Description: This is a wonderful and vibrant Fine Mexican Folk Modern Impressionist Cityscape Oil Painting on canvas, by the renowned Ajijic, Jalisco Modernist painter, Efren Gonzalez (b. 1972.) This artwork depicts a bustling urban marketplace scene in downtown Ajijic, with multitudes of faceless and colorfully dressed people walking and congregating throughout the scene, with a prominent figure cloaked in a blue shawl in the center, toiling at her small produce stand. In the distance, old Spanish Colonial style buildings can be seen. Signed and dated: "Efren Gonzalez '04" in the lower left corner. Approximately 24 1/4 x 29 x 2 inches (including frame.) Actual artwork is approximately 21 x 25 3/4 inches. Good condition for over a decade of age and storage, with some light craquelure, light scuffs, and dimpling to the canvas. Additionally, the custom wooden frame has substantial scuffing, scratches and edge wear throughout (please see photos.) Acquired in Los Angeles County, California. If you like what you see, I encourage you to make an Offer. Please check out my other listings for more wonderful and unique artworks! About the Artist: Efren GonzalezBirth Year: June 1, 1972Location Of Birth: Ajijic, JaliscoNationality: MexicoMediums: PaintingType Of Artist In The Banderas Bay Area: Visiting ArtistPast Exhibitions: DanteThe Artist Lived And Created Art In The Bajia De Banderas Area: Yes EFREN GONZALEZ “Art started with a pencil,” Efren says, “almost as soon as I could hold it.” Efren’s journey to become a working artist began early. As a child, he won local and regional drawing competitions. After high school, Efren started studying Architecture and then Plastic Arts, but soon found out that he didn’t have the patience for either. To make his daily bread he worked in restaurants, factories, and as a translator. Yet all the while he continued to draw and paint. While still searching for a career and vocation, Efren was offered a grant to study art at a small college in Maryland. It was there that he continued to develop his skill and was enriched by seeing in person the great works that he had only admired in books. A year later he returned to Ajijic and took up his brush. Efren was inspired and taught by the famous local Neil James Art Education Program. He studied with Antonia Cardenas, international painter B.R. Kline, watercolorist Luis Eduardo Gonzalez, sculptor Kent Clark and etchist Juan Navarro. Efren is now featured in wonderful galleries across North America and attends and teaches classes. His most recent class was an oil painting course taught in our neighboring town Holland, Michigan! J. Petter Galleries met him through this class and fell in love with his lively images and kind and caring personality. BiographyEfren Gonzalez born in Ajijic. A prodigious painter in all media, particularly in oil, watercolor, pastel and acrylic. Efren participated in the famous Neill James art program in Ajijic. Studied with Antonio Cardenas, international painter B.R. Kline, watercolorist Luis Eduardo Gonzalez, sculptor Kent Clark and etchist Juan Navarro.Efren Gonzalez resides in Ajijic (his birth place) with his family, in a home he built entirely from the sale of his paintings. For years he struggled with the dream of living and supporting his family from his art; a dream he realized every day, brick by brick. Born on June 1, 1972, this impassioned, local talent, stands out even in the pantheon of Lakeside greats. His paintings are intensely alive, full of color, meaning and insights into Mexico. “Art started with a pencil,” Efren says, “almost as soon as I could hold it,” and despite a few short detours, the journey to becoming a “working” artist began early, Efren grew up in Ajijic, winning local and regional drawing competitions as early as primary school. Sometimes, he still lacks confidence, he admits. After high school, Efren started out studying Architecture and then Plastic Arts, but shortly found that he hadn’t the patience for either. What career would suit him best? He had worker in restaurants, factories, and as a translator, but only to gain his daily bread (his salary), drawing and painting all the while, as a function of his being. Still undecided as to what to do, Efren was offered a grant to study art at a small college in Maryland. He made the most of the opportunity. More than anything he learned there, he was enriched by seeing in person, great works he had only admired in books. One year later, he returned to Ajijic and took up his brush.Leaving the hardships of the days when he peddled his work himself, Efren is now sought after by galleries across North America. Efren’s paintings depict the things he sees in everyday life – the colorful people and landscape of his beloved Mexico. He is equally well known as a muralist having completed his first intricate mural in the 90’s and since then many more in his beloved Ajijic. Efren Gonzalez: artist in Ajijic and Puerto Vallarta Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Efren Gonzalez at his home in Ajijic, a home he is building entirely from the sale of his paintings. For years he has struggled with the dream of living and supporting his family from his art; a dream he now realizes everyday, brick by brick.Born on June 1, 1972, this 29 year-old, impassioned, local talent, stands out even in the pantheon of Lakeside greats. His paintings are intensely alive, full of color, meaning and insights into Mexico. Las Michoacanas, which graces this month’s cover, is an example of the artist’s work in oils.“Art started with a pencil,” Efren says, “almost as soon as I could hold it,” and despite a few short detours, the journey to becoming a “working” artist began early. Efren Gonzalez grew up in Ajijic, winning local and regional drawing competitions as early as primary school. Although he preferred Art to Math and Chemistry in high school, he still didn’t know that one day it would be his career. Sometimes, he still lacks confidence, he admits.After high school, Efren started out studying Architecture and then Plastic Arts, but shortly found that he hadn’t the patience for either. What career would suit him best? He had worked in restaurants, fabricas, and as a translator, but only to gain his daily bread, his sueldo, drawing and painting all the while, as a function of his being.Still undecided as to what to do, Efren was offered a grant to study Art at a small college in Maryland. He made the most of the opportunity. More than anything he learned there, he was enriched by seeing in person, great works he had only admired in books. One year later, he returned to Ajijic and took up his brush.He soon discovered that being a “working” artist meant being a “selling” artist, and for that, your work must be shown. He dutifully took his paintings to CABA, an artist co-op, which had recently opened at Lakeside to see if they would show it. It was there that Efren met his wife, Reina Galindo, who had the unpleasant task of telling the young man every Sunday, that again, his works had not been accepted for exhibition.“She rejected me every week,” he says smiling, “and I fell in love with her, anyway.”Married, and with his first child on the way, Efren had to make some responsible choices. He was referred to designer Billy Moon, who needed drawings for a book to be published. Efren went to Moon’s gallery to apply for the job, and listened to the requirements. When Mr. Moon asked what Efren wanted to be paid for the work Efren said, “Five Hundred Dollars.”The sputtering Moon asked him, “What? Do you think I’m made of money?”Efren replied, “I will bring you the drawing, if you like it you will pay me $500, if you don’t, nothing.”A few days later he returned. He presented the drawing to Moon who reached into his pocket and paid the artist on the spot. Then followed a commission for more drawings, and after that, a position in the design department. Efren worked for Billy Moon and his sueldo, and kept his young family going on the secure wages for nearly a year.Realizing he would never get further ahead working for someone else, he confided to his wife that he wanted to make their living from his art. Would she let him try?Reina gave her consent, but for the first three months Efren painfully remembers he was sometimes unable to afford buying milk for them. He says that all of the obstacles have made him more resilient though, more dedicated to his Art. He sold canvases in the plaza, on the street, at small exhibitions in hotels and restaurants. Then he received a commission to paint a mural for a woman on the condition that he accepted payment in floor tile. “These,” he says, pointing to the flooring in the room where we are sitting, “At the time, I didn’t even own a piece of land, but I took the job.”Although he received only floor tiles and no further work from the person who commissioned it, someone who saw the mural was interested enough to track him down. Mal Baxter, an interior designer at Classic Design, became an enthusiastic source of reference for the young painter.Leaving the hardships of the days when he peddled his work himself, Efren is now sought after by galleries here and in Puerta Vallarta. He is currently working on a mural inspired by the book, “Azteca,” by Gary Jennings, which deals with the conquest of what is now Mexico, by Spain. The mural, located at Escuela Saul Rodiles on Hidalgo in Ajijic, is scheduled to be unveiled on September 21, 2001, with members of the author’s family in attendance.With continued exposure, word of mouth, and the support of a growing number of admirers, Efren Gonzalez is now a successful “working” artist, and will be, for as long as he cares to paint. He, Reina and their two children, Leonardo, four, and Paula Regina, almost two, are living in Ajijic, in the house they are building from his Art.This article appears courtesy of the Chapala Review, a monthly Newspaper published in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico. The focus is the Lake Chapala area. The goal is to provide quality information about the area, its stories, events, history, culture and people. Efren Gonzalez Exhibit Opens Dec. 28 at Galleria DanteGena Guarniere (December 27, 2018) Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - On Friday, December 28 from 6:00-10:00 pm, a cocktail reception will open an art exhibition by Mexican artist Efren Gonzalez at Galleria Dante, Basilio Badillo #269, in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone. Be sure to stop by and meet him while you're out doing this week's South Side Shuffle. Efren Gonzalez resides in Ajijic, (his birth place) with his family, in a home he built entirely from the sale of his paintings. For years he struggled with the dream of living and supporting his family from his art; a dream he realized everyday, brick by brick. Born on June 1, 1972, this 46 year-old, impassioned, local talent, stands out even in the pantheon of Lakeside greats. His paintings are intensely alive, full of color, meaning and insights into Mexico. "Art started with a pencil," Efren says, "almost as soon as I could hold it," and despite a few short detours, the journey to becoming a "working" artist began early. Efren grew up in Ajijic, winning local and regional drawing competitions as early as primary school. Although he preferred Art to Math and Chemistry in high school, he still didn't know that one day it would be his career. Sometimes, he still lacks confidence, he admits. After high school, Efren started out studying Architecture and then Plastic Arts, but shortly found that he hadn't the patience for either. What career would suit him best? He had worked in restaurants, fabricas, and as a translator, but only to gain his daily bread, his sueldo, drawing and painting all the while, as a function of his being. Still undecided as to what to do, Efren was offered a grant to study Art at a small college in Maryland. He made the most of the opportunity. More than anything he learned there, he was enriched by seeing in person, great works he had only admired in books. One year later, he returned to Ajijic and took up his brush. Leaving the hardships of the days when he peddled his work himself, Efren is now sought after by galleries across North America. A prodigious painter in all media: watercolor, pastel and acrylic, but oil is his preferred medium. Efren participated in the famous Neil James art program in Ajijic. He studied with various artists: Antonio Cardenas; International painter, B.R. Kline; watercolorist. Luis Eduardo Gonzalez; sculptor Kent Clark and etching master, Juan Navarro. Efren paintings depict the things he sees in everyday life - the colorful people and landscape of his beloved Mexico. He is equally well known as a muralist having completed his first intricate mural in the 90's and since then many more in his beloved Ajijic. The last few years Efren has travelled extensively: Portugal, Italy, France, Spain, Greece, various cities in the USA and Canada. What strikes most people when they meet Efren is how humble he is about his great talent. Wall of the Dead (for the Living)Muro de Los Muertos by Efren Gonzalez is a giant ceramic mural made up of bas-relief plaques shaped as skulls, each inscribed with the name of the real person to whom it is dedicated, installed in rows along the exterior of the primary school opposite the San Andres church in Ajijic. The artist Efren Gonazalez was born in this town and lives in his studio down the street from the school, which his children attend. He extended an open invitation to all Ajijic families to sign up for inclusion in the project. “The idea for the mural,” he said, “is to honor ordinary folks.” Passing this wall of skulls, one often hears children’s voices from the school within. Day of the Dead #8: Ajijic Wall of the Dead for the Living Thursday, October 25, 2018 In Ajijic, on the wall of a school that faces the San Andres church, there is a giant mural of skulls, what my friend and fellow blogger, Susa Silvermarie calls "a wall of the dead for the living."Popular, local artist Efren Gonzalez created Muro de Los Muertos as a way to honor ordinary folks. Each skull on the bas-relief plaques are inscribed with the name of the real person to whom it is dedicated. And, during Day of the Dead people gather to light candles on the wall.This mural is one of the many signs that reflect a different cultural view of death than the one I am used to. Death is a highly visible part of life here, perhaps a constant reminder to live, and that everyone and everything will die. While death is taken seriously here, there also seems to be a thread of humor that runs through the relationship of life and death.Accompanying the long wall of skulls is a poem written by the author in two pieces. Susa, being bi-lingual, translated the poem to the approval of the artist and is sharing it with us here.Here's the translation in two pieces along with an image of the original: All that lives will die. All the good, the bad, will be finished. All that is strong and all that is weak will have an end. Everything that breathes in, has to breathe out, to expire. Everyone who is famous will be forgotten. Everyone who believes himself indispensable, will perish. Every creator, the ones who sing, the ones who dance— those that admire, those that underestimate and criticize— will stop existing. And if someone is lucky, they will put his name on the wall and thus he will be remembered a little longer. And they will be sung and danced, or underestimated and criticized, and then, finally, along with the wall, they will cease to exist. Eat, child. Sing, Dance, Love. You won’t live forever. Make art for which you will be remembered. Do it now, you don’t have much time. Say what you have to say, even if you have to shout to be heard. Fight to defend yourself! Ask forgiveness, or forgive, whatever you need to do to keep going forward Live. Live! -- Efren Gonzalez
Price: 975 USD
Location: Orange, California
End Time: 2024-02-19T04:41:02.000Z
Shipping Cost: 25 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Artist: Efren Gonzalez
Signed By: Efren Gonzalez
Size: Large
Signed: Yes
Period: Contemporary (1970 - 2020)
Material: Canvas, Oil
Region of Origin: California, USA
Framing: Framed
Subject: Boys, Children & Infants, Cityscapes, Community Life, Costumes, Family, Farming, Figures, Ladies, Landscape, Men, Mexico, Monument, Nuns, Silhouettes, States & Counties, Still Life, Women, Working Life
Type: Painting
Year of Production: 2004
Original/Licensed Reproduction: Original
Item Height: 29 in
Style: Contemporary Art, Expressionism, Figurative Art, Folk Art, Impressionism, Mexican, Modernism
Theme: Agriculture, Architecture, Art, Cities & Towns, Continents & Countries, Cultures & Ethnicities, Domestic & Family Life, Events & Festivals, Famous Places, Fashion, History, People, Portrait, Social History, Western
Features: One of a Kind (OOAK)
Production Technique: Oil Painting
Country/Region of Manufacture: Mexico
Handmade: Yes
Item Width: 24 1/4 in
Time Period Produced: 2000-2009
