Biography

John Avendano was born in Arleta, California in 1959. His mother (Anastasia Orozco) painted, so from an early age he has been a focused artist. Over the course of his professional career, he’s developed a mastery of sculpture, painting, drawing, and printmaking.

For several years Avendano worked under Hal Reed. Hal learned his techniques by studying under Nicolai Fechen and by working at Walt Disney Studios in Los Angeles. He was Hal Reed’s assistant for five years at the Art League of Los Angeles while perfecting his skill of color theory, composition and anatomy. Later, he taught art at the Art League and at several elementary schools in the L.A. area.

In 1983 Avendano sold everything he had and left for Paris to study art. He painted, studied and traveled as much as he could while working part-time. He wound up staying in France for three years before returning home.

On his return to California, he was introduced to Mr. John Kerr, who, among other things, was a photographer and collector of art. John Kerr owned a large piece of property previously owned by Cecil de Mille that was quite rundown. Mr. Kerr, being so impressed by John and his artistic creations, gave him a place to stay on his property in exchange for pieces of art. This was a pivotal time in terms of Avendano developing his-own personal style. He started out copying as many artists as he could, referring to this as, “deliberate practice.” “You copy to learn, you copy what you like and you continue until more of yourself comes out. Deliberate practice absorbs you and gives direction to your work.” He also refers to this technique as “synthetic and artistic”. meaning you take a concept that exists and make it into something new which then becomes an artistic original.

When Avendano left California he was averaging three shows a month, often as a solo artist. He sold over 250 paintings and left large commissioned sculptures in several communities that are archived at the Smithsonian Institute and the Getty Museum.

In his thirties and forties he traveled several times back to South of France, then expanded his travels to Galapagos Island, Fiji Islands, and Tahitian Island. New culture, music and foods broadened his influences and was expressed in this paintings.

His work is deeply influenced by 20th century European Modern and American Abstract Expressionism. Depending on the mood of the work, his palette and brushwork are sometimes flowing and romantic and at other times, passionately aggressive.

John now lives in Washington and shares his studio with his new partner and they spend most days creating and painting.

CURATOR’S COMMENTS

Seattle-based, Latino painter John Andro Avendano (b.1959) in his first solo exhibition in Seattle, presents a powerful body of recent work dedicated to anti-violence. Comprised of fifteen vibrantly colorful paintings in oil/mixed media on canvas and panel, they visually form a refutation of the violence we’ve repeatedly witnessed as a nation and a world.

“I grew up Hispanic, born in Arleta, California, and rooted in East Los Angeles. Daily, I was either in the shadows or lived adjacent to, violence” Growing up in East LA, Avendano’s mother, Anastasia Orozco Avendano, reminded him of the importance and need for family. She often spoke of her great uncle – one of the “Big Three” Mexican Muralists, Jose Clemente Orozco (1883-1949). “Historically, he faced political turmoil, violence, and anti-violence movements. But rose above all the chaos and became a steward of his gifts.”

Avendano, who just turned 63 in June, has been an artist all his adult life and he brings that creative experience and maturity to this dynamic show of paintings. As the theme behind these paintings began to evolve in the artist’s mind, John – a former gun-owner and target shooter, ironically turned to the paper targets in his files. Personally, I initially found this to be not as much a refutation of violence but a visceral reminder of it. But as I frequently say “Find great artists and get out of the way.” Using a razor blade, Avendano began deconstructing the targets into various random shapes, literally destroying their original purpose for the former target shooter and reimagining them as the artist. These then became the foundation of each painting. Sometimes they’re obscured entirely by his colorful palette and at others, they peek through the paint to remind us of the human cost of violence in every form. Avendano transformed these bits of paper – visceral symbols of violence into profoundly emotional and beautiful paintings of “anti-violence”; each a stunningly visual metaphor of the paradox which is man.

This gallery’s programming has always revolved around the history of art, specifically the 20th century, and every contemporary artist living today is essentially standing on the shoulders of those who came before them. Avendano was deeply influenced by the Mexican muralists – particularly his great, great uncle, Orozco – and both European and American Modern. Much of the work ranges from figurative expressionism (Homage To Ukraine, Silent Witness, Red Mass) to Surrealism (The Guardians, Prophet) to pure abstraction (Then The Fog Lifted, Symphony For Kyiv).

I’m fond of a quote attributed to the late British arts writer/critic, Kenneth Clarke. When praising an artist of particular accomplishment and skill, he’d describe them as “many men thick”; meaning an artist who’d absorbed the work of those who came before them and consolidated those influences into a singularly personal vernacular. One might find the subtle DNA threads of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Max Ernst, pre-action painting Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Orozco, David Siqueros, or others in a favorite painting but these are unmistakably John Andro Avendano – an artist “many men thick”.

Frederick Holmes, July 2022

Frederick Holmes and Company Gallery of Modern & Contemporary Art

For further in formation, contact the gallery: 206 682-0166 or info@frederickholmesandcompany.com