I discovered the works of Mexican-born, California-based contemporary artist Carlos Estrada-Vega at Ernden Fine Art Gallery in Provincetown. His three-dimensional chunks of color are so satisfyingly saturated and rich, like high quality Cray-Pas. In fact, many of the works are created from a mixture of materials that may well produce an oil pastel effect on paper. The paintings consist of tiny square pegs of wood, usually no larger than one inch in diameter, which are individually painted with pure pigment and then attached with a small imbedded magnet on the back to a steel plate. The effect is quite tactile; very much like a modern children’s toy you might find at an art museum gift shop. Here are some examples of his work:
Bonita Carter #43-III, 2008
Oleopasto, wax, pigment, oil & limestone (8″ x 8″)
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC
Walt, 2005
Wax/Oleopasto/Oil/Pigments on Canvas on Wood with Magnet Inserts attached
to a Metal Plate (10″ x 10″)
Roy Boyd Gallery, Chicago
Procopio, 2008
Wax/Oleopasto/Oil/Pigments/ Limestone Dust on Automotive Primer on Wood with Magnet Inserts attached to a Metal Plate (33.25″ x 33.25)
Roy Boyd Gallery, Chicago
Bo’quecito, 2008
Wax/Oleopasto/Oil/Pigments/Limestone Dust on Automotive Primer on
Wood with Magnet Inserts attached to a Metal Plate (36″ x 36)
Roy Boyd Gallery, Chicago
Saulito, 2008
Oleopasto, wax, pigment, oil & limestone (6″ x 6″)
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC
Working Drawing #6, 2007
oil, wax, oleopasto, limestone dust, and pigments on panel (12 x 12 x 1″)
d.e.n. contemporary, Beverly Hills
Güerita, 2008
Wax/Oleopasto/Oil/Pigments/Limestone Dust on Automotive Primer on Wood with Magnet Inserts attached to a Metal Plate (8.25″ x 8.25″)
Roy Boyd Gallery, Chicago
Maceo, 2005
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC
Working Drawing #8, 2008
Oleopasto, wax, pigment, oil & limestone (5″ x 5″ x 1″)
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC
79 squares
oil, wax, oleopasto, limestone dust and pigment on canvas on wood
Artnet.com
Stephanie’s, 2008
Oleopasto, wax, pigment, oil & limestone (8″ x 8″)
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC
Caridad, 2007
Wax/Oleopasto/Oil/ Dry Pigments on Canvas on Wood with Magnet Inserts attached to a Metal Plate
(17.5″ x 17.5″)
Roy Boyd Gallery, Chicago
Working Drawing #9, 2008
Oleopasto, wax, pigment, oil & limestone (5″ x 5″ x 1″)
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC
Paulita, 2004
Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
4 x 4 = 17
Wax, limestone dust, oil, pigment on canvas on wood (16.3″ x 16.3″ x 1.4″)
Conny Dietzschold Gallery, Sydney
Untitled, 2003
Ölkreide, Wachs, Pigment, Öl und Kalkstein auf Papier (9″ x 9″)
Art Forum Ute Barth, Zurich
Annemie, 2004
Limestone and wax on wood on metal (7.9″ x 7.9″ x: 1.2″)
Conny Dietzschold Gallery, Sydney
Working Drawing #5, 2007
Oleopasto, wax, pigment, oil & limestone (12″ x 12″ x 1″)
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC
Aria II, 2008
Oleopasto, wax, pigment, oil & limestone (8.25″ x 8.25″)
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC
Kazan, 2006
oil, wax, oleopasto, limestone dust and pigments on canvas on wood (38 1/2″ x 38 1/2″)
d.e.n. contemporary, Beverly Hills
Topside view of the cube, Carlitos, 2008
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC
Untitled Drawing, 2003
Oleopasto, wax, pigment, oil & limestone (9″ x 9″)
Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC