Paul Valadez: the language of secrets

Meet Paul Valadez, today's featured artist in our Drive-by interview series.

Is there something you are currently working on, or are excited about starting? Yes, I am currently working on a large series of work on paper entitled “selections from the great Mexican American songbook” The work has to do with my childhood and language.

I grew up in a bi-cultural family. Anglo/white on my mother’s side and Mexican on my father’s side. I felt that I never fit in. I was either Mexican or white depending on what side of my family I was spending time with.

Language to me is the experience of Spanish being the language of secrets. As a child, Spanish was spoken in front of me only to keep me from knowing something. Otherwise, it was never spoken in our home. But English was rarely spoken with my father’s family.

Other than your art practice what other work do you do? I am a full time lecturer in the art department at the university of Texas Rio Grande Valley, UTRGV, in Edinburg Texas near the U.S./Mexico border.

Do you have a background in something other than art? I was a waiter for well over a decade.

Who taught you the most about art? My parents taught me most about art, my mother about literature and history and my father with fine art. Growing up they took me to museums and cultural events.

You can check out Paul's work on exhibit now thru Oct 29th in our Still Life exhibition featuring 39 works from across the country.

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