Written by Dr. Ricardo Romo
Ricky Armendariz, art professor at UTSA and a recognized artist known for his exquisite art carving on wood in addition to woodblock prints, has been selected by the Tricentennial Art Project as the “Must See” exhibit for January 2018.
But to see it at Ruiz-Healy Gallery, you must hurry, as it closes on January 13, 2018.The show can be subdivided into four topics: pain and healing; historical themes; professional and inspiration; and animals and their primitive world. Typically, Armendariz adds phrase to his paintings that touch on the subject matter. For example, he includes the phrase, “The way to my heart is a bumpy road.” This phrase needs no explanation: some do. Most of his phrases come from songs he enjoys and others, he said, are phrase he made up and should be in a song. Armendariz acknowledges that some of the people he grew up with in El Paso during the 1970s believed in the supernatural as many families sought the medical advice of curandereros or faith healers. Thus he includes a self portrait of himself with a fiery cone connected to his ear. Armendariz titled his show “Tell me where it hurts,”however, pain is not necessarily the most dominant theme. As mentioned, there are multiple concepts and
they are revealed in woodblock images carved on birchwood panels as well as in several oil canvases. In his woodblock portrait of artist Luis Jimenez, for example, he allows images painted on Jimenez’ face to tell of major episodes in his life. The bronco structure that fell on Jimenez and accidentally killed him appears on the left side. On his forehead Jimenez painted an image of Talaca, a skeleton head recognized as an Mexican-Indian imagery of death. Jimenez drew or painted numerous images of death, mainly in the form of Talaca. On the bottom of Jimenez’s face is an image of a raven, a pet bird that Jimenez kept in his studio in Hondo, New Mexico. Armendariz, a friend of Jimenez, had visited the studio and had met the raven, whom he described as quite mean.
Armendariz included in the Ruiz-Healy show two of his own interpretations of Juan Pareja, the slave assistant to Diego Velazquez. The Spanish master, perhaps the most famous of the Spanish Baroque painters, gained an appointment in his mid twenties as court painter to the Spanish Crown. As court painter, he was provided with a slave assistant of African-Moorish descent, Juan Pareja. Velasquez taught Pareja many of his painting techniques and his assistant was also considered an excellent artist.While in Rome in 1650, he painted Pareja in preparation for a portrait of Pope Innocent X. While famous for many paintings of the Royal family, Velazquez’ portrait of Parejais one of his best and considered the first ever of a African-European person. In Armendariz’ woodblock portrait of Juan Pareja, he pays tribute to Diego Velazquez by including the lettering “Diego 1650” on his cheek. Both in his oil portrait and woodblock retention, Armendariz has Pareja glazing directly at his viewer.
There is much to see and contemplate in this superb show and while some images may need further explanation, the imagery by itself is powerful and engaging. As a body of work it shows superior craftsmanship and creativity. Seeing it is a wonderful way to start the new year–a year of greater appreciation of art.
SA Artistic Collective