By Gonzalo Marin

In my opinion, there are two types of art expression. First is the one you do not understand but you try to understand. The second is that with only looking at it, it grabs hold of you and you feel it. Some people ask me, “what is that?” or “what does that mean?” But others, without asking, understand what I am trying to express with my work. The objective of my abstract art is to express a sentiment—whether rage or happiness or any other feeling—it does not have to have meaning or a reason of why it was created.

There is beauty in all art and art forms, but great art manifests itself to each viewer differently. It cannot be boxed in, explained, described; it can only be viewed and felt. I hope my art will be the same; so far, no one agrees upon what it is, or what it means. But I hope they will feel my art.

I was born in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico in 1979. When I turned 19 years old, against my family’s advice, I decided to give myself a chance as an artist. In 1998 I began to study art seriously in a local art school and gallery with the help of an instructor who had studied with a famous Mexican painter by the name of Chavez Morado, in his younger years. His name was Ignacio Cruzes. With his teachings I developed the foundation of the techniques of drawing and painting with oil and water. After a few days of working with Ignacio, he recognized that I had talents and encouraged me to keep on studying against the advice of everyone I knew. In the next few years I studied the history of the arts at Guanajuato State University and emphasis on the minimalisms art expression at University of Valle. In 2004 I stayed in Barcelona Spain for one year. That year was very important for me and I get lot of knowledge.

For the past 8 years I have gone through several phases of discover and internal conflict as I continue developing and implementing my skills in the techniques of abstract art.

Finally, I feel that I am closer to finding the technique that is starting to become my signature work as I feel I am finding my own identity as a painter.

1998-2000 Galería Epifanía in León, Guanajuato, México. Studies in fundamentals of color, image, shape, and artist imitation (Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Pizarro).

2000-2002 Universidad de Guanajuato Major: Art History

2004-2006 UNIVA (Universidad del Valle) in León, México. Major: Plastic Art (studies in shaping, carving, sculpture; studies in minimalism)