Although born and raised in Los Angeles, Van has been heavily influenced by his Apache, and Olmec heritage as well as traveling abroad to a multitude of countries, especially Iceland. Music is a big part of his life, and it sparked his creativity even before he began painting. In fact, Van did not begin painting until he was in college and he is self-taught.
“Art was something that was always in my genes, It makes me happy. I believe that every artist leaves a piece of themselves in their artwork. In turn, it makes me happy when people get to own part of those pieces to share with the world.” Van prefers working in liquid acrylics and watercolors because of their fluidity. “I like how the colors flow. I like to observe how the different shapes and mixtures come alive.”
He finds animals, humans and nature are his favorite subjects to paint. Van is inspired by nature, people and music. When not painting, he runs marathons, travels and plays the guitar. The abstract character of his work shows his indigenous connection to the land and the beauty of nature. His work creates a dreamlike visual narrative that leaves the viewer in wish to know the story behind them.
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