Andres Valencia

Andres Valencia (b. 2011) is a contemporary artist based in San Diego, California, known for his large-scale, dramatic and vividly colored figurative paintings. His work is strongly influenced by George Condo, Pablo Picasso and Cubism, featuring fragmented faces, bold lines and a highly imaginative visual language.

Valencia began painting at the age of five. Despite his young age, he creates large-format works, standing on a step ladder and using a combination of oil stick, oil paint and acrylics. His exceptional talent was quickly recognized and encouraged by teachers in his public school’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) program.

Growing up surrounded by art, Valencia was inspired by artists such as RETNA, Richard Hambleton, Raphael Mazzucco and Salvador Dalí, whose works were collected by his father. A key influence was his close study of a RETNA painting at home, which he copied repeatedly to refine his technique. He also expanded his artistic education through self-study and by watching painting videos.

Today, Andres Valencia paints daily in his home studio, studies art history and also works in sculpture. Among the artists who inspire him most are Gerhard Richter, Vincent van Gogh, Amedeo Modigliani, Francis Bacon and Michelangelo. He is particularly drawn to artists with a strong and distinctive personal style.

His creative process often begins with small sketches, but once he starts painting on canvas, he allows intuition and color to guide him. Ideas frequently come to him late at night, and he sometimes gets out of bed to paint. Working on several canvases at once, he usually completes his paintings within a few days.

One of his dreams is to visit the Louvre in Paris to see Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa in person. Speaking about his goal, he says:

“I just want the world to know my work.”