BIOGRAPHY

Artist George Max was born (1968) and lives in North-Central Guatemala in the small town of Cobán. He grew up completely in the city where he attended primary and middle school. He then, in 1985, studied House Design for two years in the neighboring city of Carchá. In 1987, he entered the local University to study a three-year technical career; Earth Science. During his college years he was a regular student and traveled the country in field trips required by the career; searching rocks and minerals, studying rock formations and exploring volcanoes, rivers and lakes.

In the summer of 1989 (USA), George joined a one-year scholarship program to study the English language in the United States (Colorado State). This trip was to provide technical support in his own field and to continue higher education in the future. At the end of the program he successfully finished the Advanced Level of English at the Intensive English Program in Mesa State College. He took some college courses along with American students which also required field trips within Colorado State and neighboring states such as Utah and Arizona where he could observe and study exceptional and monumental geological features.

Upon returning from the United States George finished his technical degree in Earth Science (late 1991) and looked forward for the future.

ARTISTIC PROFILE and BACKGROUND

While in my early educational years (Elementary School) I felt attraction for drawing and coloring; at this time I could not tell about my talent for art. And in middle school I showed more interest in courses that explored art and design skills. Fortunately I could pursue this interest at a school of House Design. After finishing high school I was prepared to work and live on as a house designer in my hometown.

During my college years (1987-1989) I awoke increasingly more interest in drawing and painting without knowing my talent potential or having any artistic training yet. I made many head portraits in pencil and a couple of large oil painting portraits (on commission, 1988) for a private coffee exporter company. By early 1989, I decided to buy a drawing course by mail since there was no art school yet locally. However, because of college attendance and a part time job there was not much time left to invest in the arts yet. Upon my travel to the United States in the summer of 1989, all attention was directed to studying English under a fulltime intensive English program.

By the end of 1991, I had completed my three year technical career in Geology. While I was hesitant about looking or finding a job in my newly studied field, in early 1992 I decided to become a fulltime artist and hoped to succeed in the art business. I was taking a chance on art but I wasn’t completely prepared to undertake an artistic career.

As an autodidact artist my first experience was with making oil paintings on stretched canvas. With my yet little artistic training, I managed to produce many oil paintings throughout the year of 1992. Figurative themes on the indigenous Mayan people of Guatemala formed most of the collection along with a few still life themes. In 1994, I sold some of my paintings made in1992 and made other oil paint portraits on commission as well. Then I temporarily paused my artwork in 1998 during which year I became an English to Spanish translator.

It wasn’t until middle 2004 when I renewed my work as a professional artist and dedicated more time to study and produce real artwork for exhibition and sale.

Artist Highlights

• Lives In:    Guatemala
• ArtWanted.com Gallery:    Fine Art