I’ve wanted to be an artist all my life. Since I was a child I’ve drawn on any scrap of paper I could get a hold of. When I went to San Jose State University, I became more exposed to the works of the great fine artists and illustrators. My college paintings were heavily influenced by the humorous illustrations of Peter De Seve, an illustrator for the New Yorker magazine. I also fell under the spell of the great muralists of the 1930s, especially Thomas Hart Benton and Diego Rivera. I graduated with a degree in Illustration.
Since my time in college, my goal has been to be a successful children’s book illustrator. I’ve illustrated 3 books: Two Moms the Zark and Me by Johnny Valentine in 1993; Night Travelers by Sue Hill in 1994; and Cherubic Children’s New Classic Story Book Volume 2 for Cherubic Press in 1998. I’ve painted murals for Lester Shields Elementary School in San Jose, the Berryessa branch of the San Jose Public Library, and Grace Community Church in Los Altos. I’ve had a few illustrations published in South Bay Accent Magazine. I've recently had artwork published in Tikkun Magazine, Palo Alto Daily News and in April my artwork will be on the cover of Z Magazine. As of April 9, I also will have my cartoons regularly published in the Tri-City Voice, a weekly newspaper that covers the Fremont, Hayward, Milpitas, Neward, Sunol and Union City areas in California. To look at those cartoons, go to http://www.tricityvoice.com/archive.php and turn to the crossword puzzle page.
If you want to look at my artwork, you may watch the slideshow below. My art is divided into 4 sections: my realistic paintings, my whimsical illustrations, my murals, and my cartoons. You could also look at my Gallery Saratoga profile at
http://www.gallerysaratoga.com/artists/Lopez/index.html
ABOUT THE FILM
