Meet Ralph E. Villalobos | Artist & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ralph E. Villalobos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ralph E., what do you want people to remember about you?
I want my legacy to be my art work. I want my illustrations and paintings to be a reflection of my time here on earth. I would want people to remember that I was a human who loved, lost, triumphed and failed. Who used the medium of art to break free. That as painful as this life and existence is, art is a way to push forward through the process of self expression and exploration. Art created by people, is the last piece of magic left in the world. My work seeks to explore the final frontier of free expression. The last place on earth where a person can be free to do and say as they please. I believe it’s why I have dedicated my life to art,

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work focuses on the American West through the gaze of the Latino experience. Drawing attention to Lovers, Outlaws, Bandits, Heroes, Myths and Legends. Each illustration is a story, capturing moments of strife, violence, triumph, and the fantastic. From figures of worship, pop culture icons, and revolutionaries armed with revolvers and rifles, I attempt to make sense of the past from the eyes of the present.

My process often begins by crafting my initial illustrations on a bristol board in blue pencil and ink. There I will gauge proportions, line weight, hatching and color work. Some pieces simply stop right at that point but on some occasions the finished composition lends itself to another evolution in its process through the use of acrylic on wood as a new canvas, This adds a sense of permanence to the work. Wood being an industrial and organic medium, I manipulate, carve, twist, and shape it to match my multilayered subjects and messages. Finishing the pieces by taking a red-hot branding iron and emblazing my signature onto every artwork with fire and smoke.

The art is meant to be interpreted by the viewer in any way they so choose. As an illustrator I seek to tell a story, sometimes ones of love and other times tales of horror. As a kid, I grew up exposed to three distinct cultures. My fathers impoverished beginnings immigrated from the state of Jalisco, Mexico where he suffered the loss of his father through violence and strife. My mothers heritage is from the country of El Salvador, where she fled a violent and bloody civil war. Lastly, my own personal upbringing as a first generation American from the streets of Inglewood, Lennox and Hawthorne throughout the 90s. So, what comes forth from this is a blending of the three worlds. An homage to my parents’ humble Mexican and Salvadorian roots and my American sense of the romanticized west. Therefore my work is a tri-cultural version of the modern Chicano experience.

I am most excited about my upcoming Universal Monsters series done on wood and am most proud of my piece Frida y El Corazon Azul done for my former art gallery El Cuervo in El Segundo CA.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
So for sure I would stop by the Denver Art Museum, the work featured is always breathtaking and inspiring. Also the food at the Ponti is amazing. I would also drive up to Jefferson County for the Buffalo Bill Museum and to Colorado Springs for the Rodeo Hall of Fame. Those museums have the coolest collections, from artificats to just straight up beautiful pieces of American history. Lastly I would swing by the arts district for some culture and grub.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout first and foremost to my parents. Not for understanding my art work or actively supporting it, but for allowing me the space to explore my passions. Especially given the fact that culturaly they were never exposed to art making as a viable source of income. I would also like to acknowledge my brothers and their undying support, promotion and criticism of my art. As well as my best friend and fellow artist Abraham H. Romero for being a constant source of reflection and feedback. Lastly my wonderful and supportive partner Jennifer and our beautiful children. Who if it was not for them I would be a recluse in a mountain top cabin somewhere.

Website: https://www.revillustrations.com

Instagram: @revillustrations27

Other: https://revskustomartshop.etsy.com