FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Internationally-Recognized Bolivian Painter to Bring Artwork to Sasha’s
LONG BEACH, CALIF., October 9 – “Sasha’s – Living with Style,” a home goods boutique on Broadway, will host an artist reception for the celebrated painter, watercolorist, and sculptor Ramón Rodriguez on Saturday, October 17 from 6-9 p.m.
Rodriguez holds many accolades. Commissioned by the Cesar Chavez Foundation, KaBoom!, and Maria Shriver, he created a mural celebrating the life of Cesar Chavez that was replicated in 30 cities in California. Rodriguez was selected to be the first artist-in-residence at the American Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia. One of his first sculptures after he finished art school, Christos Rotos, won the national grand prize in Bolivia. His work has been shown in a dozen museums in two continents, most notably in the Museum of Latin American Art.
Rodriguez was born and raised deep in the Bolivian Andes. He spent his childhood farming, tending animals, and developing a profound reverence for nature and Bolivian culture. “I remember as a three year old, gathering stones of different colors and drawing on adobe walls…I climbed luscious trees and cliffs of red and orange hues observing the divine art of Pacha Mama, Mother Earth. I could not resist,” Rodriguez writes in his artist statement.
Those countless days of climbing and breathing in the natural beauty of his surroundings created the context for Rodriguez’s pastoral paintings. His work is rich in color, and presents robed figures strolling vast landscapes and pastures. It is difficult to discern which is more beautiful: the people with cascading dark hair wearing garments of deep azure or the pastures colored with eight shades of green enveloped by a purple sky. Other paintings depict buildings with brightly colored roofs that differ from neighbor to neighbor.
Taken as a whole, the watercolor and oil pastel paintings are magical, and evoke a sense of childlike wonder and awe. There’s a softness in the work. Harsh lines and geometric shapes do not exist in this world inspired by the Bolivian countryside. Everything is malleable and flowing, from the clothing to the hair to the trees to the rooftops.
Rodriguez moved to Long Beach, California over a decade ago. Migrating from a landlocked country to a city overlooking the ocean provided a new context for the artist, who had never seen the ocean. “When we first moved here from Bolivia, water themes started appearing in my work…I love the natural beauty [in Long Beach] as well as the cultural diversity. Meeting people from all around the world has been eye opening and enriching,” Rodriguez told Arts Council for Long Beach.
The move to Long Beach also shaped a strong sense of duality shaped within Rodriguez. Living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world in comparison to his childhood in a tiny isolated village in Bolivia were extremely different experiences.
“Dualities and struggles coexist within each of us. In my journey as an artist, I attempt to harmonize these dualities, to create a dialogue between extremes. In the process of exploring duality, I try to capture the magic and beauty of the culture of my ancestors, the Incas. Through my work, I not only express that which compels me, I nourish myself with the energy of the landscapes, the power of the culture, the wisdom and determination of my ancestors,” he said.
Ramón Rodriguez will be at Sasha’s – Living with Style on Saturday, October 17 from 6-9 p.m. Join us and marvel at the magical paintings of an internationally-recognized artist!
ABOUT SASHA’S – LIVING WITH STYLE
“Sasha’s – Living with Style” is a boutique that sells home furnishings and accessories. Owner Sasha Witte also manages Sasha Witte Design, an interior design company that helps clients make the home their favorite destination. Amongst the vibrant array of merchandise, the boutique features art by local artists and artisans. Each month a new artist’s work is splashed on the walls and side tables, and an artist reception is held.
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