Meet Lorenzo Chavez | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lorenzo Chavez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lorenzo, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My process was to follow my heart and my dreams of becoming an artist. My desire to be creative in the arts came first, then I learned as I went along. I was open to learning from other artists and people in the art business. Whenever I hit a wall, I would always go back to the “why” I went into the arts. It has been my driving force all along. I love the arts, and I love to create so I would do whatever I needed to, to have the time, energy, and feed the passion needed to create art. I would often think of a line in the lyrics to a song I loved when I had a question about doing something or not “We may never pass this way again.” That lyric always made me think, will I regret not doing or doing something if I never had another chance at it? Should I be afraid or embrace the unknown? Take one day at a time and live as if you are already that which you want to become. I still do that after 40 years as an artist. I am grateful I have followed my heart.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
American West, its landscapes with wide-open spaces and big skies fill my heart with a love, inspiration and joy that makes me want to share that feeling through the medium of painting. I am most excited to explore the painting mediums of Pastel and Oil. Painting the subjects that have inspired me has led me to explore how to express those feelings with oils and pastels. That desire to express the feelings I have felt in the outdoors has kept me coming back to my easels over and over again. I go out to paint from life so I can more fully understand the textures and colors and quality of light and air I see and feel. I have learned to always be the student artist in nature; nature is the true teacher and has to be visited often.
I want the viewers to feel my love for the places I have painted and have found artistic inspiration at. I feel blessed to have lived a life of being able to notice the beauty that surround us all.

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 weeklong trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If it is an artist friend was visiting, I would show them the beautiful natural places around Colorado like Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, The San Juan Mountains, The Sangre de Christo Mountains, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Garden of the Gods, Red Rocks State Park, Colorado Monument and Dinosaur National Monument. We would eat at many of the great local food spots and also visit art museums like the Denver Art Museum, Colorado Springs Fine Art Center, A. R. Mitchell Museum and the Loveland Art Museum as well as the many great fine art galleries scattered around the state.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without a doubt my wife Dolores has been the most important supported of my life and as an artist. I met her 45 years ago when I first moved to Denver to pursue my dream of going into the arts. We have been married 40 years now; We raised two Sons Corey and Derek. Dolores has been by my side all along and supported and encouraged my dreams. She gives me valuable input about the art I am creating or want to create. She supports my goals and lets me know when what I want to do is taking me away from what I truly love to do. I have been very fortunate to have had inspiring mentors and teachers along the way. My high school art teacher Frank McCulloch who was the first to believe in my art. Artists Ned Jacob, Pawel Kontny, Gerald Fritzler have all given sound advice and have lived artistic lives that are great examples to follow. Writer Stan Cuba who was the first to want to write about my art and continues to support my art. I have been blessed with many great art dealers who have shown and sold my art for 40 years. I have been very blessed with many art collectors who have purchased my art that has allowed me to continue to follow my dreams. I believe in the quote by Joseph Campbell, “When you follow your bliss and go in the direction of your dream’s doors will open were there are none”.

Website: https://www.lorenzochavez.com

Facebook: Lorenzo Chavez Fine Art.

Youtube: Lorenzo Chavez Art

Image Credits
All photos by Lorenzo Chavez Artist.