Erico Ortiz: January 2016

Friday, January 29, 2016

January in Florida... was not so warm!

I spent 10 days in Florida this January. It was nice to get away from the Milwaukee cold, but Daytona Beach wasn't very warm. Cool temperatures at night (40s!) and sunny, decent temps during the day (50-70) meant no tanning, but I stayed warm. Painting warm images helped.

Paloma's Beach (watercolor, 9x12")

Converting a closet into a wine cellar for my sister and her husband was the purpose of the trip. It was a fun, creative challenge. After tiling and grouting, we decided a small grape vine mural at the top would finish it off nicely. My sister was thrilled with the results.

This painting was the last contribution to the Hernandez Wine Cellar project. Simple and sweet....like the wine! -Erico

Labeled (watercolor, 9x12")

Commissioned... Palm Springs!

"Palm Springs" (watercolor, 9x12")

This was requested by friends I met in Palm Springs while I was there for Thanksgiving last November. I am thoroughly enjoying watercolor these days. It's a convenient medium while traveling and this piece was completed during a trip to Cozumel, Mexico. -Erico

Biographical Note

Erico Ortiz was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico in 1955. He earned his undergraduate degree at Marquette University (Spanish Education) and a Masters Degree from UW-Milwaukee (Administrative Leadership). Erico taught Spanish for ten years and then became a school administrator, having worked at several Milwaukee Public Schools until retiring in 2011. He has worked with several community theatre companies, both on stage and behind the scenes, something he still enjoys today. He plays guitar and, until June 2019, could be found Sunday mornings directing the Spanish choir at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Parish in Milwaukee. In 2014, he opened Inspiration Studios, a small art gallery and performance venue in downtown West Allis that he owns and manages. Erico's life is all about the arts!

Artist's Statement

In 1998, a study leave immersed me in art education courses at UW-Milwaukee. While this was not the traditional studio coursework that a budding artist would undertake, I learned the value of critical thinking and problem-solving as they relate to educating students in the arts. After years of rather humble artistic endeavors, my retirement from the Milwaukee Public Schools in 2011 provided the opportunity I needed to explore visual arts as never before. I began to paint! I realized that inspiration was all around me—in people and places, sights and sounds, music and movies.

As part of my creative process, I determine the idea for a project. Then the first challenge is the mixing and blending of colors to achieve a certain effect on a canvas, a challenge I truly enjoy. Sometimes that selection process takes on a life of its own... and I'm forced to abandon my initial intention to give way to a new creative thought. Still honing skills and techniques, I am often thrilled (and sometimes pleasantly surprised!) by the resulting color compositions and the overall product.

What began as a hobby has become a way of viewing the world and expressing my mind’s eye on canvas. If you choose to view these pages, you will see that I am still finding my way.

Erico Ortiz

Gallery Exhibits