Posts

Guarjiro Vision

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"Guarjiro Vision"

acrylic on canvas (2024)

Sand Dunes in Immokalee Florida

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I think these are man made. It's next to a road intersection (Seminole Crossing Trail X Koowachobee Trail) and a lake in the Immokalee Reservation.

Immokalee Sand Dunes?

Man made sand dunes in the Immokalee Reservation, Florida. Kodak Portra 160, Nikon F6.

Handheld fireworks

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Handheld long exposure firework photography on Kodak Vision3 250D movie film as still photography.

How Long Do Fireworks Last ?

2024 Book Faire!

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Summer Reading is the Best Reading!

USPS at 80 Miles per hour

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USPS mail van driving real fast on the highway. Kodak Ektar 100 film, Nikon F6 with the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 D lens.

I was driving about 75mph on the interstate and a USPS mail van blew past me. I've never seen one of these sucks move so fast, let alone on the highway.

I chuckled since it reminded me of that Seinfeld episode. You know, the one where Newman & Kramer drove a USPS truck full of bottles and cans to Michigan. They wanted that sweet 10 cent per bottle refund.

As a B side: Not sure if this is true but a guy once told me that cops can't give USPS tickets because they don't have license plates.

Mailman in a rush, yeah right!

Circumstantial Evidence (painting)

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"Circumstantial Evidence"

acrylic on canvas 43" x 34" (2024)

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My older brother bought me a polaroid camera for my birthday and these were the first two images taken. You can see the painting "Circumstantial Evidence" as I was working on it.

April 2024

THE SMOKING GUN

I've always been intrigued by film noir, old black and white detective movies and it's music. I also love German expressionism in painting and in cinema, which isn't too far off visually speaking from noir. As I always explore themes, I always come back to the past and what my parents and grandparents saw as Americana when they fled a communist country. I'm always searching for some deep feeling that defined the visual landscape of America in the 20th century. Of course, I do this in my own language in drawings and paintings.

Sizzler

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90 Seconds to Midnight

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Here are some development shots at the studio finishing up the painting 90 Seconds to Midnight.

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"90 Seconds to Midnight"

acrylic on canvas (2024)

Smoking Still-Lifes?

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"Moka Pot as Smoker"

acrylic on canvas 36" x 24" (2024)

iki valdes, painting, art, still life, miami, miami art, miami artist, paintings, cuban American, artwork, cigars, cigar paintings, cafecito, coffee pot paintings, artist, little river, design district,

kiki valdes, painting, art, still life, miami, miami art, miami artist, paintings, cuban American, artwork, cigars, cigar paintings, cafecito, coffee pot paintings, artist,

These are the first two still-lifes I painted at the beginning of the year. I was pretty happy to be back in the studio because at the very end of 2023 I got the flu and didn't feel like painting much. These two pieces show a continuation of adding personality to coffee pots. For a reason I'm still developing I made the moka pot in the first painting and the second piece with the poka dot ceramic pot smoking cigars. Growing up all the older men around me smoked cigars, I think it just sort of stayed with me. People still smoke cigars, however back then, it was different. Growing up these guys smoked cigars like how people drink coffee everyday...it was all over the place. It was in the culture in a way that does not feel the same today.

"Puff Puff, still-life"

acrylic on canvas 36" x 24" (2024)

Pink flower with water drops profile angle

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FLOWERS ON FILM

KODAK Vision3 250D

Process of Small Town Ahab (painting)

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"Beware of Small Town Ahab"

acrylic, charcoal on canvas (2024)

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This is the colored pencil drawing I did that gave me the idea to do the painting. If you know your art history try to figure out which artwork I grabbed this idea from. If you guess correctly I'll give you a gift.

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Some process photos in the studio working on "Beware of Small Town Ahab"

Pastels from 2023

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Here are some oil pastel explorations from last year. I was thinking of objects (coffee pots) and adding human real life emotions to them, however that would look - I was trying to play with that idea.

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Kiki Valdes, oil pastel artwork study, coffee pots, art, cafetera pots, moka pot

Senior Walk 2024

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Senior Walk 2024!

Ceiling Corners

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Wall corners & ceiling Diptych

Cheetos on your Pumas

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Puma Cheetos sneakers on Kodak Vision3 250D movie film as still photography. Nikon Fm2n.

Cheetos on your Feet

All for only one hundred and ten dollars.

Cheetos on your Feet

All for only one hundred and ten dollars.

Cali Coffee but this is Florida, Bro!

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I tried Cali Coffee for the first time and it was pretty good.

Is this good, do I like it?

I first heard of Cali Coffee when they opened in Hollywood. As stupid as this may be I didn’t like the name. This is Florida, I want nothing to do with California, yuck!

Fast forward to a month ago I was in Clermont and I saw them up there. Hmm, Clermont is an awesome place so maybe I should give it a try I thought.

And finally I saw them next to Culver's in Cooper City. I love Culvers, I love Clermont so maybe I'm being stupid.

I walked over and ordered an iced coffee with caramel. I took my first sip and hmm, I took a second sip... not bad. I took a third sip and yeah it's good.

I’m gonna keep having it but I still do not like the name haha!

SHORT ANSWER: YES