About me
Born in Cholula in 1968, José Luis Montes discovered his passion for painting at the early age of 12, from that moment he began a non-regulated training that led him to start in the world of painting, experimenting with all the techniques described in the books that he finds in the libraries of the State of Puebla.
Later he becomes a disciple of the painter Eduardo Villanueva who instructs him for several years in his workshop in the Barrio del Artista, in the same city of Puebla, it is here where he holds his first solo exhibition in 1991, later he will exhibit at the Cholula House of Culture in 1993, at the Santa Rosa Museum in 1995, at the Fiesta Americana hotel and at the Casa del Caballero Águila, both in 1997.
He begins to work on these dates in a restoration workshop where he has the opportunity to discover and work with ancient techniques that captivate him and with which he still works today in his works, often combining them with current techniques.
In 2000 he moved to live in Tulum, in Quintana Roo, where he participated for several years in the Sea Turtle Festival and where in 2007 he obtained the second prize in the Turtle Contest in Xcaret, in 2013 he participated at the Caribbean Festival.
In 2016 he moved again, this time to Spain, where he participated in a group exhibition in Madrid at the Eka & Moor Gallery and at the FIG Bilbao at the hand of the Espai d'Art 32 gallery, which is still representing him in Spain. In 2017 he holds a solo exhibition in Casa de Cultura de Mieres, Asturias and in 2018 he held a new solo exhibition in La Revoltosa, Gijón.
This same year he moved back to Mexico and settled in Tequisquiapan, Querétaro where he exhibited in the Plaza Pedregal in January 2019 and in December at the Centro Seis, as well to participating in group exhibitions at the Rulfo Gallery in june and in the calls of the cultural center of the town, which aims to stimulate the artistic activity of the municipality.
Work / Education
ABOUT MY WORK
Mine is an intuitive, simple and friendly work with the viewer, is a passionate while spontaneous painting, with flowing lines that reach to convey the feeling of movement, where cold and warm tones combine, achieving a vibration only colors that reflect my emotions, experiences and traditions.
Fish are a constant in my work, for my symbolize abundance, inner strength, the courage of the soul, moving in the liquid element, symbol par excellence of the subconscious, the fish express the force that guides us, our impulses, our feelings themselves. Its wavy lines, its continuous motion help me to externalize ideas and feelings both individual and collective.
EXHIBITIONS
Solo exhibition Barrio del Artista, Puebla 1991
Solo exhibition casa de cultura de Cholula, Puebla, 1993
Solo exhibition Santa Rosa Museum, Puebla 1995
Solo exhibition Casa del Caballero Águila, Cholula, Puebla 1997
Solo exhibition Hotel Fiesta Americana, Puebla 1997
Sea Turtle Festival, Tulum ( 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 y 2010)
2nd place in the La Tortuga contest, Xcaret, year 2007
Participation in the Caribbean Festival, Quintana Roo, year 2013
Group exhibition en Galería Eka & Moor, Madrid, 2016
Participation in Fig Bilbao_16 with Galería Espai d’Art 32, Bilbao, Esp, Nov 2016
Solo exhibition en Casa de Cultura de Mieres, Asturias, 2017
Solo exhibition La Revoltosa, Gijón, May 2018
Solo exhibition Plaza Pedregal, Tequisquiapan, Qro, Jan 2019
Group exhibition Galería Rulfo, Tequisquiapan, Qro, May 2019
Solo exhibition Centro Seis, Tequisquiapan, Qro, Dec 2019
Group exhibition “Despojando la normalidad” Sala Marte, CDMX, Sept 2021
