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Jose Antonio Ramirez

Born in Mexico City on May 9, 1958, Jose Antonio Ramirez' artistic talents emerge from deep within his soul. "All of my life I have enjoyed drawing and painting since I was little, always taking colored pencils and paints. It seems odd, but I never had any influence or visual role model." As an architect he worked with colleagues of international renown, and through these opportunities he became familiar with the art of Chucho Reyes, a painter from the state of Jalisco. This proved to be an enormous influence in Ramirez' life.

Thus, the desire to represent Mexican traditions awoke within him, resulting in a style that is today recognized for its colorful brushstrokes. Ramirez paints in acrylics, selecting the most vivid tones from the market. His themes often involve skulls, chickens, angels, and other expressions of Mexican folklore. The connection he feels to skulls is especially strong, due mainly to childhood memories. When his family passed through Patzcuaro in the state of Michoacan he was always fascinated by the elaborate altars to the dead. His art cannot be placed under the genre of modern contemporary, as each work is a pure reflection of Mexican culture. Says Ramirez, "I dream colors and in colors - that is the joy and manifestation of Mexico and its popular festivals."