Rafael Navarro 
Contemporary Sculptures and Paintings
E-Mail
602-254-8815
Ever since I was a child in Mexico City, I felt the need to create with my hands. I would play and sculpt with anything in my reach. I didn't possess any fancy toys, so my favorite material was modeling clay. I would make my own action figures and when I was finished playing. I would knead the clay in to a ball to start over again the next day. This hand mind exercise was the actual beginning of my career.
I work by instinct, through an internal dialog that I can't ignore. The ideas dictate the medium, thereby fostering a strong relationship between the images and materials. I draw inspiration from my heritage, personal observations and childhood memories. I alter the same ideas by taking different approaches with various materials, such as with the "guitar/woman" series. I prefer to communicate visually, in a poetic manner, making similarities in the creation of life, music, and art. I pay tribute to women who create life; through conception, they create music and the masterpiece of a new person. Often, my musical pieces become exaggerated seedpods, also representing the evolution of life. I can't let go of my work until I am satisfied, until I achieve the ideal state of expression. Only then am I able to see that my visual "talk" can speak clearly to those who view it.
I work by instinct, through an internal dialog that I can't ignore. The ideas dictate the medium, thereby fostering a strong relationship between the images and materials. I draw inspiration from my heritage, personal observations and childhood memories. I alter the same ideas by taking different approaches with various materials, such as with the "guitar/woman" series. I prefer to communicate visually, in a poetic manner, making similarities in the creation of life, music, and art. I pay tribute to women who create life; through conception, they create music and the masterpiece of a new person. Often, my musical pieces become exaggerated seedpods, also representing the evolution of life. I can't let go of my work until I am satisfied, until I achieve the ideal state of expression. Only then am I able to see that my visual "talk" can speak clearly to those who view it.
Rafael Navarro's Galleries
Rafael Navarro's Images
Exhibits:
- "Art at Lux" - June 06 - July 31, 2000. Solo exhibit at Lux Coffee Bar, 4404 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ
- "Dia de los Muertos: 8th Annual Dia de los Muertos Festival Exhibit" - October 22 - November 5, 2007 Group exhibit at Vision Gallery, 80 South San Marcos Place, Chandler, AZ
- "Solo Show" - September 7 to 28, 2007 Solo exhibit at the Phoenix College Fine Art Gallery, 1202 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ
- "Big Works" - October 6, 2006 - January 2, 2007 Juried group exhibit at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe Street, Phoenix, AZ
- "Art Detour 18th" A self guided tour of Downtown Phoenix, Garfield Galleria, March 17th to 19th, 2006.
- "Exponential Love: the gift of life" group show and benefit for the Organ and Tissue Donor Network, awareness and education. Tilt Gallery, February 3rd to 25th, 2006. Phoenix, AZ.
- "November's First Friday 05" Open studio tour. Guest artists Laraine Kaiser and Liza Roman-Harvey, November 6, 2005. Phoenix, AZ.
- "Visions and Rhythm" Group show, Beauregard Gallery, March 17th to April 30th, Baton Rouge, La. 2005
- "Art Detour 17" - A self guided tour of Downtown Phoenix galleries, artist studios and art spaces. Guest artist: Sergio Ladron de Guevara. Artefacto Art Studio, March 5, 6, and 7, 2004. Phoenix, AZ.
- "Warehouse to Westside" -The $100 show - Fifty participating local artist, Studio LoDo/PCCA, Dec. 3rd to Jan 3rd, 2004. Phoenix AZ.
- "November's First Friday 04"- Open studio tour. Guest artist: Judy Miller and David Dauncey, Artefacto Art Studio at 11th Street Studios, November 5, 2004. Phoenix, AZ.
- "Art Detour 16" - A self guided tour of Downtown Phoenix galleries, artist studios and art spaces. Guest artist: John Holechek and Scott Foust. Artefacto Art Studio, March 5, 6, and 7, 2004. Phoenix, AZ.
- "Galeria Bellas Artes 3rd Anniversary Show", Cave Creek, AZ. 2004
- "Galeria Bellas Artes Group Show", Cave Creek, AZ 2003
- "Almas Mexicanas" - paintings and sculpture of Sergio Ladron de Guevara and Rafael Navarro, Galeria Bellas Artes, Cave Creek, AZ, 2002
- "Winter Group Show, 2002", Galeria Bellas Artes, Cave Creek, AZ. 2002.
- "Chaos Theory" Group exhibit, 3 Car Pileup Studio Gallery, November 2001, Phoenix, AZ.
- "18 at GBA", group show Galeria Bellas Artes, Cave Creek, AZ. 2001.
- "Phoenix College Annual Student Art Exhibit, 2001", Phoenix College Gallery, 1st place in three-dimensional art, Phoenix, AZ.
- "Phoenix College Annual Student Art Exhibit, 2000", Phoenix College Gallery, 1st place in three dimensional art, Phoenix, AZ.
- "Days of the Dead 98", National Juried Art Exhibit, Fine Art Center in Taos (FACET), 3rd place and postcard selection, Oct 16 - Nov 13, 1998. Taos, NM.
- "Phoenix College Annual Student Art Exhibit, 1997" Phoenix College Gallery, 3rd place and honorable mention, Phoenix, Arizona 1997.
- "From Every Angle", National Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Sculpture, Galeria Mesa, Juror's Award, December 3, 1996 - January 4, 1997, Mesa, AZ.
- "Dia de los Muertos/ Day of the Dead", Juried Group Show, Jose Galvez Photography and Gallery, October 31 - November 18, 1995, Tucson, AZ.
- "Art Detour 1995" Group exhibit, Phoenix Center for the Arts, Phoenix, Arizona.
Gallery Representation:
- Galeria Bellas Artes, Cave Creek, Arizona, 2001 to present.
- Big Sun Gallery, Taos, New Mexico, 1999.
- Fine Art Center in Taos (FACET), Taos, New Mexico, 1998-1999.
- Jose Galvez Photography and Gallery, Tucson, Arizona, 1995-1996.
Articles about Rafael Navarro
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