Gilberto Arriaza has been passionate about drawing and painting since he was a child, and realized very early on that he was meant to be an artist. He studied and trained in fine arts for 9 years, focusing on painting. He paints landscapes, still lives, and pieces of magical realism, which is his own brand of surrealism. He skillfully employs oils, watercolors, and graphite pencil on canvas and paper. Arriaza often tackles themes related to Human Philosophy, and intends his works to be serious, purposeful and reflective of their time. His intention is to draw the viewer into a feeling, from fantastic nebula, to aesthetic pleasure, to nostalgia and identity.
Arriaza is the Director of Caracol Azul Art Academy in San Salvador, where he also teaches fine art. The artist held his first exhibition at the age of eleven, with the Association of Painters of the city Chalchuapa in 1974, and has since exhibited his critically acclaimed works extensively around the world. A passionate artist, teacher, and advocate for the arts, Arriaza’s dedication to the arts community is almost tangible in each brush stroke.
