By Bernardo Moreno
Today we talk with one of the current fine artists with many years in San Miguel de Allende’s art scene. He started very young and has done everything.
BM: Tell us how long you have been painting and how you started.
JP: At 18 I had a job in La Lagunilla, Mexico City, where I started selling art, and I was studying graphic design at the Coyoacán design school. Later, I took visual arts classes at the Philadelphia School of Art. Upon returning to Mexico, I studied at the Academia de San Carlos with the renowned teacher Guetino. While I was studying, I sold art from Peru and made reproductions. I also did murals in Tepoztlán, Cuernavaca, and Mexico City.
At the age of 31, I had an unfortunate accident on horseback that prevented me from continuing until the age of 38. I decided to move to San Miguel de Allende and work in a new gallery specializing in Mexican art. I was able to meet and work with my mentors and teachers. I have made several attempts to represent artists, but for 12 years I have only dedicated myself to selling my own work.
BM: Who has influenced your work as an artist?
JP: I like to learn from everyone: teachers and classmates. But I read that the teacher not only teaches but accompanies and shows the way. So, the artists who most influence my love for art and my work are Jordi Boldó and Esmeralda Torres. They are my favorite artists, and I have a special appreciation for them.
BM: Maybe it’s difficult, but could you define your work?
JP: Precisely as Jordi Boldó said, «Work is easier to make than to talk about.» If I had to describe it, I think it is similar to an expressionist abstract, but I would not want to pigeonhole myself or put my work into something specific. I like that it doesn’t have a precise description.
BM: We know that you use the encaustic technique. Can you explain to us what it is and why you like it?
JP: The encaustic is one of the oldest techniques that exist. It was invented by the Egyptians. The name is given by the Greeks and means “to burn with fire,” and it expands with the Roman Empire. The first writings that speak of encaustic are by architects of that great empire. It is a mixture of beeswax with tree resin. It’s a very old technique, but not very popular because it is a process of great care and attention. What I like the most is that there are always surprises because it is very difficult to control.
BM: What is your opinion of the art market in San Miguel de Allende?
JP: The art market in San Miguel de Allende is a great opportunity to sell internationally. Most of my work is purchased by North American clients. Some major collectors of my work are in Idaho, Arizona, Texas, and New York. I consider that San Miguel is a good platform to appreciate a great variety of styles that are subject to different budgets. I would like Mexicans to know more about the importance and the positive effect that art brings to their lives. San Miguel is ideal for that, which is why I would like them to invest in their culture.
BM: Nowadays, where can we see your work?
JP: You can see some of my works on instagram: @joaquin_pineiro and at “Joaquín Piñeiro & Beatríz Cota” at the Fábrica La Aurora art and design center, local 1E and 10D.
