, I had NO idea who would be there; so when my wife and I arrived at the opening and took our first steps into the gallery, I was choked up to see the gallery flush and humming with so many new faces!

I was able to meet some really great established artists in person, whose work I've admired for quite some time, and also young up-and-coming artists whose hunger and passion for this ancient craft was infectious and truly up-lifting! It meant the world to me that my family was there too: and I hope that the show and my efforts honored them well.

In all, it really was a perfect day for me...after a few days reflection, I feel very good about my first show. Some say you go through a "post-show depression" -- that's partially true! ;-D However, more than anything I'm getting that sense of a new beginning...I am a new-comer... to Arcadia, to New York, and to this art scene and its bigger stage. At home with family, we would sit round a table with loved ones and pour out our hearts to one another in the form of stories...and now I sit at a new table... here at this table, I hope to contribute in my own simple way one more story to the greater whole. I hope that if it is direct and honest, that it might be of some value to those who listen. I'm already thinking of new works and getting back to the heart of my artistic life; that is, all those fields, and industrial sprawls, and outlands...keeping always to this: that it is not the quick effect I'm after; it's the deep, and lasting effect that matters to me most.

The show was beautiful in terms of framing and installation. Everyone at Arcadia did a great job. I've posted here a comprehensive view of the full installation for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy--

I thought this grouping of the works on copper worked marvelously...

My many thanks to Arcadia Gallery for hosting this premier so superbly, and my deepest personal gratitude to Steve Diamant! I want to sincerely thank all of you who supported my efforts these many months, and have sent me words of kindness and encouragement -- I'll be doing my best these next few days to respond to each and every pending correspondence.

Lastly, it is to my wife Candice that I can say, without exaggeration, that I owe all of this. Without her tireless support, love, and patience, I wouldn't have made it!

...now it's time to get to work on the next show!

American Art Collector Cover

2011-10-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

My jaw just about hit the ground when I found out that my work was on the cover of American Art Collector Magazine!! They are one of the best publications out there covering the latest news on what's happening in the art world. This such a sweet and important moment for me, coming after a year of almost monastic dedication to a new body of work. The picture on the cover is cropped from my painting titled "Golgotha" and inside you'll find complete article describing some of the major themes in my show at Arcadia Fine Art this November. Needless to say this a great honor and I am humbled by this recognition and truly exciting news!! So if you have the chance, grab an issue at your local newsstand and let me know what you think!

Drawings in the November show

2011-10-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

Here's small peek at the charcoal drawing "Spirited", to be shown this November. I used a combination of charcoal and graphite on this piece and I was quite pleased with the results.

This November is going to be my first one man exhibition at Arcadia Fine Arts, and I'll be showing several new drawings, both charcoal and graphite. I greatly enjoy drawing and find that oftentimes it's the best way for me to get to the heart of a pictorial idea. Drawing provides that perfect mix of play and precision that I really love. I can move from broad and dynamic mark-making, to the most quiet and delicate of passages, all in one piece.

My charcoal setup at the start of a drawing. As you can see I'm no minimalist when it comes to drawing implements... everything but the kitchen sink; and it all ends up in the final piece in one way or another!

My charcoal setup when I really get into the piece...

Toning the paper for the drawing "The Stars Above" which will be at Arcadia for the show.

Sometimes I'll use charcoal powder and a large brush to work large areas of a drawing more loosely. Blocking in values with this technique is fun and painterly...and messy.

Same drawing, just a bit further along. This stage is always enjoyable, but very demanding in terms of the initial energy and vivacity required to lay out a big piece.

Finishing those last bits before it's sent to New York...

Here's a little taste of the finished piece... ;-)

I'll post the full comp a little closer to the show. For now this will have to do ~

Upcoming November show at Arcadia Fine Arts in NYC

2011-10-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

Arcadia Fine Arts, NYC

November 12-23

Opening night Nov 12th from 4-6 pm with a talk by the artist at 5pm

At last, after over a year of hard work in the studio, I am proud to announce that I will be having my first one man show this November at Arcadia Fine Arts, NYC!

I am both nervous and excited as the time draws near for the pieces that I've been working so hard on to be shown at last. I am very happy with the pieces I have completed. There will be 20 works on display at the show, both drawings and paintings, more new pieces than I have ever shown together!

In the next few days, I will be putting the finishing touches on the final two works for the November show, the rest of the works are quickly making their way to NYC right now.

Over the course of the next few weeks I will be posting more information on the show including some pictures of the creation process and some sneak peeks at choice works within the show.

It's hard to believe the day is coming so soon... after so much time in the studio and so many long nights of ardent work.

100th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition in April at the Pasadena Museum of California Art

2011-04-06T23:14:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! I am happy to say that I am currently showing a sculpture at the California Art Club's 100th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition. This mixed media piece will be on display at the Pasadena Museum of California Art from April 3rd to 24th. If you are in town, go check it out!

"Autumn"

Below is a Press Release about the California Art Club Gold Medal Exhibition taken fromhttp://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/03/prweb5112204.htm :

California Art Club to Present '100th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition' in April at the Pasadena Museum of California Art

THE CALIFORNIA ART CLUB WILL MARK ITS CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY BY PRESENTING THE "100TH ANNUAL GOLD MEDAL JURIED EXHIBITION" AT THE PASADENA MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA ART FROM APRIL 3 TO 24, 2011. THE EXHIBITION WILL COINCIDE WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE 276-PAGE DELUXE BOOK "CALIFORNIA LIGHT: A CENTURY OF LANDSCAPES – PAINTINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA ART CLUB," WHICH DOCUMENTS THE ORGANIZATION’S FIRST 100 YEARS.

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“For more than 100 years, the California Art Club has been the standard bearer of great traditional art. The "100th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition" exemplifies the very best in traditional American art,” said Jean Stern of The Irvine Museum.

Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) March 1, 2011

The California Art Club will mark its Centennial anniversary by presenting the 100th occurrence of its hallmark annual exhibition – the "100th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition" – at the Pasadena Museum of California Art from April 3 to 24, 2011.

The exhibition will coincide with the publication of "California Light: A Century of Landscapes – Paintings of the California Art Club." The 276-page deluxe book from Skira Rizzoli will feature 300 lush California landscape paintings created over the past 100-years by artist members of the Club and document the organization’s history from its founding in 1909 at an artist’s studio in the Arroyo Seco Canyon to its current activities that involve six chapters throughout the state.

This year’s event will showcase nearly 200 representational works of art, spotlighting sculpture as well as paintings of genres ranging from pristine landscapes and seascapes to figures and still life. In celebration of the Gold Medal’s 100th anniversary and the release of "California Light," the exhibition will also feature approximately 60 miniature paintings and sculpture that focus on a visual journey through the Golden State.

The more than 150 participating artists include nationally renowned artists Peter Adams, Belá Bácsi, Peter Brooke, Scott Burdick, Scott Christensen, John Cosby, Dennis Doheny, David C. Gallup, Nancy Guzik, Steve Huston, David Leffel, Jeremy Lipking, Kevin Macpherson, Joseph Paquet, Mian Situ, Richard Schmid, Christopher Slatoff, Tim Solliday, Alexey Steele, Zhiwei Tu and Jove Wang.

“For more than 100 years, the California Art Club has been the standard bearer of great traditional art and so it is this year. The 100th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition exemplifies the very best in traditional American art,” said Jean Stern, Executive Director of The Irvine Museum.

Stern was one of five California museum scholars on the jury that selected the artwork for inclusion in the exhibition. He was joined by Catherine Hess, Chief Curator of European Art, The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens; Peter Keller, Ph.D., President, The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art; Jenkins Shannon, Executive Director, Pasadena Museum of California Art; and Scott A. Shields, Ph.D., Associate Director and Chief Curator, Crocker Art Museum.

During the evening before the exhibition opens to the public, the Club will host the Artists’ Gala Reception. Tickets for the April 2 preview event, at which Best of Show honors and other awards will be announced, are $75 in advance and $100 at the door. Included in the price of admission is a copy of the full-color exhibition catalogue.

Because an important component of the organization’s mission is to educate on the merits of traditional fine art, the Club will offer three educational programs during the Gold Medal Exhibition.

On the exhibit’s opening day from 2 to 3:30 p.m., the Club will present “Great Expectations: A PowerPoint Presentation and Live Lecture by Richard Schmid.” Schmid will discuss the journey through the possibilities of painting from life. Tickets for the lecture, which will be held at the Blinn House, located a block north of the museum, are $25 for Club members and $30 for non-members. Proceeds from the ticket sales will benefit the educational programs of the California Art Club.

The other two programs will be held in the museum gallery among the Gold Medal artwork. On Sunday, April 10, from 1 to 3 p.m., Jean Stern, who also co-authored California Light, will speak on “100 Years of California Art.” On Thursday, April 21, from 6 to 8 p.m., the Club will present the “Closing Tour with the Artists,” during which exhibiting artists will lead tours and share insights on the creation of the artwork in the display. Both of these events are free with museum admission.

The 100th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition has been sponsored by Majestic Realty Foundation and First Foundation Bank. For more information about the exhibition and its special programs, visithttp://www.californiaartclub.org/.

About the California Art Club
The California Art Club (http://www.californiaartclub.org/), established in 1909 by early California Impressionists or plein air painters, is recognized as one of the oldest, largest and most active leading professional art organizations in the world. The mission of the Club, which is headquartered in Pasadena, Calif., is to promote traditional fine art in the fields of painting, drawing and sculpture; to produce and promote art exhibits that foster understanding and interpretation of traditional art heritage and California history; and to furnish educational opportunities in fine arts.

About the Pasadena Museum of California Art
The Pasadena Museum of California Art (http://www.pmcaonline.org/) opened in 2002 and is dedicated to the exhibition and development of California art, architecture, and design from 1850 to the present. Informed by the state’s rich mixture of cultures and inspired by its impressive geography, California art has long been defined by a spirit of freedom and experimentation. Located in Pasadena's historic Playhouse District, the PMCA is an intimate museum that engages the public, encourages involvement, and fosters creativity through innovative events and programs. The PMCA is located at 490 East Union St. Hours are noon to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for seniors, students with valid ID, and AAA members. Children under 12 and museum members are free. Admission is also free on the first Friday of the month. All galleries are handicapped accessible.

California Art Club to Present '100th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition' in April at the Pasadena Museum of California Art

Award at the 99th Annual CAC Gold Medal Exhibition -- Fine Art Connoisseur -- Arcadia Show! -- So far so good...!!

2010-07-10T17:04:00.000-07:00

This summer has been moving right along! The weather is HOT and these last few weeks I've spent in relative isolation building panels, working with models, and stretching canvases, in preparation for a body of new works!!

Here's a quick recap of the 99th Annual California Art Club Gold Medal Exhibition:

The opening night was simply wonderful! The biggest surprise of the night came when I was announced as this year's winner of Fine Art Connoisseur's "Award of Excellence in Sculpture"!!! This is a terrific honor for me, especially coming from such a prestigious publication as Fine Art Connoisseur; and considering the amount of strong sculpture that was in the show! The award was given for my sculpture portrait titled "Bride" (mixed media: plaster and fabric) and was hand selected out of many by Fine Art Connoisseur Editor, Peter Trippi!

The award was announced by the lovely Kathleen Lawrence-Davis, whose conversation and company I thoroughly enjoyed. I was on stage with this years other winners: Sergio Sanchez, Alexey Steele, John Asar, David Gallup, Charles Muench, Ramon Velazco, and my old friend and LCAD alumni Taylor Montague -- all great artists and great people!

I had the opportunity meet some new people and to catch up with old friends... the Pasadena Museum of California Art, always makes for a marvelous backdrop for this event, and the rooftop entertainment is always a good time!

The Gold Medal Event was a grand success! I feel privileged and overjoyed to have been singled out by Fine Art Connoisseur and hope to show strongly at next year's show!

On another note: A life long dream of mine appears to be coming true...

Arcadia Gallery has offered to host my very first one man show!!!!!! The show will be in New York, late 2011 (this is like tomorrow in artist years) and I am terribly excited!! I will share more details as they come...!!

I have an incredible amount of work ahead of me, but with diligence and steady progress, I know the right works will emerge. Now is the time for clear planning and thoughtful pondering...I look ahead and re-commit myself to making pictures that are genuine and ardent testimonies; celebrations of my deepest beliefs and experiences. I am nervous, but ready -- wish me luck!!!!

Oh, and one more thing: if you get the chance, pick up this month's issue of American Art Collector Magazine (July 2010 issue) at any Barnes and Noble, or Boarders. My work is on the first page, courtesy of Arcadia Gallery! Hope you enjoy!!

"Empire" Wins "Best of Show" - 2009/2010 ARC Annual Salon Competition

2010-04-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

"Empire" - Oil on Canvas 42" x 60"

My painting "Empire" was awarded "Best of Show" in the 2009/2010 Art Renewal Center (ARC) Salon Competition!!!! Considering the staggering number of talented artists who participated -- I am most humbled and grateful for the award.

The painting itself was made with as much passion; effort; and ability as I could muster. The model is my wife, Candice, and the background is Southern California -- on the outskirts of LA County.

I am so happy to share this with you and I hope that you enjoy the work!!

Art Renewal Center link: http://www.artrenewal.org/

Arcadia Gallery May Newsletter -- "Introducing... Julio Reyes"!!

Please check out the latest Arcadia Gallery online newsletter here.

There is a great recap of the LA Art Show on page 1 and some wonderful comments about me -- On page 2, I have an entire page to myself, where you'll find a great write-up and bio introducing me to the gallery!!! I do hope you take a look. It is such an honor for me to be working with a gallery and artists of this high a caliber!

-- Julio

FADA LA Art Show 2010

2010-02-03T15:40:00.000-08:00

The LA Art Show was a resounding success! I had such a great time and met some truly wonderful people. My sincerest thanks to the Arcadia Gallery for representing my work in their booth - it was the opportunity of life-time! I showed two pieces and sold both! With over 70 galleries from all over the U.S. and Europe, I must say that I was very excited, and very nervous. The Opening Night Gala Event at the Convention Center in downtown was well attended, despite torrential rainstorms that were slamming California.

My work in the Arcadia Gallery show space! They did a terrific job presenting the artwork - their set up was stunning. The green walls were a welcome sight after having walked through so many cold white-walled galleries.

"Dominion" - Oil on Panel

An incredible amount of work went into this piece. I worked on it, on and off, for about a year and most intensely the last four months. When realized it sold, I had to leave the gallery for a moment to collect myself - it was a tremendous feeling of joy, almost disbelief!

Arcadia Gallery owner Steve Diamant, Julio Reyes, and gallery curator Andy Smenos

The most valuable thing in all of this, was the honor of having met, Steve Diamant - the mind behind Arcadia Gallery. Those who know me, know that I have kept away from actively pursuing galleries for some time... and yet, the nature of my correspondence with Steve, and the integrity with which our dealings have been conducted so far, has been nothing less than exceptional. He is a true gentleman, who loves what he does. I could not be more fortunate than to be working with someone of his caliber.

Julio Reyes, and Amy Elliott - Advertising and Marketing Director for

"American Art Collector Magazine"

Paul Gause, Julio Reyes, and Amy Elliott

Surely the highlight of Sunday evening was meeting Amy Elliott and Pual Gause! They are a great couple whose love for art is obvious and infectious. They purchased my painting "Dominion," and it really could not have sold to two more genuine people. I enjoyed my time with them immensely!

"Legacy" - Charcoal on paper

Unfortunately I couldn't photo-document the piece in it's final state... so here is the best picture I have of it. I really love this drawing -- especially the finished one! ;-D

Sean Cheetham, Julio Reyes, and Marc Trujillo

I had the opportunity to meet Sean Cheetham, and Marc Trujillo, on the last night of the show. These are two really nice guys who couldn't have been more generous with their time. It's a bit nerve wracking having two such talented and established artists, take such a close look at your work! Lucky for me, they seemed to dig it - Whew!

This was a great start to the new year! Everything leading up to this show seemed to fall right into place. I look forward to my new relationship with the Arcadia Gallery -- and most of all, I look forward to getting back to work!

Reyes Showing With Arcadia Gallery at the FADA Los Angeles Art Show

2010-01-18T23:00:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that two of my pieces will be showing with the Arcadia Gallery NY, at the FADA Los Angeles Art Show in LA at the Convention Center! My newest painting "Dominion," will be on display, alongside my charcoal drawing, "Legacy," at the Arcadia Fine Art booth! If you are in town please do stop by! The tickets for general admission will be $20 at the door. The Gala Event will be $250 at the door. I consider it a high honor to be showing at this event, especially with the Arcadia Gallery, and so far, my dealings with them have been splendid!

Here's a link to the event: http://www.laartshow.com

Los Angeles Art Show Returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center

January 20-24

New Guest Country Program, IFPDA Print Fair, Live Performance Art,

Sculpture Garden, Expanded Show Programming and Special Exhibits

Accompany City’s Most Prominent Art Event

(December, 2009—Los Angeles, CA) The 15th Annual Los Angeles Art Show returns to the Los

Angeles Convention Center January 20-24, 2010. Presented by the Fine Art Dealers Association

(FADA) and KR Martindale Show Management this encyclopedic art event will feature more than 100 international exhibitors, an engaging lecture series and special events program, a sculpture garden, and special exhibit spaces. The 2010 Los Angeles Art Show debuts a Guest Country Program and welcomes Uruguay.

By invitation-only and launching in 2010, the Los Angeles Art Show welcomes Uruguay, as its first Guest Country. The Guest Country Program is comprised of specially curated exhibitions, lecture programming and special project space and has a goal to showcase nations with strong visual arts traditions that demonstrate a keen understanding of the international climate. Under the direction of the Dirección Nacional de Cultura and the Ministero de Educaión y Cultura, a special exhibition of Uruguay’s top International artists, 34° 53’ 0” S - 56° 10’ 0” W will be on view at the show. The exhibition will be accompanied by a lecture.

Additional Special Exhibitions include: Signs: Contemporary Middle Eastern Art, Snapshot, The Sister Cities of Los Angeles International Art Exhibition, Vox Humana and An Intimate View of Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Art Show has been a driving force for the City’s Arts Month. According to the

resolution passed in August of 2009, “The Los Angeles Art Show, bringing thousands of works from 100 domestic & international galleries and a number of world class museums to Los Angeles. The City will use the confluence of over 50,000 visitors to anchor a month-long celebration of arts in the City. WHEREAS, Los Angeles Arts Month is an opportunity for the Los Angeles art community to synergize the Los Angeles Art Show with the City's artists and art institutions to create a cultural Mecca ...”

The Los Angeles Art Show will open in conjunction with the International Fine Print Dealers

Association’s (IFPDA) 25th Annual Los Angeles Fine Print Fair offering collectors and art lovers a comprehensive look at Prints in all techniques. Juxtaposing many periods and movements, visitors will have an opportunity to view and purchase fine prints from across a broad spectrum of Old Master, German Expressionist, antique and modern Japanese, 18th and 19th-century European, 19th-century American, American Regionalist, Latin-American, and Modern works to Contemporary masterworks and new editions.

The 2010 Show will feature expanded satellite programs and special events, including a compelling symposia series of art discussions highlighting prominent artists, museum, and arts professionals in topical discussions. The programming will be complemented with after-show mixers for the art enthusiast and the trendsetters of the Hollywood art scene. The Los Angeles Art Show VIP Program will also return for art industry professionals and avid collectors. For additional information about the VIP Program, or to qualify for participation, please visit the website at www.laartshow.com.

The Los Angeles Art Show continues to be the largest art fair on the West Coast and a must-see for both the art connoisseur and the arts-curious. With 2009 posting a record-breaking attendance of 35,000 visitors and exceptional sales, the 2010 show promises to be more encompassing. Works sold at the 2009 show include pieces by: Charles Partridge Adams, Jasper Johns, Robert Motherwell, Rembrandt, Ed Ruscha, Julian Schnabel & Emerson Woelffer. With more than 10,000 significant paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings and prints on exhibit and available for purchase, the Los Angeles Art Show brings together the West Coast art community in an internationally attended five-day celebration of the arts.

Presented by the Fine Art Dealers Association (www.fada.com), the Los Angeles Art Show takes

place on January 20-24, 2010 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015. Los Angeles Art Show programming is included with show admission. For additional information about the Los Angeles Art Show, to register for a lecture or purchase online tickets, please visit www.laartshow.com. General admission to the Los Angeles Art Show is $20. General Show Dates: Thursday-Sunday, January 21-24, 2010. Opening Night Preview and Gala: Wednesday, January 20, 2010. For additional information about the Opening Night Preview or to purchase tickets, please call the Los Angeles County Museum of Art 323-857-6501. Media inquiries please contact Agnes Gomes-Koizumi at agnes@agkmedia.com or call 323-937-5488.

About the Fine Art Dealers Association:

The Fine Art Dealers Association was founded in 1990 as a non-profit membership organization of respected and established dealers from across the Unites Strates. Its members are dedicated to promoting and maintaining the highest degree of professionalism, scholarship and integrity in all business conducted with colleagues, institutions and the art buying public. Membership in FADA is highly selective and by invitation only. Each member has expert knowledge of the artist or periods in which he or she specializes and maintains a corresponding inventory. In addition to demonstrating a commitment to enriching the cultural lives of their communities, members share their expertise through significant exhibitions, informative catalogs, and by offering quality works of art whose authenticity is unconditionally guaranteed. For additional information on the Fine Art Dealers Association, please visit http://www.fada.com

All this is terribly exciting for me and I hope you all check back in soon for images and details of the entire event. I will also review how my relationship with the Arcadia Gallery developed and what might be in store for the future! Oh, and I will also be posting new images of my painting and drawing as soon as they are "cleaned" up and ready!

Here's the link to view the Arcadia Gallery website: www.arcadiafinearts.com

The link to the FADA Los Angeles Art Show website: www.laartshow.com

21 Artists Under 31

2009-08-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

I am happy to announce that my work can be seen in the current September issue of Southwest Art Magazine's annual emerging artists issue! You can find an image of my work along with a profile about me on page 93, in the section titled "21 Artists Under 31".

21 Under 31

Bonnie Gangelhoff

" This year marks the tenth anniversary of our popular annual spotlight on emerging artists. In celebration, we conducted our biggest search for talent to date, inviting all artists under 31 across the country to enter the contest. The entries we received were truly impressive, and our editors spent many days narrowing them down to just 21 winners—first, second, and third places, and 18 honorable mentions. Some of the artists you’ll meet on the following pages have already won awards and have gallery representation; others are just starting out. All of them are talented artists who, we believe, are on track for promising careers in the art world."

It's such an honor to be included in this list. I hope you all enjoy the article. Check it out -- here's the link:

http://www.southwestart.com/article/1725

Primed and Ready

2009-08-22T23:06:00.000-07:00

Craft plays an important role in the conception of my work. Paintings are made to be appreciated in the third dimension. They are objects, so the I have to build them - and they have to last.

Pictured here is the twill weave Belgian linen I'm using to make two new fairly large paintings. (special thanks to Eric Silver, at Blue Ridge Artist Materials, who procured this high grade linen for me. He's wonderful to work with and a great paint-maker). The twill weave is especially resistant to humidity due to to its weave. Because the twill is woven in different directions it doesn't pull in any one direction causing warping (of course you have to stretch it properly to preserve this trait). The size and nature of the weave play an important visual role in the final piece. As such, I've found linen to have far more charisma than the mechanical and monotonous alternative, cotton duck. Linen is a tough fabric made from the very the flax plant that linseed oil comes from. Maybe a bit odd, but I think it also smells delicious... a treat for the senses.

I built these stretcher bars from scratch... one of the benefits of little knowhow and a good wood shop. When making panels I'll usually work with a baltic birch ply, and add pine cross-pieces to the back. The size of these particular pieces demanded a thicker wood stock, which made for a handsome final product. Their weight and their presence are quite substantial - denoting the quality and care that went into them.

The canvas awaits the first coat of rabbit skin glue (RSG). I usually use Doak's RSG to size the canvas, but lately I've been working with a neutral pH, PVA (polyvinyl acetate) size by Linenco. It's not as as hygroscopic as rabbit skin glue but is fully reversible with water, making it a good conservational product. It's easier to completely isolate the canvas with the PVA, however it's not as elegant a material as rabbit skin glue. Doak, described PVA to my wife and I as being "a craft glue for lazy art teachers." ; D It does resemble Elmer's Glue, but I still think Linenco's PVA size is a good product. The RSG will glide on more smoothly, but you must be diligent about covering every in inch. When using RSG I use two coats (sometimes three) and lightly sand in between layers, making sure to keep each layer thin.

After the size has dried, it's time for the lead ground. A good lead ground is tough to find, particularly with the limited options most large paint companies offer. Certain characteristics I look for in a ground; good adhesion, and just the right absorbency. After trying many different oil primers that were either too chalky and dry, or disturbingly slick, I have found something that works well for me. I use Natural Pigment's Lead Oil Ground #1. To my surprise this ground had excellent leveling properties making it a pleasure to apply over the large canvases. I didn't need to 'chase' after or modulate unwanted texture - I simply watched as it melted away. Of course, this effect is subtle, and every precaution should first be observed to achieved your desired surface. I used a large window wiper to apply the ground, being absolutely sure to keep the layers as thin as possible. My final surface was smooth, yet retained some of the weave of the linen. What texture there was, from the oil ground itself, was delicate and desired.

Aside from making it yourself, there are only a handful of experienced color men out there who provide exceedingly exceptional materials - George O'Hanlon, and his line of artists products (Natural Pigments, Rublev Artist Colors) is for sure one of them. He is one of many great craftsman I've had the pleasure of knowing, and has helped me towards a deeper understanding of the craft.

Touching up the sides of the canvas with a small brush. 2-3 thin coats did the trick. The surface needed no sanding. There are ways to sand oil lead primer on unsupported canvas ( that is canvas on stretcher bars, not supported by panel) but they are difficult and very involved - especially for pieces this size.

Due to some hot weather, the last layer of primer cured quickly (3 days). The canvas on the left is 4'x6' and one on the right is 5'x5'.

Making art involves both thinking and doing. The size, weight, and character of the final art object - the materials themselves - contribute in communicating the overall idea. How you say something is a part of what you are saying; one informs the other and ultimately effects the final piece. The materials I choose to work with are as important to me as ingredients and spices might be to a chef. Or the way a composer benefits from knowing the capabilities of an instrument, and further benefits from knowing abilities of the musicians who will play the instrument.

The absorbency of the ground determines the way a brushstroke might slide, or chatter. The weave of the canvas might add or detract from the spacial qualities of the surface. Even the level of gloss in the paint is effected by my choice of substrate. I don't try to re-construct historical methods for their own sake; I do, however, strive to be sensitive to my materials. When building anything, there are principals at work that should be acknowledged and exploited. There really is no clean separation between the craft of painting and the 'art' of it. From the very first nail, to the very last brushstroke, I try to consider the overall concept of my paintings. The smells and textures of so many rich art materials is lovely in and of itself; however, their real value for me lies what they ultimately become in a painting.

I hope to finish these paintings in time the Fairhaven Mausoleum show this November, and the upcoming 2009 California Art Club Gold Medal Exhibition.

Interview Part 3 of 3 -- Competition feature in The Artist's Magazine Julio Reyes - 2008

2009-08-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

This is a copy of an interview conducted by The Artist’s Magazine in 2008 for their December issue in the section titled, The Best Art of 2008. My response to each question pertained specifically to my drawing, The Northern Girl, but also sheds light on some of my other works in this series.

Part 3 of 3

Empire (crop)

Question 7: Were there any surprises or difficulties along the way as you painted this work? What was your favorite part?

“A work grows as it will and sometimes confronts its author as an independent, even alien, creation.” -Sigmund Freud

There’s something thrilling about sensing that initial spark of life in a painting or a sculpture. It's not guaranteed to happen with every piece. Here I’m not speaking of ‘trompe l’oeil’ or even a convincing 3-dimensional effect; but something more dynamic and elemental. In ‘Northern Girl’ I could feel that silver light on those wires. I began to see color in those rosy cheeks; and I could hear the dry rustling of that white corduroy jacket. Thinking like this prevents me from getting too hung up on literal details. It allows me the flexibility to draw more freely and intuitively. The more I understand the intrinsic nature, the less I fuss over non-essentials. This contributed to the overall 'freshness' of "Northern Girl" despite the amount of detail in it. No passage is overworked. It was exciting to see this much life in it. Much of what I hope to accomplish in my future work can be found in this piece.Particularly in the portrait and that marvelous jacket!

Question 8: How has your art evolved over the years?

I’m wasting less time now trying to be things I’m not. I have found the most meaningful source of inspiration in the people, places, and things I know best. In my old work I can see myself playing with different themes and ideas; not really knowing how to fit all the pieces together. It takes time to learn how to build and compose images that can speak.

A visual language is emerging now. One rooted in the very hills and deserts of my childhood. My recent works speak with more authority because they tell the story of my life. There’s this great feeling of anticipation, as though everything I’ve ever been and known will at some point play a role in my work. It’s the hidden secrets in plain sight that I find so rewarding. All those layers of content and history that can’t be faked and cannot be rushed. It's this kind of quality I’m after. The lasting impression, not the quick effect.

What's changed most is the amount of value I get out of the process of art-making. Art has become a means for me to ponder my deepest connections; to measure the value of my experiences; to seek patterns and hidden purposes, and to delight in their fullest expression. As I have said before, this is more like an attitude and/or habit of mind. As a result I'm getting right to heart of things more quickly and without equivocation. "The Northern Girl" is a good example of this. I know what every detail in that picture represents and portends. It is mysterious; not ambiguous. As such I think people can relate to it . There's an almost haunting human warmth, and longing in it - relevant to any soul wary of the modern experience. This is the kind of thing you'll come across in my newer work. Pictures that have much more of the peculiar twists and unexpected turns that life itself takes.

Empire 42" x 60"

Question 9: What’s the most important artistic dream/achievement you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?

Very simply, I want to create art for the rest of my life according to my highest calling and fullest abilities. All else stems from this really. If I can transmit, through my work, even the smallest semblance of the love and awe that I have for life – I will have truly done something. I want to be collected, and for those collectors to treasure my works as I once treasured them. Artist need great patrons, and I am no exception. I want to look back on a life of meaningful and serious works of art. Art that stands against the growing nihilism of our time, and with fixed purpose celebrates the beauty and immensity of life.

Interview Part 2 of 3 -- Competition feature in The Artist's Magazine Julio Reyes

2009-08-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of 3

Far From Home 11" x 22"

Question 4: What was your inspiration for this painting?

I wanted to evoke a sense of vastness and beauty; a kind of isolation and human frailty. The warmth of a single person against an infinite sprawl of technology, tangled power lines and steel towers seemed poetic and dramatic to me. Having been born and raised in LA, the cityscape has served as the backdrop to my entire life. My memories are bound up in those wires. Many of my dreams and musings were confessed on lonely freeways that run along that very landscape. The scene depicted in 'Northern Girl' is of the Edison electric towers off of the 55 west toward the Inland Empire. I pass it every time I visit family in Rancho Cucamonga. It seemed to capture in a very condensed way the look and feel of much of the LA and Inland Empire (excluding the shaggy palm trees). I am as much a part of that landscape as any fence, dry weed, or telephone wire. There’s an arid silvery quality to that air, and it’s woven into every brick on every building, every face and every freeway – I suppose that’s what lead me to use graphite the way I did. The idea of “weaving” silver light into everything was exhilarating!

So Cal was somewhat foreign and inhospitable to my wife Candice. She moved here from the rural mountain towns of Northern California and was more accustomed to things that were green and could grow. To say the least, she is the single most impressive person I've ever met and carries herself with calm dignity and a quiet intelligence. I believe she has always been a little out of place in Southern California. Like a flower that blooms in the desert. But down here is where our relationship flourished - and in many ways 'Northern Girl' is a double-portrait....a love story.

My hope was to somehow encapsulate that moment of clarity and sublimity that one gets while looking out at sea or staring into a vast and starry sky. These moments are usually fleeting and often times I find I'm not looking out; but looking within: memories, dreams, worries, hopes.....or sometimes it's just feelings like nostalgia, longing, or awe. I find great value in thinking this way and try to fill my mind and heart up with those things.

I have always been moved by the human capacity to love, dream, and persevere, with great courage and sincerity, in spite of a vast and un-sympathetic Nature. To a cynical art world this may sound silly; but to me it is one of the miracles, and beautiful mysteries of life.

The Northern Girl ( crop )

Question 5: Describe your process: Do you begin with a drawing? Do you work from life? Photographs? Do you have a typical color palette that you always use? Any particular technique you used for your winning painting?

I begin sketches and/or moquettes usually long after I’ve had time to ponder the image in my imagination. It usually sneaks up on me. Then wham! It takes me by complete surprise, the really good ones do anyway. The art has to well up out of life, so to speak. It is the fruit of powerful experience and deep impressions. Every memory, sound and smell writes itself upon the heart. I’ll get some flash or detail: like the way the wind catches someone’s hair, or the way light falls on a corduroy jacket. Then I’m hooked. I’ll immerse myself completely in the area of focus; producing studies in graphite, watercolor, and sometimes oil - gathering up as many impressions from life as I can. What matters most at this stage is the depth of nature’s impression on me. I want to know the thing in my bones. In the case of ‘Northern Girl,’ my wife Candice and I were always on So Cal freeways, back-alleys, and city streets of both the urban and suburban sprawls. I had only flashes of images at first, along with a lexicon of memories, smells, and sounds of the terrain itself. I secretly entertained the idea for some time before actually having Candice pose.

Sometimes I’ll leave an idea ‘on the shelf’ for a while, this way the idea ferments and has time to germinate. By the time I started ‘Northern Girl’ I was already working on several different compositions along that same vein. I had no expectations for it, other than it was a study which might or might not further congeal the overall idea. Most of the heavy work in the drawing was done with a mechanical pencil, worked up through a process of layering. I remember the whiteness of the jacket, and the terrific rush I got trying to capture a certain dry quality it had when desert light illuminated it. It took everything in me to not just jump into those folds with flashy marks – like the kind you might find in a Zorn or Sargeant drawing. It took an incredible amount of restraint to draw that jacket.

My process is usually not so condensed. It grows in a very unorthodox and hodge-podge fashion. That is why I won’t make a painting unless there’s really enough there to endure the rigors of my process. I have to be inspired. There must exist a fascination rooted in meaningful and abiding content, or I’ll just lose interest. This requires great effort on my part. I'll re-work images, put them away and then pull them out again. In many ways the purpose of the repetition is not just to know a thing, but to see if it can last. The final painting or drawing is a reconciliation of a lot drawings/paintings, but also a lot of thinking and composing. I work very hard at trying to find the right way to say things. It's easy to get dogmatic and approach every picture the same way. I just can’t do that – everything has it’s own hidden life and if I’m perceptive enough, it will teach me what to say and how to say it. Collecting these impression is like prayer, and the painting, a revelation.

I’m most satisfied with my work when it functions as a kind of poem about many stories. It should be a vessel large enough and expansive enough to receive and deliver all that I feel towards my subject. I would like for a viewer to ponder and delight in my image, without being slammed over the head with conclusions. The goal for me is to illuminate the greater hand at work; not to practice narcissism.

Question 6: How long do you spend on a typical painting? What about this one in particular?

I spent somewhere close to a month on this drawing. I am not opposed to a piece coming together quickly, and sometimes it does. It just so happens that I get the most satisfaction from the gradual welling up of an idea. It’s the anticipation that I love…that unbearably slow layering that gives lasting form to something that was once hidden. Nature gains depth and complexity with time, and so does a solid work of art.
It’s not rare for me to spend 3- 4 months on a 18”x24” or a 36”x48” painting…I spend just as much, if not more, time thinking as I do painting. It is hard to tell, but anything around 18” x 24” in graphite usually takes me anywhere from 2 weeks to 1 month to complete.

Interview Part 1 of 3 -- Competition feature in The Artist’s Magazine Julio Reyes - 2008

2009-08-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

This is a copy of an interview conducted by The Artist’s Magazine in 2008 for their December issue in the section titled, The Best Art of 2008. My response to each question pertained specifically to my drawing, The Northern Girl, but also sheds light on some of the other works in this series. Only a portion of this interview was actually published. It has been provided here in its entirety so that you might gain new insight to my working methods. This is part 1 of 3. I hope you find this useful.

Question 1: How and when did you get started creating art? (Describe any art education.)

As far back as I can remember I have been drawing. Doodling was something I did for myself. I drew mostly comic book characters and animals from national geographic wild-life books until my grandmother gave me my first two art books – one on Rembrandt, and the other on Michelangelo. I could not explain my attraction, but I would spend hours just looking at the pictures. Soon, I was drawing and copying the images from the books, and found that I had an extraordinary talent for it. From that moment on, I think I sensed something of art's potential to communicate meaningfully. I found I could speak powerfully without words, and the mystery of that drew me in. In 2005, I, received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Laguna College of Art and Design. There I learned a good deal about art history and aesthetics, as well as the materials and techniques of painting and sculpture.

Question 2: Who are your mentors/artists you admire?

Rembrandt van Rijn, Andrew Wyeth, Vincent van Gogh, Kathy Kallowitz , Albrecht Durer, Van Eyck brothers, Pieter Bruegel, Hieronymus Bosch, Rodin, Michelangelo,

Some others: Paul Cezanne, Matisse, and Georges Broque, and Kandinsky, Antonio Lopez Garcia, Some of Sally Mann's work.

These artists mean a great deal to me. There aren't many contemporaries listed here, as I’m not the biggest fan of the Post-Modernism's entropic nature. However, I'm sure there are some great artists out there I haven't mentioned.

The Northern Girl 18" x 24"

Question 3: What media and genres (e.g., still life, portrait, etc.) do you work in?

I have worked mostly with oil paint, and graphite. When the situation demands (more and more, lately) I’ll work with charcoal or watercolor. Finding which media best suites my goals in the work is an important part of the painting’s development. Sometimes I know right away, but most often it’s a process of elimination. I’ll find I’m having trouble capturing a particular spindly quality of pine branches or power-lines with oil paint -- so I’ll transition to watercolor, finding that the medium itself actually behaves in a way similar to the character of those branches/wires. Rather than dominate the medium, I’ll facilitate it’s inherent personality to achieve a more lively representation (a concept very much a kin to Japanese calligraphy).

I suppose I’m not really beholden to any particular genre, although lately I find myself gravitating towards expansive landscapes with figure(s) in them. If in my body of work there seems to be an emphasis on, let’s say, portraits over landscapes; this is purely incidental. You see, I don’t think I approach genres as many artists might. Genres can oftentimes be associated with particular affectations or limitations, which can restrict the content and spontaneity of a picture. These days I’m trying less and less to will or force a composition into existence. I would rather let the picture reveal itself to me as my understanding of a location or sitter grows.

I might start an idea for a painting inspired by a location, and find I end up painting a portrait instead. It is the same in reverse. I might be trying to capture a certain texture of a persons character, and find that the landscape embodies it more completely. My process is more like an attitude in this respect - an attitude flexible and receptive enough to go where the value and content take me. In the ‘Northern Girl,’ the landscape is every bit as important as the portrait, and the portrait no more important than the jacket. Even the dry silvery quality of the air in the emptiness surrounding her is inseparable from the gestalt of the piece. I’ll paint a sprawl of power lines with the same care and sensitivity I would a study of an old friend; a familiar face as I would the surface of some craggy tree bark. Every object, texture and pattern is a kind of totem, portending to so much beyond itself. The subject matter doesn’t end with the actual objects in my pictures – the objects are just the beginning. So, I suppose I work in every genre - but hopefully someone viewing my pictures can sense there's more than meets the eye. .

Julio Reyes portrait artist for Medici Portraits

2009-08-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

Julio Reyes is proud to announce that he has accepted an invitation to become an artist for Medici Portraits, a museum quality fine art portrait commissioning service based out of Southern California.

Look for Reyes' painting "Cosette" featured in a Medici Portraits ad in the August issue of Fine Art Connoisseur. For more information about Medici Portraits go to:

http://mediciportraits.com

Coming Soon!

2009-07-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Due to requests from fans, family, and loved ones, I'm happy to finally get going on this. Thank you for your patience. This is where you'll find the most up to date news about me. I will post at least once a week any up and coming shows, thoughts, awards, and current projects.

- Julio