Spotlight Artist

Darren Cortez

Pacific Coast
Artist profile photo

Isy

Person with short wavy hair seen from behind against a blue background.

oil on canvas

praying mantis

Pastel drawing of a praying mantis resting on a green surface, dark background.

oil on canvas

fish skillet

Fish and lemon slice on a dark plate with a purple placemat.

oil on canvas

Featured in New American Paintings1 / 3

Artist Statement

  I imbue my paintings with a contemplative nature; the act itself of making them serves as a form of meditation. Rendered through soft brush work that slowly builds, layer by layer, and gradually shifts from dark to light, then light to dark in a repetitive cycle until form appears and a contemplative tone is attained. I use symbols as conduits for intrapersonal themes from my daily life and identity as a first-generation American.

Darren Cortez was featured in these issues

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