Los Angeles is a place where many seeking a rebirth arrive and purposely stay. My family migrated here in 1974 from Durango, Mexico, with nothing except hope for a better future. Once in L.A. they were faced with a choice – to pursue the mission successfully or simply remain poor and desolate. I came into the world Christmas 1975. My father, Jose Luis Fileto, eked out a living for the family vending rose and flower arrangements that showed his natural artistry. All the while, my mother, Hermelinda, struggled to keep the family without the many unaffordable benefits of the new surroundings.
From an early age, my father encouraged me to express myself through creativity & colors. We would go together on scavenging forays into constructions sites, alleys, railroad tunnels and such like locales looking for materials I could use to create art.
Life was hard and my father died before his time. Growing up in the City of Los Angeles, without the guiding hand of a father, I went off track, eventually fell into joining gangs and took to the streets. However, from that environment, I discovered new tools of expression for my artistic talents - spray paint cans. For a while, I adopted a new identity as “Devist”- underground graffiti artist.
In 1999 I studied at Darrel’s Art Studio, learning from a good art instructor how ideas are to be conceptualized in color, made into structure, and elaborated upon in different media. It was a defining experience in my life upon which I have developed my art until today.
In my current body of work I try to rediscover and embrace the idea of being consciously aware of our surroundings: God, family, the world and how we perceive visually things at a larger scale: our sense of being in this universe….My work is an expression on my own growth-search for understanding of the shapes-sounds that have been glued to my mind-heart and soul.
LEARNING EXPERIENCES
1988- Graffiti Aerosol Art, Los Angeles, California
1990- Pacific Stain Glass Stain Glass, Carson, California
1995- Laurie Gates Designs, Ceramics, West Los Angeles, California
1999- Santa Monica College Fine Arts, Santa Monica , California
2000-Darrel’s studio, conceptual drawing, Saugus, California
2002- photography, Digital photography, West Valley, Utah
2010- Sculpture, Sculpting Palmdale, California
EXHIBITIONS
2011 (Jan 7-8) Pancakes & Booze Art Group Show, 2441 Hunter St. Los Angeles, CA
2010- Pancakes and Booze Art group show @ The Dream Center, L.A, California
2010- Foundations for Creative Minds group show @ El Mercadito East Los Angeles, CA
2010- The Music & Art Show Group Show @ The Airliner Los Angeles California
2010-Leona Valley Art Gallery, Digital Photographs Exhibition, Leona Valley, CA
2004- Los Angeles Cultural Painting Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA
2004- San Fernando’s Valley Arts Council, Valley Artists Studio Tour, CA
2000- Darrel’s Studio Students group Show, Saugus, California
1999- Santa Monica College Students Group Show, Sta. Monica, CA
1988- Graffiti Aerosol Art –The Streets of Los Angeles, CA
* None of the artworks may be copied or reproduced without the written permission of the Artist
