Today we’d like to introduce you to Walter Redondo.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I believe my artistic awareness set in at the age of seven. I replicated a drawing that my older brother had been working on and it was then I realized that I could do art. It was easy, fulfilling and engaging for me. Soon after, I was asked to paint, draw and design the walls of my classroom as well as create stage sets for the school plays.
Although I enjoyed being creative, I was being led in athletics — tennis being the sport of choice. I started to show promise early and soon found myself winning tournaments. That eventually led me to become the No.1 junior player in the U.S., which naturally led me to play professionally. I started to compete on the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) tour and as I traveled around the world competing, I would periodically come home to San Diego to rest and train. Whenever there was a chance for free time, I found myself getting lost in my art.
At the end of my tennis career I naturally transitioned into coaching and teaching, but always continued to do a little art on the side. During that period, I became aware of some unfinished business in my heart regarding my tennis career and felt the need to compete again in order to resolve it. I injured myself along the way and that’s when I realized it was time to give art a serious try. I began focusing my energy on making a career with the best art I could create. When I started to exhibit in 1998, the local gallery that held my first solo show in sold 18 paintings opening night!
I have been so blessed to experience the growth of my person through the work of faith, the labor of love and my hope to be an open vessel.
Please tell us about your art.
I am a self-taught artist. I’m a painter and sculptor.
I create abstract paintings primarily using oils and some mixed media. I enjoy using and moving the paint, with the intention of experiencing freedom from all negative control. I create with messages of relationship, community, and vision.
My sculptures are assemblages of wood, metal objects, and other various materials. My interest in taking unwanted or disregarded materials and putting them together to form sculpture is fascinating to me. I’m interested in the idea of taking something that would be never be noticed and combining it with other objects and creating something that has life and meaning. I see it as bringing people together who have lost hope and feel disregarded and are joined together only to find purpose again.
If there’s anything about my art that I would want you to know, is this. I long to bring inspiration of hope, faith, and love, that the viewer experience the awareness and newness of a reborn spirit and open mind.
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Yes, financial challenges are tough. I think that adverse challenges have a way of bringing out the best in us, but we must see it in proper perspective. What we choose to stand on is important, struggles will deepen our foundation or shake it up. Learning to believe in what hasn’t yet come to fruition is always a challenge. Faith is vital — it’s the certainty of things not yet seen.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People can see my work online through my website, social media and at the galleries that represent me. FLOWER + HEWES in Santa Monica and Malibu is a local Contemporary Fine Art gallery you can find some of my work in. For local clients, I enjoy being able to schedule home and studio appointments because it gives me the chance to be more involved throughout the whole process, making it more personal for both of us. Whether I get to bring a hand selection of works into their home or they come visit my studio, it really ensures the client finds the perfect piece(s) meant for them and their space.
The support people give me is immense. I think the ability to communicate my work to others through social media, at local art events and exhibitions, personal home shows and opportunities such as this, are all wonderful platforms to share and receive support for my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.walterredondo.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @walterredondo
- Facebook: facebook.com/WalterRedondoFineArt
Image Credit:
Walter Redondo
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