"What else would I do if not this?"
~ TONY MELENDEZ
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| "The Annunciation -- Me?" 24 x 30" - acrylic on canvas |
By Ernest Disney-Britton
All my friends are artists or creatives, and one of those I admire most is
Arsenio "Tony" Melendez, our October 2013
A&O INSPIRE ME! Artist of Month. When he submitted his entry "The Annunciation - Me?" (above) to the "Alpha & Omega: Religious Risks" exhibition, he wrote: "This work reveals Mary's role in the realization of a saviour into the world. This meeting represents her risk in proclaiming "yes" to the angel Gabriel, it represents Her risk in accepting "unrealistic" terms, and Her risk in bringing into the world, the only person who could cause her grief that would never before be known to man." Enough said?
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| Portrait of Tony Melendez |
1. What is your faith tradition, and how does it impact your art? I am Latino, raised in NYC in a culture where spirituality was part of our daily experience. You couldn't escape it even if you tried, and admittedly when I was old enough to try, I did try to escape but something about my move to Indianapolis brought me back to my spiritual roots.
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| "Saint Kateri" (2012) by Tony Melendez |
2. Describe your artwork. What style or genre is it? I’ve been called an illustrator who paints, and I'm okay with that but as a self-taught artist I guess I'm also what is considered an "Outsider" artist.
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| "Mayan II" by Tony Melendez |
3. Have you ever had to defend exploring religious ideas? I've done a great deal of defending, and especially to those who were fans of my previous non-sacred works. It hasn't slowed me down and may, in fact, have helped push me forward. I can honestly say that my spiritual works are probably in more homes than my secular works.
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| "The Annunciation -- Me?" 24 x 30 - acrylic on canvas |
4. Who collects your work, and why? They are spiritual people like myself, not necessarily Christian, and not Catholic either, but definitely persons who have a spiritual connection in their lives and want it reflected in the artwork of their homes.
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| "Islamic Window" |
5. What "risks" have you taken in creating your work? I’ve been challenged for mixing religious symbols, and that's a risk I keep taking. My job as an artist is to reveal what can't be seen, but truly is. That sounds grand, but I believe the way I mix Christian, Pagan, Islamic, Buddhist symbols is an aid for spiritual growth, and it not the viewers it is at least for this painter.
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| "Mother Goddesses" |
6. What other artists have influenced your work? I have a long list, but the one that stands out is Henri Rousseau (below). The layers and layers that he applies to a painting has been a significant influence on my own style.
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| "The Dream" (1910) by Henri Rousseau |
7. How can A&O readers collect/experience your work? I do have a website, but I'm admittedly not the best arts manager. My partner Gary does most of that for me as well as the exposure I get from the collection owned by my church, Life Journey Church; and off course my friends at Alpha Omega Arts.
For more information on Tony Melendez, please visit his website at
www.artofmelendez.com. You can and should also check out his work, "The Annunciation--Me?" this November at Indiana Interchurch Center, 1100 W. 42nd Street, Indianapolis.
