Home l Biography l Art Critics l Galleries l Newsletter l Shows Schedule l Art Classes l Contact

INDEX ---INDICE

No. 12. Voice From the Studio. The Newsletter of The Art of Felix Berroa. Marietta -Atlanta-, Georgia, June 7, 2006

Para abrir la version en español de este Newsletter apriete aqui.

 

Two new webpages of my art was added recently. One at: Sabra Gallery, in Atlanta and other in Saatchi Gallery, in London. Also, don't forget to visit the new Guest Porfolio of a good friend o mine and a great Dominican Republic artist and Popular Culture writer: Faustino Perez

Most recent works :

"Hispanoamerica: Origen Comun, Manos no Encontradas"

The subject of this work is about the origin of a group of nations in the American Continent with a common language: Spanish. All victims of the steeling of our natural wealth and the annihilation of our original Indians. The Spaniards conquests left a rich and beautiful legacy in exchange for a high price: the extinction in some countries of the original Indians or a great part of them and the massive robbery of our gold. This is a two pieces work. The upside presents the route of blood and robbery by the Spaniards conquests . The red butterflies represent the loaded ships with gold and other products, as sugar, coffee. etc. The two yellow areas in the butterflies represent the gold stolen in the ships.

The second part represents the Hispanic-American in the United States, divided in its achievements, objectives and fights. Each one of the different nationalities grasp their own flag, creating Their own community, with their own characteristics, originated in the nostalgia of our cities or in "the return". As a Dominican said in New York: "Con un pies aqui y otro alla" (With a feet here and other there).

Some of the communities feel most important than the other, one for the large population, others for the political power, legal status, economic, musical... With about 39 to 40 millions Hispanic in the United States, a superior sum to the Afro-Americans who were the first minority, today with about 38 millions, we even lack a lot to reach the real "American Dream": the respect as "new American", today the first minority. To achieve that golden ideal, it is necessary that we all join hands.
This work can be hung vertically or as two independent pieces, one beside the other one. Each piece is signed independently. Was created in acrylic on canvas. Their measures are, each one 48 x 46."

Note: Observe that I use the "Spanish-American" word and no "Latin-American". The second word includes other groups or nationalities no Hispanish. The Brazilian and the Italians are Latin also. Therefore, the use of that word it is incorrect to designate or classify us.

 

Other new works:

"El Sueño". Acrylic and oil on canvas. 40"x31" -canvas only-. 2006. SOLD

 

"Gran Pajaro". Acrylic on canvas. 30"x26". 2006.	"Caribeña". Acrylic on canvas. 36"x46". 2006. SOLD	"Gran Pajaro 2". Acrylic on canvas. 30"x26". 2006. SOLD

Two weeks ago, in the Decatur outdoor show of this year 2006, a nice couple visitor, when seeing some previous Art Reviews news of my art with photographs, point out me the contrasting differences among the art I had created in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and in my early years in Chicago and New York, and the one now. I can't find other way to explain the change that inform them about the political and social differences among the Spanish American societies and, specifically the Dominican Republic, my original country, with the North American.

The Spanish American countries are more integrated to the political party and general, due to the multiple political accidents that happen. No would surprise to see that, a humble shoe-shining or a common worker, making him an local political analyzes, Central American, Arabic, etc. , or to wrap up with other person of contrary ideas in a heated discussion. No would surprise to see vehicles in the streets painted in the colors of the political parties, decorated with photo posters of candidates, promoting among the streets of the city. No would surprise to see a candidate calling for a "meeting" in a square, park or open land in were 50,000 people attend to listen its speech. No would surprise to see the streets of the cities with political posters with the pictures of the candidates all over wall, light posts, etc. No would surprise to see that the university or high school students, massively march screaming its antigovernment slogans, protesting for social injustices or bad decisions. No would surprise to see that public drivers unions calling for a general strike and the city been paralyzed. No would surprise to see that the main intellectuals of a Spanish country have a "progressive tendencies", and "open minds" toward a hope destinations for a better solutions than those that corrupt some of our countries and, for such a reason, sometime, a group treat to neutralize or prototype him of ideological extremist. THIS AND MANY OTHERS, AFFECTS THE CREATORS OF THE ART. POETS, WRITERS, VISUAL ARTISTS.

So that nice couple understood the Spanish-American drama better, source of works like those that they saw in those newspaper Art Reviews, I told them: "That doesn't happen here." The North American people doesn't wrap up a lot in the politics and the politicians don't make much efforts to go to them. For such a reason the politicians don't feel a lot of pressures when they make their important decisions. The North American people lives a more relaxed life economically, situation that influences in the life of all human being in any society. For that reason we are so many immigrants in this great country, searching for that "way of life". "THAT ALSO INFLUENCES IN THE CREATORS OF THE ART: POETS, WRITERS AND VISUAL ARTISTS.

1977	1981	1979	1979

Works of the "Dominican Period " and the "Portorrican Period ".

Between 1975 and 1978, I studied Arts Education at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, UASD. There I take three classes included in the curriculum of the career that delineated the intellectual horizon of my works. Those classes were dictated by the most impressive intellectually person that I have known and treaty in life. He is Pedro Mir (called respectability "Mr. Pedro Mir"), named constitutionally by the government the "National Poet" of the Dominican Republic. Those classes were "Aesthetic", "Theory and Art Critic 1" and "Theory and Art Critic 2." (So that anyone has an idea of the magnitude of this poet, I add some links of his poems: "Hay un Pais en el Mundo" , "Si Alguien Quiere Saber Cual es mi Patria", "Contracanto a Walt Whitman", "Countersong to Walt Whitman" and "Amen de Mariposas").

From the learned of these classes, I arrive to my intellectual summations as in the testimonies that you already know for some time:

"The subject in Art has to be found
in the happiness and in the sadness
in the well-being and in the pain
in the beauty and in the ugliness
in the maternal love and in the passionate
in the smile of a child,
or in the softness of an old man.
In short, The Life, the Dreams and Death of all human beings."

Felix Berroa, 1981. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

 

"To understand an artist it is not enough with being able to appreciate his art technique. To conform to that will be walk half way through a path with forms without any concern of what there may be said. That will be to conform alone with the very organized "matter" on a canvas, paper, wood, etc. Any GOOD DECORATOR with a basic drawing, painting training and some imagination can do that. To understand an artist you need also, in addition to the technique, to face his statement in his works, to classify it and to evaluate it. For this is necessary to READ HIM (the artist), through his distance traveled in his lived environment and the way he had incorporated those experiences with his feelings in the Art." Felix Berroa, 1995, Long Island, New York.

 

"Cultural Chock 2" --30"x66". - 1989	Fragment: "Cultural Chock 1"--30"x110". - 1989 -Donada al Museo de Arte Dominicano-	"Liberacion Femenina" 30"x88". -1989

In the early years of my life in United States, I still felt the influences of that small giant country called Dominican Republic. Although the works were created to be exhibited in Long Island, New York, my feelings as an immigrant of the Dominican Republic was expressed. Example, the works of 1989. In that year my "winged women" are born, symbol of the North American social feminine liberation through their intellectual and economic achievements. They look a bit aggressively open they way in this society. (See you the gallery "Cultural Chock")..

In 1997, my work became more tender and subtle. I begin my collection a "A Thousand Birds for a Dreamer Girl", dedicated to the childhood of my daughter Elissa. An entire success in sales. Late, the women, transform in tender, sensual and dancers. Other successes in purshases

In 1999, I was planning to go visit the Dominican Republic. I created two works related with one of the episodes of the immigration of Dominicans to the United States, and a self-portrait representing the "new man" of "two worlds", the "Dominican-York". The trip was canceled and I exhibited the three works that year in the outdoor show of Gallery North in Setauket, Long Island. To my surprise, the three works were sold the first day. No was in my mind that the North American was interested in works with the topic with the Spanish American social problem. It was in an error. There are many North Americans that collect Spanish American art. Those works were the following ones:

"Isla" -1999.	"DominicanYork" Autorretrato. (note las bandera Dominicana y Norteamericana en los dos ojos. 1999. UNAVAILABLE	"Viaje amparado de Orgullo Nacional y Miseria" -1999.

Although the topic was accepted, I only continued treating that subject in sketches that I have kept in the estudio for years. The work that I present now, "Hispanoamerica: Origen común, Manos no Encontradas" (Spanish-America: Common origin, Hands Without Finding), it is one of those sketches.

My emails and postal mail list had around 400 addresses of collectors and followers select of my art, that were added in my exhibitions through the years or through received emails. This Newsletter is send through emails and postal mails among five to ten times per year. If you doesn't want to receive this newsletter, send me an email so that you address been take out of addresses program: felixber@felixberroa.com

 

All works published here are copyright 1987-2006

____________________________________________________

Check this link: "The Business of Art: Evidence from the Art Market"

 

 

All

NEWSLETTERS

-CLICK TO OPEN / APRIETE PARA ABRIR-

 

Index of NEWSLETTERS

2005: No. 10.- "For Who I create my Art?"

2004: No. 9.- "Artist's Style - El Estilo del Artista".

2003: No. 8.- "Family". (Soon)

2002: No. 7.- "Dream Hunters". (Soon)

2001: No. 6.- "Carefully When you Visit an Outdoor Art Show"

2000: No. 5.-"A thousand Birds for a Dreamer Girl"

1999: No. 4.- (Soon)

1998 No. 3.- "The Music Maker"

1997: No. 2.- "Bodies and Thoughts Ecstasy"

1999: No. 1.- The Artist in the Modern Society

____________________________________________________

CAREFULLY WHEN YOU VISIT AN OUTDOOR SHOW. IT'S NOT ALLWAY WHAT YOU SEE. IT'S HOW YOU SEE.

In the photos, an idea of two differents way of exhibit art. A left, an outdoor show. At right, a museum. The painting still the same, but with different value "in money". When you visit an outdoor art show, be smart. "See" the paintings, observe for quality of the techniques, materials, composition, subjects, ... used. Ask for education background, exhibit backgraound.