About my Creations

With no formal training in art, I started my creations as a therapy to recover from an accident that required eleven surgeries to rebuild my left jawbone.  I found that getting immersed in these creations kept my mind free of the pain and gave joy to continue my journey. I only use acrylic as my medium for expressing my creations. I often paint on stretched canvas, but from time to time, I've been known to upcycle abandoned materials as "canvases" for new creations -- from abandoned pieces of plywood to an old butcher's board (and even my wife's old metal filing cabinet!) 

"I paint for myself and for those who enjoy my creations. I paint to give expression to the joys, rhythms, and meaning I find in life, in community, and in nature. I weave in the colors, patterns, textures, and symbols of Latin American indigenous communities to honor their experiences of joy and of horror, of connection and of fragmentation, of exploitation and of belonging." If you enjoy my creations, I invite you to explore further…

~ Jose A. Quiñónez

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www.instagram.com/jose.retratos/ 

Jose Quinonez and His Art

Jose Quinonez, of Guatemala, describes himself - with some accuracy - as a primitive cubista painter. Jose's paintings capture both the vitality and images of traditional Guatemalan life as well as the tragic reality of the presnt day nation. Their straight lines, geometric patterns, and brilliant colors are inspired by the patterns used in traditional Mayan textiles. The juxtaposition of colors in his paintings creates an almost textured quality so that at times one is tempted to reach out and feel the woven pattern he is creating. His creations with the feature-less faces cry out for both an end to the suffering and for justice for the indigenous peoples of Latin America. These figures with their upright posture and straight backs convey the pride, resolve, and determination that the indigenous people of Latin America still maintain. His figures show the peacefulness and humility which are valued in traditional life, while their interconnectedness and straightness represent the solidarity and strong determination that continues to exist among indigenous communities.

~ James Schillinger, Anthropologist, Retired (Then at Virginia State University)