Jose De Juan, Artist's Biography

JOSE DE JUAN (b. Madrid) Spain 1966) studied at the Madrid Art Academy in his native Spain and graduated in Graphic Design. He pursued graduate studies in computer graphics at Texas A&M. He has worked in many animated and motion pictures as a graphic artist in several Los Angeles studios (DreamWorks) Rhythm & Hues Inc. and others). He resides in Pasadena with his life-partner Armando. Jose's passion is painting. Since arriving in Los Angeles he has been fascinated by the variety of expression in the city, the contrast and merging of life and art that takes place everywhere, even in the bleakest urban landscapes. This unexamined passion is layered with a somewhat academic background and a certain melancholic mood apparent in his artwork.

Jose L. De Juan is a devoted plein-air artist and finds constant inspiration in the city and its surroundings, from freeways and dilapidated structures to the canyons and marinas. He is a member of several organizations and has exhibited widely around Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley. Jose De Juan is a member of the San Gabriel Artists Association, Pasadena Society of Artists, 'The California Art Club, 'The National Watercolor Society and the Mount Washington Plein Air Painters.

Artist's Statement Light renders everything beautiful. My motto is the same as one of Sargent's: "Just plant the easel and then look around!" My mission is to capture in canvas and paper the beauty that we normally drive by but lingers a bit longer. So whether it is a poppy field or a rusty water tower, nothing is out of bounds, no weather is bad, no area is exhausted. I work both in watercolor and oils and enjoy both mediums enormously. When I am outside, the natural world is the guide but I allow design and composition to roam the studio. I like to let the materials speak for themselves without much taming and pushing around. My hope is that people will find joy in the light that surrounds us and that connects with the luminosity within.

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