[VIDEO] Artist Al Preciado on art and his inspirations

[VIDEO] Artist Al Preciado on art and his inspirations

24 Aug, 2016

* Interview and Video by Cindy Maram *

Dig In Magazine’s Cindy Maram recently visited San Jose’s KALEID Gallery to view new artwork by local artist Al Preciado. In our video interview and prior Q&A, Al discussed art, his artistic inspirations and provided some advice for budding artists. Currently teaching at Bellarmine College Preparatory, Al has also taught art at the Dalton School, NYU, Newark Museum, Jersey City Museum, School of Visual Arts and other East Coast venues. In Southern California, Al has worked at LACMA, Bowers Museum, Irvine University, to just name a few sites.  He has shown work in “Germany, Italy, New York, New Jersey, SoCal and of course, in many Bay Area venues, such as ICA, Works, MACLA, The Citadel, Art Arc and the Triton Museum.”

Visit Al Preciado Art on Facebook to view more of Al Preciado’s work. Special thanks to Al Preciado and KALEID Gallery.

Watch our video interview with Al Preciado at KALEID Gallery and read our additional Q&A below:

Publication: Dig In Magazine
Interviewer/Videographer: Cindy Maram
Film Editor: Cindy Maram

Dig In Magazine: How did you first get into art and when did you know you wanted to become an artist?

Al Preciado: I first got into art as a 5 year old playing with leaves and blocks and found objects in my backyard. There was a telephone pole there and the telephone linesman saw me playing and tossed some cut wires down. I made huge armies out of wire and foil—and later clay. I knew I was an artist since grade school, but did not know I was a teacher until college.

DIM: How would you describe your artistic style?

AP: My artistic style is emotional, loose, roughshod, sometimes incoherent and dripping with messiness and emotion. I consider myself a sculptor, painter and mixed media artist

DIM: I understand that you paint as well as sculpt, what is your favorite artistic medium? 

AP: My favorite medium is watercolor, because it is so quick and taps into my energy the best.

DIM: How do you choose the subjects and colors for your painting? 

AP: I love the beauty of women and landscape…those have been my primary subjects, although I have done forays into the mask and abstraction. The colors I use are intuitive and instinctual. Sometimes my combos work great and sometimes they fail

DIM: What inspires your art?

AP: The inspiration for my art are a woman’s beautiful face, a curve in her waist, eyes that are bright and large, a willow tree, a creek and the gorgeous landscape I see throughout the Valley of Hearts delight (a.k.a. Silicon Valley.)

DIM: Of the greats, what artists would you say are your biggest influences?

AP: Artists that have inspired me: Van Gogh, Goya, Rodin, Tomayo, Riveria, Orozco, Picasso, Bonnard and Matisse.

DIM: What are your goals as an artist?

AP: My goal as an artist is to keep being progressive in the manner of improving art from the soul. I am a teacher and that facilitates the art . The students pure energy also inspire me.

DIM: Where do you show your art?

AP: I have shown in Germany, Italy, New York, New Jersey, SoCal and of course, in many Bay Area venues, such as ICA, Works, MACLA, The Citadel, Art Arc and the Triton Museum.

DIM: What advice would you give aspiring artists?

The main advice I would give to artists is to draw, draw , draw, read, read, read. Act as if it is your last day on earth. Develop real friends. Feed hungry people. Keep your word. You must care. Speak out, speak up and don’t be spoken for. If you’re not at the dinner table doing shows, curating shows, attending shows, you’re on the menu. Work as big as the idea calls for. Use good materials. Develop contacts outside your comfort zone. Sell your art when you can, but if you see love of art in someone’s eyes give it to them. Buy art.

About the author

Cindy Maram

Cindy Maram is a Dancer, Public Speaker and our Founder & Editor-in-Chief of the entertainment, fashion and arts publication, Dig IN Magazine. She is an accredited film critic for Cannes Film Festival in the South of France, Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Mill Valley Film Festival, SFFilm Festival and CAAMFest, as well as a runway fashion photographer and editor for London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week. She also serves as a professional sports photographer and writer. She is a prolific art critic providing media coverage for Art Basel Miami Beach and surrounding Miami Art Week fairs. As a creator, Cindy is a writer, vlogger, podcaster, social media strategist and manager possessing a Bachelor's Degree from UC Davis and Master's Degree completing graduate work in Mass Communications + Popular Culture Studies with an emphasis in Film/Marketing/Writing from Cal State Fullerton. Further, she is producer of independent feature length and short films, and is committed to supporting the visibility of underrepresented groups in the media and film industry.

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