- What do you seek with your art?
- I seek positivity, that people feel positive.
- Do you believe you achieve your goal?
- Yes, I do achieve it because people who buy my art tell me that their homes have become more peaceful, that it is as if the paintings were alive. And, generally people who buy once, they come for more.
- What would you say is your clientele?
- Locals and tourists.
- Isn’t it ironic that you are just by a restaurant/club called “Tantra”?
- YES! The fact that it’s a club, it’s fantastic because my loud music does not bother them. No complaints.
- How do people react when they walk by such a display on this quiet block: Tibetan flag (wich i see you do not have it today! You only have that Tibetan flag painted on wood), gigantic OM, vibrant exhibit of your art –some pieces provocative-, music, incense?
- They LOVE it! [while I was sitting on his stool chatting with him while he was bringing his most recent inspiration to life in full color, a few people walked by and would greet him as you would an old friend or a good neighbor].
Entrance to Alberto's house-studio-background of his front-yard, where he sets up an eclectic display to the senses.
- Can you live on this in this country, in this city? Can you live (pay your bills) doing what you love?
- Yes, if you live a simple life. I do not eat out, or go out for drinks. And last time I went to a club, was five years ago. It is super expensive and also, the most interesting people I meet is here, not in a club. And I do not buy clothes often. If you are good at what you do, you have to be patient and you can make it. During some time in my life I was a part-time hair-stylist and part-time painter. Being a coiffeur went very well, hand-in-hand with being a painter. Ten years ago, I decided to paint full-time.
- Hinduism and Buddhism are not the same. How do you mix them? What is people’s reaction? Any negativism or people feeling offended?
- No, I never had a negative experience because of my images. People do appreciate my art for what it is. For me, Hinduism and Buddhism are the same, they take you to the same destination: compassion, understanding, love.
- I have twenty years of not going.
- Would you like to go back?
- I do not know. I have no idea of where I will retire. It has to be somewhere tropical and international/cosmopolitan.
- Hmmm…. Sounds like Miami!
- Yeah, but it is becoming too expensive. Particularly the lease. We’ll see where it takes me…
- Who?
2 comments:
It's so nice to see someone who actually lives the way he thinks. Also because he has the courage of being an artist which is a really difficult choice at these times. I do so agree with him that you can do whatever you want with your life just as long as you're willing to pay the price. The thing is, most of the times, we argue: 'it´s impossible' so as not to have to say, that it's just simply tooo hard...
Absolutely! And i know he lives on this and sometimes struggles, but trust me, i've seen him so many times, even if just saying "Hi" when walking back from one of my classes, or from the beach with a friend... and he's always so upbeat, so happy, so much enjoying his life... I really wanted to share with more people what i had bumped into.
In a way, i believe also that his message on this issue was very much addressed to... me, since he also knows i am writing -or trying to... and that at some point, decisions will need to be made. That's why in so many instances he referred to not just painting, but writing as well. Maybe i need my 'enlightenment' or 'revelation' moment, before jumping with no parachute. Or maybe i had it and i am delaying a decision that is not a matter of "if", but a matter of "when"...?
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