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Miguel Enriquez
miguel3z@yahoo.com
http://mestizoart.blogspot.com
I was born in Guatemala, where the seasons are not like they are here, in Los Angeles. Bright Spring weather pervades most of the year, while the remaining four or five months bringing rain, rain and ever more rain. In spring time, the vegetation turns to a deep, lush green with accents of purples, violets and red that enhance the already beautiful landscapes. The skies are perfect blue, flecked with pure white clouds. When the rains come they cleanse the land and polish the colors to a bright sheen. The natural colors and tones in Central America are amazing and these vivid childhood memories will always influence my work and the way I use color.
Besides Nature’s beauty, other influences contributing to my work come from Mayan Culture, the paintings and drawings of the Old Masters and, in modern terms, from American Cartoons. However, the main driving force behind my passion for art comes from my appreciation of the human body, the human spirit, and my fascination with the human condition. My art is about the conflicts or the unity within our souls: the positive and the negative energies that regulate our minds and spirits; and the feelings in our hearts.
I remember that when I was about 5 or 6 years old we had no TV set -not even an old black & white one. To see my favorite cartoons, I would pay 10 cents to my neighbors and they would allow me to watch TV at their home. When I had a few coins, I got to see Mickey Mouse, his friends Donald Duck and Goofy, the Flintstones, Woody Woodpecker and Bugs Bunny. No money? - No TV, No cartoons!
Some of my first drawings were copies of Fred Flintstone and Mickey Mouse. Though I don’t consider myself a cartoonist, I love the fact that it is possible to convey stories, ideas, messages and just about anything through the light-hearted (or even serious) ‘magic’ of cartoons. One aspect of cartoons, I particularly like, is the portrayal of humans in humorous ways. We use cartoon characters to channel laughter and criticism about human nature and our follies.
Growing up in Guatemala I learned early about social injustice. The wealth and goods of the Republic belonged to the elite, and the poor were left to eke out a meager, pitiful existence. I learned also learned some harsh truths about religious intolerance and superstitions. For certain ‘religious’ locals some of my visual creations were not the product of Nature’s gift – they were manifestations of the devil’s handwork.
No, I’m not a devil –but a Mestizo, who creations are the fruit of an unfettered imagination and a freedom of spirit. For me, my painting is the source of my energy: through it I channel my emotions, the peaks and lows of my life.
Since I was little I knew I wanted to paint and draw. At age 7 or 8, I took free classes at “El Cerro del Carmen Guatemala Outdoor Art School” where I learned to paint and draw nature for the next three years. When I got older I enrolled in the National School of Plastic Arts in Guatemala, where I began to study classical art and art history. In my teen years, my life seemed to change direction, my aspirations were elsewhere and, in time, I abandoned art completely.
In Los Angeles I have gone back to learning, taking classes in modern art at Pierce College, the L.A. Trade-Technical College and I have received an “AA” in fine arts from West Los Angeles College. After many years of being away from my paints and charcoals I realize that art is in me. I have learned about me and the path I wish to follow.
Much of the work I do now is nudes. The beauty of the nude is a feast, reserved only for those capable of appreciating the glory of nature’s creation at her best. The nude overwhelms the senses and stirs the deep energies that link our human souls together. Each drawing, each painting is a unique experience that leaves me in wonder of the Creator’s art.
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* None of the artworks may be copied or reproduced without the written permission of the Artist