Artist Salazar

Final Portrait CropSo many times, life seems like a feature cartoon.

My art has granted me the opportunity to search for meaning for a life in art.  As an artist, who returned full-time to his art in his mature years, I brought to that time the passion that Henry Murger expresses, as those years when climbing the green hillside of youth.  My DVD The Four Seasons of the Master Myth (see Vimeo) with the 1,000 images  was released in 2013. It presents a symbolic mythology on which all artists can relate.

My Maine Years

Of course, every person has his or her special way of experiencing Maine,  and it’s a delight to hear people talk about ‘their Maine.’

There is no uniform agreement, and I expect my vision of Maine is only one more probe into the nature of Maine. Yet, in a very real way, I feel I have enabled Maine to have a distinction of its own  by addressing the essential elements of its character, rather than displaying its outer skin. My recent (2012-14) Maine painting series seek to express Maine’s true essence. For I paint ‘Maine’ as unforgiving, the land, sea and sky uncompromising, demanding your  daily awarenes, and testing your ability to live with nature as a constant in your life. An art reviewer wrote: “His Maine series has a topological quality but with an expressionsit feel. Furthermore, there is an underlying force–sort of a life force–in many of these pieces. The paintings seem alive, on the verge of change, as it seems to be the case for the land, sea and sky of Maine. Salazar’s treatment of ‘Maine’ landscapes with innovative techniques gives his work a real dynamism.”

No people, buildings, lighthouese–only the land, sea and sky. Viewing this work you might say: What can I do to help guarantee this fragile environment is mainained and not destroyed by our very human presence?

My Mexico Years

Mexico is my second home. I arrived here in 1986, as a “snowbird” and later full-time resident artist, escaping the cold winds and snows of Maine. My art in Mexico is distinctly different. I attribute this to the light, 7,000 feet with natural light to paint with my work is bright and intense colors are used. While in Maine the colors are more muted. I owe much to Mexico, and my ten-year retrospective at the Diego Rivera Museum, “Gods, Land, & People of México” testify to the debt I owe the people and to the light.

Expressions of Spirituality

A body-of-work I have been pleased with is the paintings and drawings in the collection “Expressions of Spirituality.” It’s a collection of large, 4 x 7 feet paintings, and smaller works-on-paper. This work is an exploration of my Jewish and Christian heritage, and my struggle to understand my Jewish heritage, unknown to me until late in life.

An Accomplishment

I am proud of my founding of the Maine Artists’ Space at the Danforth Gallery. As a non-profit artists’ space, member of the National Association of Artists’ Organizations, it provided a vehicle for thousands of emerging and mid-career artists.  It closed all operations in 2006.