Meet Larry Madrigal

Today we’d like to introduce you to Larry Madrigal.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born in California in 1986 after my parents moved to the U.S from Mexico. My family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1998 as the city was rapidly growing with potential and job opportunities. Early in my childhood, I was particularly infatuated with magic tricks and anything that produced a sense of awe and wonder in me. I quickly realized that drawing was another form that moves us in that direction. I dabbled into graffiti art in high school and became obsessed with the craft for its polished and loud aesthetic. In spite of all this, I did not make a concrete commitment to pursue a career in art until my second year of college in 2010. I naively thought I could make art on the side. Little did I know, art-making would prove to be much more important to me. Since then, I have maintained an active studio practice, and now, I’m pursuing an M.F.A. from Arizona State University.

Please tell us about your art.
Through painting, I use portraiture and figuration as a starting point to explore larger ideas about culture or anything that contemporary life throws at me with all of its crisis and wonder. In a more general sense, I am interested in how paint can convey my internal world through the eyes of different people. The idea of transcendent dignity in humanity drives my figures to become pictorially central. As a current MFA student, my work is developing into a combination of portraiture, narrative, and allegory. I am becoming increasingly more interested in the complex vibration between order and chaos. My future work will address these new ideas and interests.

We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
Artists love to share their work with others. Make studio visits a regular practice. Find a mentor, one that is contemporary and a few that are dead.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People can follow my upcoming exhibitions, new paintings, and other events on my website larrymadrigal.com. I also frequently share videos and progress images on my Instagram account @larrymadrigal. People can also contact me to arrange a studio visit through my website.

Portrait commissions are a great way to support my practice and help fund art supplies and education costs. For information on portrait commissions, people can contact me through the email provided on my website.

Contact Info:

• Website: larrymadrigal.com
• Instagram: @larrymadrigal
• Facebook: facebook.com/LarryMadrigalArt/

Image Credit:
Studio Image: Eric Minh Swenson.

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