Jeff Quiros Artist

A common theme in my work is faces within faces, emotions within emotions – sometimes seemingly in conflict. But a being creates his own emotions … you can easily have gloom in a world of color or color in a world of gloom.

Exploring different means of expression keeps my art alive for me. This one was inspired by experiences I had in college, and before, with woodcuts, linoleum cuts and lithographs. It excited me to draw it; it excites me to look at it. I hope to produce that excitement in my audience.

I often don’t know what I’m going to draw when I start. In this case, I began with the vertical brush strokes on the left and then added the face emerging from behind them.

A favorite of mine. An Austrian nobleman at the coronation of Karl I in Vienna in 1916. More “illustratorish” than much of my work, but it really communicates.

I used my traced photograph process to produce a rare self portrait. I had to embrace the wrinkles … a portrait of the artist as an old man.

It is a wonder to me where inspiration comes from sometimes. This was drawn on November 5, 2018, the day before the midterm elections. I wasn’t consciously thinking about the elections; just started with a doodle. Today, 4 days later, it strikes me that the man in the drawing vaguely resembles Gavin Newsom, an acquaintance who won the election for California Governor 3 days ago – the day after the drawing. That the predominant color is blue and a “wave” is featured was also “unintentional”.

Another from the traced photograph series. The subject of immigration is an emotionally charged subject these days. This personal, historical perspective is presented in the hopes of adding a dimension for understanding.

I’m trying something a little different to communicate more complex scenes with a minimalist view. This started with a line tracing of a famous photograph of three farmers on the way to a dance by August Sander. You can see other examples of this direction in the gallery.

My first cousin twice removed, Gus Arriola, created the “Gordo” comic strip which ran in newspapers across the country from 1941 to 1985.
Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts, described Gordo as “probably the most beautifully drawn strip in the history of the business.” His work was also praised by the Mexican government as well as the California State Legislature for its promotion of international understanding.
He passed in 2008.
My brother and I got to visit him at his home studio in Carmel when we were kids. What an experience! We got to meet the inspiration for characters “Pepito” (his son, Carlin) and “Poosy Gato” (his cat, “Smelly Dave”) and he explained the process of creating a syndicated comic strip – I was transfixed .
Gus was an early influence on my art and on my life. Who remembers Gordo?

Love, relationships, friendships are common themes for me – in fact, I’ve got a “Love” section in my gallery at www.jeffquiros.com. This one celebrates the strength in love … like mountains building on one another, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.