Artistic expression has been an important part of my life since I was a child. I would try to draw pictures of movies characters, monsters, cartoon characters and people I knew. This went on through my late teens. When I was 20, I took my first and only art class while I was attending community college. I learned real quick that I cut out to create art in this way. I didn't do well with deadlines, wasn't interested in still lifes, and thought the class was boring in general. Not only did I fail that class, I became discouraged because I thought it was my fault for lack of ambition. I quit drawing from that moment on and began to focus on creative writing.
It was only after visiting the Chicano Visions exhibit in San Francisco in 2006, as a matured adult, that I was moved to try my hand at painting. The exhibit at the de Young brought back so many childhood memories, which were some tough times, but good times. The vivid subject matter and the figures contained in the painting definitely gave me something to identify with and pushed me to speak with my own artistic voice. I went home that very night and completed my first piece using a paint set that my beautiful wife had bought me as a Christmas gift the year before. I'd found the motivation I needed so long ago.
Since that time I've absorbed just about everything I could about art and painting. Along with being influenced by the Chicano artist community, I've also been inspired by the work of Carlos Almaraz, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, and an array of expressive works. Music and live performance is also a great influence. In my work, subject matter varies and is reflective of my multi-ethnicity but mostly arrives to me from memories, snapshots in my mind, everyday life, relationships, figures, spirituality and the diversity and adversity I've experienced being born and raised in the Bay Area. I've worked mostly in oils and have tried my hand at acrylics, oil pastels, and pen and ink. I plan to focus more on soft pastels in upcoming work. What's important is to keep going forward as a person and as an artist! Thanks for reading. Contact me with any questions or comments.
Giclee Prints of my artwork now available at: http://albert-almondia.fineartamerica.com . Also, check out my merchandise at www.cafepress.com/AlmondiaArt.
