Howler’s “Making a Scene” series continues this month, with Milo Gonzalez giving us a personal glimpse at the inspiration behind four of his selected paintings. 

As a child, the Costa Rican artist always showed skill in his drawings and illustrations, but chose other courses of study in secondary school. Still, with a yearning for art, he spent a brief time at Bellas Artes before deciding to develop his own path, including tutorage from Master Kan Yu Chen from La Casa del Artista. The focus of Milo’s work finds him exploring new techniques and compositions, with the subject often being secondary in his quest for aesthetic values.

El Estero  (The Estuary) 

Oil on canvas, 49″ x 39″

This painting was inspired by childhood memories of the days when trips to distant beaches were only possible by paying a boatman to cross the rivers. The composition splits the light to create a kaleidoscope effect, with the sunset’s predominantly red light contrasting strongly with the green of the clouds and blue of the mangrove. Emphasis is on the solitude of the people on the boat.

La Silla Azul (The Playroom) 

Oil on canvas, 40″ x 30″

The playroom theme of this painting depicts two children at play in their room. With their gaze they magically exalt and transform everyday objects, seeing them as new wonders before their eyes. The color and its vibration, as well as the graphics, speak of the energy that only children are capable of capturing.

El Toro Rojo (The Red Bull) 

Oil on canvas, 36″ x 32″

This painting seeks to show the power of an image through the use of two strongly contrasting colors — cutting out the motif of the bull figure in red against the yellow background. I think I have achieved it, without leaving aside the chromatic tonal graduations that are always my goal in each work.

El Gran Toro (The Great Bull)

Oil on canvas, 77″ x 52″

The bull motif has always been widely used because, in addition to the beauty of the animal, it is a universal symbol of power and strength. In this work specifically, I attempt to achieve the contrast between the abstract background and the figure of the animal. I also seek to create a visual delight that is tied and complemented in a harmonious whole, where the viewer can always discover new things.