Fernando Reyes shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Fernando , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is a normal day like for you right now?
My day usually begins around 8 a.m. with feeding my dog, Kodi, and making a smoothie. After that, we head out for a hike, which gives me time to reflect on my current art projects and work through any creative challenges. Lunch follows, along with a quick check of my email, Facebook, and Instagram.
I typically start studio work around noon and continue until about 6 p.m. My studio is just a couple of minutes from my home, nestled on our ten-acre property. When the workday wraps up, I enjoy winding down with a cocktail or a glass of wine before starting dinner. Evenings are for relaxing—usually on the couch with a good movie before heading to bed.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Fernando Reyes, and I currently live in Fair Play, California, nestled in the Sierra Foothills. After a 17-year career with Bank of America in San Francisco, I made a life-changing decision at the age of 37 to return to school and pursue my passion for art. I earned my BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in 1997 and began my art career soon after in Oakland, California.
My career has evolved through several phases since graduating from SAIC where I developed a strong portfolio centered on the human form (1997–2015). Although I was trained in a representational style, I felt driven to discover a visual language that was uniquely my own. My figurative paintings are often straightforward and representational, frequently depicting a single figure. Others, through the juxtaposition or overlapping of multiple figures, verge toward abstraction. In my more recent figurative work, I’ve moved away from the linear qualities of my earlier style, allowing figuration to edge closer to abstraction. My influences during this period ranged from Old Master drawings to the Bay Area Figurative Movement.
A pivotal moment in my artistic journey came in 2015 after visiting MoMA’s exhibition Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs. That experience profoundly transformed my creative direction. My focus shifted from figurative painting to exploring abstraction through hand-printed paper cutouts made from monoprints I create as source material. While I had worked with monoprints for many years, cutting and collaging them opened an entirely new avenue of expression and expanded my artistic vocabulary.
This evolving body of work represents an abstracted synthesis of imagery and influences that have inspired me throughout my life—rooted in Mid-Century Modern art, Abstract Expressionism, and the works of artists such as Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly, and Rex Ray, as well as in the vibrant visual memories of my childhood growing up in the 1960s.
Currently, I’m working on several projects, including woodcut block prints, abstract paintings, and a public art proposal that I’m eagerly awaiting a response on to see if my design will be accepted.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
As I stated in the previous question, I was a banker for 17 years before realizing that I was in the wrong profession,
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I’ve had many successes over the years, but none of them came easily. Having never experienced failure during my banking career, I was determined not to let that happen as an artist—even during the most challenging times. Working as a full-time artist presents its own set of difficulties, and I’ve had to navigate significant economic downturns such as the Dot-Com Crash of 2000 and the Housing Market Crash of 2008, both of which made it hard to keep my studio running. Through perseverance and a strong work ethic, I managed to weather those storms and ultimately achieve tremendous success, especially following my museum retrospective.
Being an artist requires learning to ride the waves of uncertainty and success while maintaining balance in both life and work. I remain optimistic about my artistic future and continually strive to keep my work fresh, engaging, and relevant. I collaborate with galleries, art consultants, and art advisors, and I also license my artwork. Over the years, I’ve participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, received recognition in various publications and awards, and built a wide and growing base of collectors who continue to support my work.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
Early in my career, I believed that to be a successful artist, you had to follow a specific path—attend art school, be represented by numerous galleries, be published, and build an impressive exhibition résumé. While that mindset wasn’t naive or wrong at the time, the landscape of the art world has changed dramatically with the rise of the digital age. Today, many artists are able to sustain their careers through various online and social media platforms, connecting directly with audiences and collectors worldwide. Still, regardless of how the art world evolves, maintaining a strong work ethic remains essential to building and sustaining a successful career.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
Artists don’t really retire—they may simply create less, or at a different pace. I’m 70 years old now, and I’ve decided to slow things down a bit. What does that mean? It means I’m no longer hustling for attention or chasing opportunities. I’m content with where I am in life and enjoying the freedom to create on my own terms—whether that’s spending time in my Sierra Foothills studio or meeting collectors at my Oakland space, which now serves as my personal exhibition venue outside of my gallery representation. I stay connected with my audience, keeping them updated on my work so they can visit, engage, and perhaps add a new piece to their collection.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://freyesart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freyesart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fernando.reyes.353
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