Born in Mexico, Sergio Vasquez resides in Los Angeles. He received his art education from the Academia
Jorge Palomar, Guadalajara, Mex.; Los Angeles City College and Otis Parsons,Los Angeles, CA.
Vasquez has had solo exhibitions in Southern California and has participated in numerous group
exhibits. His awards include the President’s Award and Purchase for the Permanent Collection, LACC for excellence in etching/printmaking; 2nd Place, Los Angeles City College Biennial Juried Exhibition; 2nd Place Plummer Park Juried Exhibition,
West Hollywood, CA.
Vasquez' work is on display in museums and private collections, including: Museo Regional de Tecolotlán, Jalisco, Mexico; George López Collection, Los Angeles, CA; Collection of Miguel Angel Corzo, collection of Lucía Maya, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Cheech Marin collection and various other private collections. Mr. Vasquez is also an active contributor to many other art auctions and events in the region.
Sergio Vásquez, Interview
I am an evolving American artist who happened to have been born in a colonial Mexican town. My early childhood was spent traveling with my widowed mother between Tecolotlán, Jalisco and Galveston, Texas.
I have been drawing since I can remember, copying paintings from the boxes of matches (cerillos clásicos), which have miniature reproductions from the renaissance and other classic periods on the back of the box. That was my first encounter with fine art.
At the age of 19, after attending 12 different educational institutions, whichincluded Catholic schools; I left Mexico
behind and adopted Los Angeles as my new and more cosmopolitan home.
A couple dozen art instructors from Otis Parsons, Los Angeles City Collegeand Academia Jorge Palomar in
Guadalajara,Jalisco, have shown me numerous tricks on what to do with and infinite numberof art materials. But all of these are obsolete if they aren’t used or mixedwith our deepest sincerity and reality. That’s the only way I can make powerful art. If it’s not done with all my love and raw spirit it’s not worth showing itto the art viewer.
Art connoisseurs and real artists don’t have one favorite artist. We just keep watching and discovering outstanding exhibitions, and maybe a latest preferred piece of art. My favorite permanent collection in Los Angeles is the Norton Simon and my favorite gallery is Jack Rutberg, because they consistently have the strongest art.
I love painting portraits. Every time I start a new face I feel as if I have never painted before. I get a bit nervous and very excited since I know I’ll discover a whole different world. The miraculously beautiful secret of life is in front of me over and over.
I paint only people I love and for people I love. Our faces are the landscapes and the objects of the universe. I use thread when I collage canvas on canvas because canvas and thread make our clothing and our bedding and keep us warm.
The colors I use the most are all skin tones. Right now I can’t escape but surrounding these with blues and greens, made with Prussian blue mixed with siennas and white and unbleached titaniums.
I recognize that there is trouble knowing when my work is complete. As most artists agree, I guess it will be finished when it’s out of the studio.
In my opinion, the first great art-science exhibition of the 21rst century is Body Works at the Museum of Science and Industry by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, a German MD/artist.
Jorge Palomar, Guadalajara, Mex.; Los Angeles City College and Otis Parsons,Los Angeles, CA.
Vasquez has had solo exhibitions in Southern California and has participated in numerous group
exhibits. His awards include the President’s Award and Purchase for the Permanent Collection, LACC for excellence in etching/printmaking; 2nd Place, Los Angeles City College Biennial Juried Exhibition; 2nd Place Plummer Park Juried Exhibition,
West Hollywood, CA.
Vasquez' work is on display in museums and private collections, including: Museo Regional de Tecolotlán, Jalisco, Mexico; George López Collection, Los Angeles, CA; Collection of Miguel Angel Corzo, collection of Lucía Maya, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Cheech Marin collection and various other private collections. Mr. Vasquez is also an active contributor to many other art auctions and events in the region.
Sergio Vásquez, Interview
I am an evolving American artist who happened to have been born in a colonial Mexican town. My early childhood was spent traveling with my widowed mother between Tecolotlán, Jalisco and Galveston, Texas.
I have been drawing since I can remember, copying paintings from the boxes of matches (cerillos clásicos), which have miniature reproductions from the renaissance and other classic periods on the back of the box. That was my first encounter with fine art.
At the age of 19, after attending 12 different educational institutions, whichincluded Catholic schools; I left Mexico
behind and adopted Los Angeles as my new and more cosmopolitan home.
A couple dozen art instructors from Otis Parsons, Los Angeles City Collegeand Academia Jorge Palomar in
Guadalajara,Jalisco, have shown me numerous tricks on what to do with and infinite numberof art materials. But all of these are obsolete if they aren’t used or mixedwith our deepest sincerity and reality. That’s the only way I can make powerful art. If it’s not done with all my love and raw spirit it’s not worth showing itto the art viewer.
Art connoisseurs and real artists don’t have one favorite artist. We just keep watching and discovering outstanding exhibitions, and maybe a latest preferred piece of art. My favorite permanent collection in Los Angeles is the Norton Simon and my favorite gallery is Jack Rutberg, because they consistently have the strongest art.
I love painting portraits. Every time I start a new face I feel as if I have never painted before. I get a bit nervous and very excited since I know I’ll discover a whole different world. The miraculously beautiful secret of life is in front of me over and over.
I paint only people I love and for people I love. Our faces are the landscapes and the objects of the universe. I use thread when I collage canvas on canvas because canvas and thread make our clothing and our bedding and keep us warm.
The colors I use the most are all skin tones. Right now I can’t escape but surrounding these with blues and greens, made with Prussian blue mixed with siennas and white and unbleached titaniums.
I recognize that there is trouble knowing when my work is complete. As most artists agree, I guess it will be finished when it’s out of the studio.
In my opinion, the first great art-science exhibition of the 21rst century is Body Works at the Museum of Science and Industry by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, a German MD/artist.