Artist Statement

Group activities of people caught in a moment in a locale are a consistent theme in my work. Surrounded in color the people in my paintings become part of a colorscape, not as individuals but as a community. My artwork reveals the human experience through community, family and individual slices of life in present-day society, both urban and rural. Very seldom do my paintings depict the individual as the main subject but rather as an integral part of the larger society, a patchwork of community life. It is the collective that is important; that is the primary focus in all my work. The people in my paintings don't have individual features; they are faceless, yet each one is important in defining the group, the community interacting, participating in its many rituals, social settings, and group’Äôs functions, be they at work, play, school or at family celebrations. But more than that, each painting is only part of the total picture, the human experience, and not an isolated phenomenon but an active, integral part of society in the modern world. The blend of realism and expressionism is also reflected in the design and composition of my art. I use distortion and exaggeration for an emotional effect. I accomplish this through abstraction, simplification and dynamic application of the formal elements (color, shape and texture). I depict not objective reality but rather the subjective emotions of groupings of people. My work interweaves the western concepts of perspective, light/shadow, and the influence of Mexican indigenous folk art with its simplified geometric shape, brilliant pastel colors, and inviting temperature creating a harmonious composition. My intent is to not to celebrate a particular culture but rather to form a bridge across cultures with expressionistic colors and people environments, a recognizable mosaic of the human activity.

Tony Ortega received his Masters in Fine Arts degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder in 1995, and currently teaches in the Visual Arts department of Regis University. A recipient of numerous commissions and awards such as the 1999 Governor’Äôs Award for Excellence in the Arts, Tony’Äôs collections and exhibitions can be seen throughout Colorado, the United States, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. He has also authored numerous publications and has illustrated several children’Äôs books celebrating Chicano culture, family life and self-discovery, and is a highly recognized muralist. "For the past 20 years, I have worked with schools, community organizations, art space and museums in the creation of community murals to further develop my philosophical belief that art belongs to everyone, not just the wealthy, art galleries and museums. Community murals are not created for "art's sake", but rather give a community the skills necessary to maintain this art form. The mural process encourages participants of different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds to collaborate, develop friendships, and learn from each other while developing their art skills. The creation of many of the murals I have worked on has included groups of people highly diverse in terms of race, gender, age, and level of artistic competency. I believe that the people involved in the painting process feel an ownership to the mural and are proud of their work. Kids enjoy bringing their parents to show them what they've painted. Murals can espouse political views, family values, cultural pride, or historic events. The mural reflects the needs, hopes and dreams of the community who creates them. They are part of a community arts movement which emerges as an alternative art education program by ordinary people as they reach out to their community." (www.tonyortega.net.)