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I have a strong requirement to create, I have for a long time. I also feel strongly that my cultural art is both a way to educate myself and educate the viewer on a host of issues. I also do what I do to insure that my art bridges the gap between what is often mislabeled "Traditional" and what is willy nilly described as "contemporary". I work with traditional cultural themes and contemporize it so it reflects the modern times we live in. I take jabs at stereotypes, and try to address long standing misconceptions.
How long have you been at it?
In earnest, I have been creating art and calling myself an artist since 1996. I have a history of creating things for as long as I can remember, in the Marine Corps I did a lot of logos and unit signs, and even in High school I designed play bills and programs.
Can you tell us more about your work?
I work primarily with two styles; the Day of the dead, or Dia de los Muertos, uses the skeleton or calavera. I contemporize the style and size, adjust the theme of the piece and come up with modern versions. I use a trademark blue on my skeletons to differentiate them from the traditional style and make them recognizable. I also have done commissioned pieces of individuals in the skeletal form. It seems to effect people in different ways and I am able to educate people on the Day of the dead celebration.
The other form I work in is the Santos (Saints) art form, sometime better know as devotional art. With that I also contemporize it under the hypothesis that the Masters of the form would have used any and every available tool and material they could have gotten a hold of. I deviate from the "traditional" form by using modern tools, woods and polymer clay, I also deviate themes by adding styles together such as putting a bulto, (Statue) with a Retablo (flat work) or relief Retablos in Reredos (altar screens).
What work are you most proud of?
By and far my "El Pachuco" muertos (dead) piece. He is the lead character played by Edward James Olmos in the movie "Zoot Suit". He is in the great collection of Flo Hernandez-Ramos and still lives on in exhibits around Colorado. He is the one that started the whole style off!
What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?
Listen to your own muse, not critics, learn the techniques and do not let people dissuade your art. I am a self trained artist and work in many different mediums, I trained myself so it is possible to do what you love but, if your are in a position to go to school, do so, people love that pedigree.
How are you using MosaicGlobe?
I am using Mosaicglobe as my new, only web home. I have been nothing but impressed by the site and the programmers. I tell everyone of it and have helped others get started there. At my previous web home I barely got 5,000 visitors in 5 years, at Mosaicglobe (with their great programmers) I will be surpassing 5,000 visitors in less than 4 month
Visit Jerry Vigil's MosaicGlobe Web site: http://jerryvigil.mosaicglobe.com/
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