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Featured in the “Hall of Winners” exhibit at the Altos de Chavón Gallery, we spoke to painter Obed González about what inspires his amazingly different artwork and his experiences at the Altos de Chavón School of Art and Design.
As a continuation of our “Chavoneros Stories” series, today we present Obed González, a dedicated artist who only just recently graduated from the Altos de Chavón School of Art and Design after entering it last year! His obvious talent and determination earned him his place in the “Hall of Winners” exhibition, an exposition of art made by Altos de Chavón alums exhibited in the Altos de Chavón Gallery and, before that, in the Museum of Modern Art in Santo Domingo! He’s been breaking ground so rapidly, and at such a young age, too, so we here at Casa de Campo Living wanted to know what makes him tick. So we asked!
@cdcliving: When did you first come to Altos de Chavón and why did you decide to study here?
I enrolled at the art school in 2013, mainly to increase my capacity and search for my own artistic voice. I knew Altos de Chavón because of all the famous artists that were also Altos de Chavón graduates, who always seemed to have a very high capacity to create in their art forms, which was what motivated me in my desire to take my abilities to their maximum capacity.
@cdcliving: How would you describe your experience in the Altos de Chavón School of Art and Design?
My experience at Altos de Chavón was very edifying and transformative, both as an artist and as a person. At the Altos de Chavón School of Art and Design I learned more about myself and the passion I have for art. The opportunity to be surrounded by nature and by extremely proficient professors that are always willing to go the extra mile for their students motivated me in my desire to continually overcome my own boundaries, even if it involved a lot of sacrifices. In the end, the reward turned out be worth it!
@cdcliving: What is your biggest inspiration in your artwork?
I would very much like to visit and get to know Europe, to know it’s contemporary art museums so as to reach a higher level with my future works.
@cdcliving: What artist do you most admire and identify yourself with?
I feel that, in the history of art, there are so many artists that deserve a mention within that sort of question, but, out of all of them, the one that left the most lasting impression on me was Joaquín Sorolla, due to the way he would represent the sun’s intense glow so realistically, something I like to use in my art as well.
@cdcliving: What are your plans for the future?
My plans for the future are to keep growing as an artist, working on my paintings and showcasing them in exhibitions. I also want to project myself internationally, so as to make my works known.
@cdcliving: How does it feel to have your work showcased in the Hall of Winners?
Having barely just graduated out of school three weeks ago, I am immensely grateful to have the opportunity to showcase my work on a collective level. I see it as a sort of doorway that brings blessings to my future exhibitions.
@cdcliving: Did you always know you would pursue a career in the arts?
Being an artist isn’t exactly easy, it involves a lot of self-sacrifice, and often limitations that make you want to just give up. It’s all been part of of a process, and I think it’s all been worth it!
@cdcliving: At what age did you discover your passion for the arts? What did you create at first?
From a very early age I felt a lot of passion for drawing, and when I was sixteen I started studying at the National School of Fine Arts, so as to later finalize my studies here at Chavón.
@cdcliving: How has your art evolved since you came into the School? Has it changed your manner of seeing things?
Within me, there was suddenly this “before and after”, in both the professional and human sense. I learned how to create dialogue with myself. Now I know how to express my ideas in my artwork, with so much more security and dominance over the medium.
@cdcliving: Which painting are you most proud of? Why?
One I am working on at this very moment, which is a synthesis of everything I’ve learned; I’ll show it off at some event soon.
@cdcliving: Is artistic prowess something that runs in your family are have you been the first one in taking that path?
Actually, I have a brother named Joshua, who is 14 and makes incredible portraiture with just a pencil and paper, never having studied art or shown much interest in the technical aspects of it all.
@cdcliving: How would you describe your style?
In my artwork I like to be spontaneous and fun, playing with the juxtaposition of images in a realistic way, while being very expressive with color.
@cdcliving: What was your inspiration for the pieces currently hung in the Hall of Winners Exhibit?
Casa de Campo was a very big inspiration for these works, the beautiful sunsets and dynamic marina were all inspirations for these compositions. I use characteristic elements of Casa such as yachts, golf courses, polo games, and marlin fishing to create a sort of new vision of what’s real.
@cdcliving: What would you say is the underlying message in these pieces?
To highlight the beautiful aspects this place has to offer in a dynamic manner.
“Hall of Winners” art exhibit
When: Thursday, June 12th – Tuesday, June 24th (The gallery does not open on Wednesdays)
Where: Altos de Chavón Main Gallery
Contact: (809)523-8470
Altos de Chavón School of Art and Design
The Altos de Chavón Cultural Center Foundation is a U.S. not-for- profit public charity that has a cultural and educational mission here in the Dominican Republic. The school is on a university level and offers an associate degree, with many students continuing on to Parsons School of Design (now called The Parsons New School For Design) in NY. Founded in 1983 to meet the growing commercial demands of the Dominican Republic, the School of Design offers an intensive two-year program leading to the degree of Associate in Applied Science.