We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Raul Cerrillo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Raul below.
Hi Raul, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience stems from a sense of responsibility as an artist to nourish the spirit and inspire others, much like how many artists have inspired me. Growing up without a father figure—my father was an alcoholic who was largely absent—I naturally gravitated towards idols such as poets, artists, and philosophers as father figures. Not having someone dictate my actions, and being surrounded by female figures who praised everything I did, made it easier for me to embrace my identity as an artist and choose admired figures as mentors. I also draw strength from my mother, who worked tirelessly day and night, sacrificing herself for her family.
As a neobaroque artist, my work ethic revolves around translating the intangible—such as the spiritual, divine, sublime, and abstract—into tangible, earthly, figurative, and contemporary language through symbols with precision. This enables me to navigate daily realities and establish a connection with ourselves.
Life has generously provided me with the means to sustain myself through my art and passion, despite my ongoing battle with anxiety. This struggle has fueled my curiosity to explore the intricate workings of the mind and body, leading me to seek remedies through the healing powers of plants, meditation, proper nutrition, and finding balance in life. Embracing this discomfort has become a driving force that propels me forward, and in the daily practice of painting and creating art, I discover moments of solace and release. Through my creative process, it’s as if I am peering into a mirror, unraveling answers to questions that I haven’t even consciously articulated yet, making this pursuit a compelling addiction grounded in curiosity.
Despite the occasional presence of anxiety, I confidently identify myself as an optimist. I hold a firm belief that every event holds inherent significance, and I maintain trust in the eventual positivity of all outcomes. Even when the results of my practice fall short of my expectations, I embrace each experience as a valuable learning opportunity. This perspective underscores my optimistic outlook on life.
After nearly 30 years of practicing art, I have come to believe that I am an agriculturist with a duty to sow seeds and cultivate self and planetary awareness through the “soil” of art. My daily creative practice gives me purpose and validates my existence.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My body of work is typically divided between sculpture and painting. In my paintings, I transition between neo-expressionist abstraction and neo-baroque figuration. I have a penchant for collecting various items like a scavenger during my travels. My latest pieces are a fusion of personal archives consisting of past paintings that did not succeed individually. Some artworks might incorporate sand from the beaches of Miami, old cutouts that caught my interest, remnants of paper bags and posters picked up from the streets of Berlin, and ashes from the Popocatepetl volcano. In both my sculpture and paintings, it is important that the pieces embody as much time and history as possible. I like to begin a piece with materials that already carry their own stories, from which I then construct a new narrative. I work with the idea that nothing goes to waste.
Currently, I am also collaborating with artisans of Talavera in Puebla, Mexico and preparing for my upcoming solo exhibition with PrivatRaum.art Berlin in September.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The areas of knowledge that have been most impactful on my journey are discovering the freedom that art gives me, the power of communication and the connection with my inner self. An advice I would give to those starting their journey is not to compare yourself with others, be focused on your work and try to find the economy to fuel your dream.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
It is not a particular person that has been helpful in overcoming challenges, but rather knowing my ancestral history, the spiritual legacy that I come from, and deeply understanding the syncretism of cultures to which I belong. When you truly know yourself and your origins, it becomes easier to navigate your path forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.raulcerrillo.com
- Instagram: @raulcerrillo77
- Youtube: @raulcerrillo6435
- Other: raulcerrillo77@gmail.com
