Art

Oscar Armenta Rodríguez

Oscar Armenta is Zihua's latest surf artist worth watching. A native of Zihuatanejo, Armenta grew up surrounded by the natural beauty found here and that appreciation of nature shines through in his work. He got his inspiration from the landscapes and the ocean, the shapes and forms of the driftwood that washed ashore and the play of light and shadows on the sand. And when he decided to pursue an education in art he went to Guadalajara, where he studied for three years at the Cabanas Cultural Institute. After Guadalajara he decided to further his education some more by taking an extensive tour of the great museums of Europe, painting and sketching as he went. Such a trip combined 2 of his 3 main passions, traveling and painting. The third would be surfing. He is a surfer and spends a lot of time in the water and at surf spots all up and down Mexico's coast. Everywhere he travels he finds inspiration, some of his favorite surf spots are also his favorite painting spots. He travels with an easel and can think of nothing better than to be able to work outdoors, he says, the view is the art, he just paints it.

Back in Zihuatanejo now, he has set up shop in his new studio on Cuauhtemoc where he works on his surf art, beach and bay landscapes and naturescapes. He feels most inspired by the Impressionists -he's more interested in colors than forms, and like all surfers he is fascinated by the perfect wave. His beach and town scenes all have a cheerful, sunny quality that is befitting of the location and has won him many fans but perhaps it is in his quieter, darker works that his talents most shine through. He has recently started a new series of night paintings, all about dark and shadow, bonfires on the beach and candlelit restaurants, which bring a more dramatic and richer tone to his work. Also personal favorites are his wonderful naturescapes, tropical plant life in vivid detail. He says he likes to paint plants for all the greens, and here there are many greens. Trees, mangroves and palms, all come to life with an intensity that seems to jump from the canvas.

Oscar Armenta's painting are on display in Zihuatanejo at El Mediterraneo Restaurant on the Paseo del Pescador, the Tobacco Shop, across from the movie theater on Cuauhtemoc and at the Blue Mamou Blues Club on the road to Playa La Ropa. You can also try to catch him at his central Zihuatanejo studio at Cuauhtemoc #37.

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