Erico Ortiz: July 2021

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Commissioned work...

"Bomba!" (acrylic, 36x36")

MKEDowntown commissioned me to paint live at Red Arrow Park on Saturday, July 17. The intent of their grant is to support more art creation and exposure in the downtown area. It was a perfect day to paint outside. Many people stopped to ask questions and to comment on my progress. Calling upon my Puerto Rican roots, the dancer is performing a Bomba dance, influenced by the drums and movements of African slaves brought to the island in the 1500s. Traditionally done in white dress, some dances have bursts of color. My hope was to play with movement. Struggling to do just that, I restarted this piece three times before settling on the image above. As a result, what should have been a one-day painting activity, ended up taking me into the next day. Hopefully I achieved a bit of cultural representation. It was a pleasure to create this piece which will be auctioned off during a fundraiser of the Milwaukee Downtown BID to raise funds for a local homeless shelter. -Erico

Friday, July 2, 2021

Heartbreak...

"Noeh...Going Home" (acrylic, 12x24")

Sometimes the sadness takes over. Sometimes the agony is so strong that it can destroy a person. This tragic loss of an innocent child at the tender age of 3 just broke my heart. I was brought to tears when I read that the first-born of a long-time acquaintance was found lifeless one March morning. Rightfully so, his parents are still reeling from the loss. My heart goes out to them. I saw a photo of the dad, Luis, tossing his little boy in the air. It was posted by the mom, Michelle, as part of her tribute to her wonderful husband and father of Noeh. It broke me! I was compelled to paint that image... with all its interpretations. It is a celebratory piece, full of life and anguish, playfulness and regret, joy and sorrow. My heart cries for this broken family. Here's to Luis and Michelle Rivera who continue to celebrate the life of their boy, along with his two little sisters. May Noeh's memory never fade. He is in a new home. 💔 -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