Bio
My name is Jorge Fuentes. I am a Chilean Canadian artist. I was born in Santiago Chile and moved to Calgary as a teen in the early 80s. Calgary was the city I arrived in and has been my home ever since.
If I had to describe the type of artist that I am, I would say an Urban Artist. I love the city. The buildings, the walls and all the sights and sounds. Walking through the streets of any city, Calgary, Vancouver, or Santiago, the walls speak and tell a story. And they inspire me to be part of that story.
My artistic practices are varied. I have a great love for art in all its many shapes and forms. Therefore, I dedicate much of my free time to researching and exploring different mediums of art. Online, Instagram and Facebook allow me to follow various artists from different genres. I also really enjoy perusing art books and magazines like Juxtapoz. I love discovering new (to me) artists, which I find incredibly inspiring. Lastly, I cannot speak about art without mentioning the music. Music plays an essential part in my life. There is little creation that happens without music to inspire and motivate. All this art inspires my creations, and they get my creative juices flowing.
Some new artists I have enjoyed are Robin F. Williams, Heather Benjamin and Amoako Boafo. Artists that have been inspiring me for a long time are Picasso, Oswaldo Guayasmin, Frida Kahlo, Roberto Matta, and Alejandro Gonzalez. To only name a few.
My process is simple, I visualize in my mind and heart (sketch) and then find the suitable surface to create. And then, I let the creativity flow out. I have painted/drawn my art on walls, guitars, chairs and pieces of vinyl. I have also enjoyed sculpting and carving but generally fall back to painting, with acrylics as my go-to medium.
Resilience
As a Chilean Canadian artist who has had to overcome adversity, forced to leave Chile and emigrate to an entirely new country. I believe my vision for this mural can easily draw upon my and others’ life experiences and will be reflective of the community it serves. The proposal theme will be resilience and also incorporate elements of both Chilean and Canadian culture. COVID has provided me with new perspectives on my art, and the project that I aim to create would be beautiful, and inspiring, and celebrate the strength and resilience of the community.
I am committed to working closely with the community to ensure that my proposal reflects their values and vision. I will also, be seeking input from local organizations and stakeholders to ensure that the final product is both respectful and representative of the community as a whole.
In conclusion, I am excited to propose a community artwork that celebrates the theme of resilience. As an artist with a Chilean Canadian background, I believe that the concept of resilience is deeply rooted in my heritage and is an important value that we should all strive to embody. Through this project, I hope to create a beautiful and meaningful piece of art that inspires and uplifts the community and celebrates the strength and resilience of the human spirit.