Escapist Art Launch Gala /  by Hugo Perez

Saturday October 15, Mayor Sylvester Turner declared a proclamation recognizing Art Launch and the Escapist Program. The same evening I had the honor of winning Escapist of the Year for 2016. It was a long, tough 10 months but I worked non-stop to abide by the pledge of the Escapist. I had the pleasure of sharing this moment with my loved ones, below are some photos from the night. 

Oregon recap Pt 1 /  by Hugo Perez

We were only in Eugene for 3 days but we met a lot
of wonderful people and P.R.I.D.E. Portraits had another successful event! 

 

I got to The Wayward Lamb just in time to help Eric setup. We were greeted by the friendly staff, shout out to Anna, head of marketing, for helping us with logistics. The event began promptly at 5, people began to show up and Eric worked his magic! The club, which has a traditional bar in the front and a dance club in the back, was the perfect venue for the event. The intimate space allowed us to have conversations with many of the participants. Aydian and Jenilee were great, and had some awesome merch from Point 5CC . We received so many touching personal stories along with capturing some great portraits. Make sure to check Facebook for the Eugene gallery in the next few days! 

Event Recap: P.R.I.D.E. Portraits /  by Hugo Perez

COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER

 

Last Saturday Eric and I had the pleasure of debuting the large-scale canvas that serves as the official backdrop of this project. It is an honor to
be part of this and to create something that was inspired by of all you. Everyone, whether straight or gay, has a story to tell. My goal in this painting was to
capture the spirit, energy and beauty that makes us human. As we make our way to Austin for their Pride events I want to leave you with
a behind the scenes video of the project launch.

On August 20, 2016 Eric Edward Schell & Hugo Perez, the creatives behind P.R.I.D.E. Portraits, hosted the official project kick off at The West Studios in Houston, Texas.

Check out this Space! /  by Hugo Perez

THE WEST STUDIOS 

Saturday's event will be take place at The West Studios, an amazing new studio with spacious interiors and natural light. Its the perfect
spot for P.R.I.D.E. Portraits. Located centrally in The Heights, it was recently opened by local photographer Joseph West and his wife.
But don't take my word for it check it out yourself!

Saturday, 5-7 PM
948 Heights Blvd.  

 

 

Behind the Canvas: Jane Doe /  by Hugo Perez

Jane Doe represents the countless woman who
fled El Salvador during the civil war.

For many of these women, their journey ended in valleys like South Texas. Getting lost, not having enough water, heat exhaustion were just some
of the ways they perished on this trek.You will notice the line drawings in the background surrounding the main form, they are modeled after the art
on Loteria cards, a type of bingo played in Mexico, El Salvador and other Latin American countries. In the series, Pan Dulce, Loteria cards represents
the game of life, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. For these women the hope of a new life, away from war, was enough of a motivator
to put it all on the line. Assimilating here, becoming an American became the end goal, unfortunately, this often resulted in the end of their life.
These bodies, if ever found, were tagged Jane Doe, and we all know that name is as American as it gets. 

 

 
 

P.R.I.D.E. Portraits: Official Project Launch /  by Hugo Perez

OPEN INVITATION 

 

Mark your Calendars, on August 20th from 5-7pm, Eric Edward Schell & I invite you to come celebrate the official launch of P.R.I.D.E. Portraits.
Photographs Representing Individuals Deserving Equality is a bold initiative to photograph 10,000 people around the U.S. The photoshoot, OPEN TO EVERYONE,
will be at The West Studios, a beautiful new space located in The Heights. Enjoy a glass of wine and be the one of the first to view and be photographed by Eric
in front of a one of a kind painted backdrop, inspired by the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. The canvas will be the official backdrop for all P.R.I.D.E. Portraits. 

P.R.I.D.E. Portraits

White Linen Recap /  by Hugo Perez

Thanks to everyone who came out and showed support and especially to my new collectors who purchased one of my #pandulceartshow pieces "Jane Doe"! 

The event brought out a ton of people and John Palmer Art Gallery was extremely busy! I took a break for a bit and made my way to 19th street to check out the local art scene. I made new art friends, saw some old ones and even got #abuela to make an appearance, despite the heat! 

Our Journey: FAQs /  by Hugo Perez

WHERE?
OUR JOURNEY will feature new art from me, displayed in the main Franklin Gallery at John Palmer Art.  

WHAT is the show about?
The show is about the notion of self-exploration and our constant need to find ourselves and connect. The show will feature some of my earlier work along with new pieces.

Journeys is the overall theme of my work this year. From the journey of being an artist to the journey we are all on, all of it connects and relates to each other. 

WHY should I come?
It's a chance to see another side of my creativity, connect with your local art scene and get something beautiful for your walls!

365 Days of Art: Pancake & Booze Recap /  by Hugo Perez

This past friday I had the chance to participate in this bi-annual event that combines three of my favorite things: pancakes, art and booze. The concept is simple: about 100+ emerging artists in one venue, local DJ talent and a state-of-the-art pancake station. Put all those things together and you get one hell of an event. I got there around 8 and there was already A LOT of people, tons of  talented artists and a few standout pieces that I would have purchased, however I was there to sell art, not buy. :)

I was going to leave around 10 but I'm glad I didn't because around 10:30 I was approached by Paul who was interested in my Vivian print. I gave him the backstory of the piece and he bought it right there on the spot! Paul was ubering so he couldn't take it with him so I delivered to him the next day. Suffice to say he was pretty happy with purchase. I was always hesitant to make prints of certain originals but I think if theres a market for it. Original or giclée print, good art is good art. 






365 Days of Art: A milestone celebrated with art. /  by Hugo Perez

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of attending one of my collector's milestone birthdays. A Few months ago he commissioned a piece, a self portrait. After we discussed the details, such as size, color palette I shot several photos of him with my canon. He selected his favorite and from there I took that image and created his portrait. 

His celebration consisted of a happy hour/brunch at the Manor, which I had never been to. Great venue for a party of this size. When all the guests had arrived he informed me that I would present the piece to the room and then he would unwrap it in front of everyone (gasp.) I hadn't prepared a speech but I spoke from the heart and it went great. He unwrapped it and was utterly surprised and delighted. 


John Ross Palmer Announces the 2016 Escapist Artists /  by Hugo Perez

This week JRP announced the members of the 2016 Escapist Mentorship Program. Alonzo Jeffrey, Tatiana Birckholtz and myself were selected from scores of applicants from around the country. After submitting the required documents and samples of work a jury panel selected a handful of finalists. We interviewed in person with Palmer and a couple of his F.C.C. members Tiffany Thomas and Julio Montano. The process was over in little less than an hour and I heard back the same evening. Being part of this program will be a great opportunity and an awesome way to start 2016!

The program inauguration is scheduled for Sunday, January 31st around 1pm. Stop by if you can! 

 

 

 

Visuale: Art & craft beer /  by Hugo Perez

My friends in the Heights opened a brewery. In the taproom they have different artists showcase their work. This month is my turn. I have a wide range of work from bright colored Victorian houses, based off real ones in the neighborhood, to expressive portraits and even a version of Alice in Wonderland that I'm thinking of turning into a series. If you're in the neighborhood stop Town in City and check them out. I recommend the white oak brew. 

image.jpg