Realistic Painting Of Los Piscadores example essay topic

A true Veteran Artists The artist that I have chosen for this assignment is Jesse Trevi~no. He is a San Antonio based artists that is known for his photo-realistic paintings. He is also "internationally known for his realistic images of San Antonio landmarks and his family and friends from the Westside neighborhood" (EyeonArt 1). What influenced me to write about Jesse Trevi~no was that he draws about what goes on around him. His life for example plays a big role in impacting how his paintings end up.

When you view his paintings, it is easy to become aware of the facial expressions that he paints. The facial expressions seems to capture the struggles and glories of the people he is painting about. Even though, Mr. Trevi~no's paintings seem to follow the common Mexican struggles, in reality his paintings are showing the struggles of all types of people. In order to understand or appreciate a painting we must first learn about the artist intentions in creating the artwork. The painting that I'm focusing on is Jesse Trevi~no's, 'Los Piscadores' which was drawn in 1985.

I chose this painting not only for its great artistic features but also because it captures so much emotion and life in this painting. The painting shows two persons in a big green field picking cotton. Before we get into the significance of the painting I would like to talk about the artist Jesse Trevi~no. Jesse Trevi~no's life began in Monterey, Mexico in 1946. By the early 1950's his family migrated into the United States. San Antonio was the town that would exert influence upon Mr. Trevi~no paintings.

At the young age of six Jesse won his first art contest. When he graduated from Fox Technical High School he "won a scholarship to attend the Art Students League in New York, where he studied under portrait artist William Duper" writes Salas Abel (1). But he only attended school for a short time as his life took a bad turn; as he had to decline a scholarship to study arts in Paris when he was drafted by Uncle Sam to fight in the Vietnam War. Instead of avoiding the Vietnam war and going back to his native country Mexico, he chose to fight in Vietnam. One reason he chose to go to war was because his brothers also had served in the military. Soon after entering the war he was gun downed in battle and was severely injured.

Doctor's did there best but were unable to save his right artistic hand. Quoting from Trevi~no "I remember lying in the rice paddy bleeding and thinking I wouldn't be able to paint again because my [right] hand was gone" said Trevi~no (Brown 2). Unfortunately, his long lived dream to be and artist appeared to have terminated. Rehabilitation wasn't easy for Mr. Trevi~no, as it took him two years just to recover from his injuries.

His temptation to draw once again awakened his spirit, and "with the help and support of the staff of San Antonio College, Our lady of the Lake University, and the University of Texas in San Antonio, he learned to paint with his left hand" adds Trevi~no (1). Everyone may grow up with a dream, yet many are quick to change their minds once obstacles are placed in front of them. But, for Mr. Trevi~no there was nothing that was going to stop him from reaching his goal. Even if it proposed going back to school and learning how to draw with his left hand.

Now he's a well established artist who has the Gods given ability to capture the pains and struggles in paintings. That's just what he happens to achieve in the painting 'Los Piscadores', he captures the exhausting facial expression of an old man picking cotton. 'Los Piscadores's eem to shed light on farm pickers who struggle just to survive. This painting shows the sorrow and painful nature of an old man working to stay alive. The drawing is trying to point out the behavior of how farm pickers usually live there entire lives picking and having little to show for. Pickers usually work ten to twelve hour shifts and get paid about fifty to a hundred dollars a month.

Something like that makes you think by what means could someone live in happiness when they know that their entire life is going to be spent working. An average man sleeps a third of his live, leaving only sixteen hours to enjoy, when you have to work twelve hours you only have a few hours left before you go to sleep. When you think about it, what is left for a man / woman en route for life able to do? How would a picker feel when he realizes that he's not going anywhere anytime soon? In this case Mr. Trevi~no happens to capture the right look and attitude of a man who knows his career is only a survival one. That's the purpose of not seeing the old man smiling in this drawing.

In the other hand we have a young boy, with the biggest smile in life. The purpose of the young kid smiling is too show the difference between a young inexperienced kid and the old experienced man. The difference between the two are the smiling faces, for the older man there's no sign of happiness but for the kid everything is great at that young curiosity age. The young kid is happy to work in the big green fields, nothing seems better at that moment.

But, what seems great in helping out in the fields, may not be good in the long run. A young kid doesn't know the hard work and physical capabilities you need to endure picking cotton in a day to day basis. When you look at a painting its hard to think about how much time or what kind of work did it take to make this artwork. Doing this paper made me realize what kind of effort was put forth into this painting.

Not only does 'Los Piscadores's eem much more appreciable but all of Mr. Trevi~no's paintings. When I researched the painting the main thing that caught my eye was that he drew this painting after he had loss his right arm. Not only was that amazing, but to learn how he had to start all over with his left hand was unbelievable. Making 'Los Piscadores' much more special to write about.

Mr. Trevi~no does a great job in drawing the photo realistic painting of 'Los Piscadores', capturing all the facial details of the young boy and the old man. Leaving you to think of why is it that one is smiling and one is not so happy.

Bibliography

Page Brown, Chip. "San Antonio artists unveils 9-1/2-story mural". 9 Oct. 1997.
12 Dec. 2003.