In 2003, when I moved from New York to Gran Canaria I found the island has vast diversity of vegetation, all kinds. Especially the cactus plant which always I admired its flower, the untouchable spine and its fruit "tuna"... I visited in the island several botanical gardens, including the biggest cactus garden "Cactualdea" which is the biggest in all Europe and also the biggest botanical garden " Jardin del botanico" in Europe, as well. Learning the Canarian art history I wasn't suprized that this beautiful plant inspired many Canarian artists, like myself...
A good example, one of the great Gran Canarian painters called " Néstor Martín- Fernández de la Torre" (1887-1937)
Néstor Martín- Fernández de la Torre
Triptic Mural "El Mar"- lateral derecho- Casino Isla Tenerife
The very first cactus painting was a group of cactus called the type of "cordon" in our garden. Several cactus paintings followed by with these style which looks like "abstract figurative".
Orange flowerd cactus
Oil on canvas, 60 x 100 cm., 2004
The transition was inevitable, folowing few years the subject of cactus didn't changed but the paintings formed by with new colours, tecniques and additionally using my selfportraits. A very first painting with these style I think, it can be called as "figurative symbolism". The name of the series formed after this painting cause, I was portraying myself in each painting dreaming...
Cactusueños I
Oil on panel, 45 x 105 cm., 2007
(SOLD)
I am working on and off with Cactusueños close to 8 years now. You will be seeing soon my latest works... Keep it real, Cheers!
To see more works visit at my web page