Passionate Painter Podcast Episode 19: Cuban Painter Cesar Santos on Making Your Art Your Priority
Cesar Santos’ art education is worldly and his paintings reflect a well traveled mind. Santos studied at the Miami Dade College, where he earned his Associate in Arts degree in 2003. He then attended the New World School of the Arts. Before graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, he left to study abroad and amplify his understanding of art. In 2006, he completed the Angel Academy of Art in Florence.
Santos’ work reflects both classical and modern interpretations juxtaposed within one painting. His influences range from the Renaissance to the Masters of the Nineteenth Century to Contemporary Artists living today. With superb technique, he infuses a harmony between the natural and the conceptual to create works that are provocative and dramatic.
Santos has had numerous solo exhibitions nationwide, including Miami, New York City, and now Los Angeles.
The artist has received numerous accolades, including first place in a Metropolitan Museum of Art Competition and the 2013 Miami Dade College Hall of Fame Award in Visual Arts. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sicily, Italy, the Beijing museum in China, Villa Bardini Museum in Florence, and the National Gallery in Costa Rica.
My interview with Cesar was a blast; he was so generous in sharing his knowledge. Here are the timestamps on the highlights:
5:18: Whether traveling abroad to study art is vital
10:00: How he uses his sketchbook to hone his craft
11:05: Creating art while at a museum
14:20: His process, mediums, and pigments
16:00: His views on working from photographs
17:00: Using technology as an aid in setting up reference images
21:10: Advice on launching a successful art career
25:09 Approaching galleries with your work and handling rejection [also 30:35]
28:15: Teaching as part of your art career
31:36: Pricing his art
33:45: His daily routine as a professional artist
35:23 How long it takes to complete his paintings
37:18 Portrait commissions
39:10 Parting career advice
Contact Cesar
Website: https://www.santocesar.com/