Juan Espinosa

I am a Mexican-American, born in San Bernardino, California and raised throughout Southern California. Originally educated in anatomy, kinesiology and physical therapy, I recently discovered my affinity for the visual world while recovering from an injury. My immersion was almost accidental; I was eating barbecue and didn’t have a napkin to wipe my hands, so I used some ordinary notebook paper. A few smudges later I started to see a human figure, then with some additional strokes made with charred skewers turned pencils, I had a portrait of my great-grandfather. 

A lot of my influences come from my life experiences, which range from Hispanic street gangs of San Bernardino and Los Angeles, the culture of my Hispanic background and upbringing, personal identity struggles, my time studying anatomy and physical therapy and to more recent social experiences in the Palm Springs “forever paradise” scene. 

My fine art expresses the human condition through culture, mental health, internal conflict, sexuality and the beauty of chaos. My style and process varies based on my emotional and personal view of each subject, while also utilizing what I studied in school about anatomy and the human form. The control, color palettes and expressions in my work offer an introspective look at my perception of my world, both inside and out. My goal is for everyone to experience my fine art in the same way I experience my world.