Six months ago, I moved into my new home, a small one-bedroom house. Though plenty of room for a single retired person, the smaller spaces made me feel a little claustrophobic… until I acquired a Juan Zaragoza.
I placed my Juan Zaragoza over my desk in my bedroom and hung mirrors over my bed to catch its reflection from several angles. Now, as I look out this special window, I enjoy one of the most stunning views of San Miguel; our aqueduct dwarfed by the wide expanse of mountains in the distance, the cliff rocks, the nearby presa surrounded by green fields speckled with spring flowers, and the ever present prickly garambullo cactus. I marvel at how the painting shines with the light of life, of nature, of pure beauty.
A little later I acquired my second Juan Zaragoza. This one I placed at the top of my staircase which I can also enjoy while sitting at my desk. The painting faultlessly captures the elegance of the arches of San Miguel, inviting me to leisurely stroll down one of its ancient cobble stone streets. Again, a widow into stunning beauty, reminding me of how lucky I am to live in such a magical place.
I thought that with time the effect would lessen, as it has with some of the other art I have bought over the years. To my surprise, every day I enjoy the paintings more, so life like that the colors appear to change with the time of day and one can almost hear the leaves rustling when the wind blows.
Juan Zaragoza is a mature painter, having studied, taught, and exhibited full time for over 20 years. He is the winner of several awards, the most recent being…. In 2017.
At this stage in his career, Zaragoza focuses primarily on the beauty found in San Miguel, whether it be his majestic mageys, his cocky, colorful roosters, landscapes of the wild open plains of the high Sierra Madres, or the streets and vendors of our sixteenth century town.
In San Miguel, Zaragoza currently exhibits his work both in his private gallery on the Calzada de la Aurora 47 A, Centro.
If you decide to visit his gallery you will probably meet him and his wife Daniela, and his two beautiful young children ages 2 and 3, and maybe learn of the romantic love story that brought this couple back together later in life. If asked, Juan will tell you that he was born for two reasons; to love and to paint.
There is nothing pretentious, nor dated, about Juan Zaragoza’s work. It reflects the timeless magnificence of nature and man’s ability to not only appreciate but to co-create with the divine. Zaragoza believes in the power of art to uplift, to inspire, to rejuvenate. He would love to see a world where great art is at the core of everyone’s life and all societies.
Laura Shermer.
