About the artist
photo credit: Juan Escobedo
Art Carrillo was born and raised in Los Angeles and curretly lives and works here. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Graphic Design. As a photo realist, he painstakingly reproduces every detail of his subject in a sort of spiritual journey, every stroke a testament to his love for his community. Using acrylics as his choice of medium, Art captures everyday scenes of Chicano life with a religious zeal usually found in contemporary street religion. Each piece, a prayer to the beauty of his community.
Art also uses acrylic paint to render scenes of ersatz Americana, depicting pop-cultural objects and toys in photorealistic dioramas. The subject matter, and Arts use of action figures, dolls, and various commercial detritus to portray complex sociopolitical ideas creates an interesting tension between playfulness and protest in each work.
photo credit: Keenan Andrade
Art has been exhibiting since 2012 in places such as the USC Medical Village Violence Prevention Center, Autry Museum of the American West, Southwest Museum of the American Indian, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Muckenthaler Cultural Center, the Ontario Museum of History and Art, MOLAA, CalTech and La Retama Central Library Chorpus Christy, TX to name a few and various art galleries throughout Los Angeles County.
Art curated his first exhibition August 2016 at Avenue 50 Studio titled WHAT I SEE (image above) and co-curated MAN OF THE PEOPLE (image below) in January of 2017 at the Tranquilo Gallery at the Plazita Olvera. MAN OF THE PEOPLE was an exhibit paying homage to Edward Roybal.
Arts work experience includes creating over 20 12x20 ft. backdrops for Schmidli Backdrops (Starry Night pictured below) working as an after-school art instructor at Temple Elementary in Rosemead CA., and the restoration of artwork in the 7th-floor chapel at the Dream Center Los Angeles, Ca. He is inspired by artists like George Bellows, Francisco Goya, Norman Rockwell and William Bliss Baker to name a few.
Art has been visting his old high school in Bell Gardens for the past 2 years as a guest speaker to encourage, answer any questions and share his experience with the students .
"I try to create artwork that reflects the time I live in. I like to paint about everything. From a bowl of fruit to social issues addressing the human condition. As a visual communicator, I don’t want to waste your time when you visit the gallery. I hope to leave behind paintings that were worth staring at."
8x10 in. acrylic on canvas paper "La Clinica de Colores: Homage to Edward Roybal"