SPOTLIGHT
Pedro Brull
by Jessica Pirani
Pedro called himself an “ old man ” no fewer than three times while we spoke last week , and I kept telling him it wasn ’ t so . If it were a self portrait , he might include wrinkles the rest of us can ’ t see , but more likely he ’ s settling into the gravitas of having an impressive 50-year career , and folks treating him accordingly .
He does paint himself , wearing ministerial garb , embedded into the texture of his luminous and richly layered paintings that are dominated by deeply saturated warm hues . “ I try to incorporate in my paintings what I am . I used to be a pastor for many years , and in the backgrounds , sometimes you can see me as a pastor a minister .”
Born in Vega Baja , Puerto Rico , Brull began his artistic journey as an apprentice to a well-known muralist and a set designer for the local television station . Rafael Rios , his mentor , was proud to sponsor the youth . “ I started as a scenery painter … That ’ s when everything changed for me … While I was in school , I tried to get all the math and science courses because I wanted to be an architect .” But after discovering the satisfactions of painting , he quickly changed focus .
Brull came to the Orlando area over 20 years ago , before we had much of a Puerto Rican accent to our regional dialect . He tells of going into a local gallery with his paintings to ask for space , when the manager kindly told him that his work was wonderful , but would sell better in Miami . I was pissy when he said it but , amiably , he explained that she knew her market , “ And she was right !” he laughed .
A thematic current fl owing through his veins is immigration . “ People emigrate from one country to another , and we [ Puerto Ricans ] are U . S . citizens , but when we move , we feel that we are immigrants because we keep our culture ... that ’ s the feeling I try to express .”
Brull recently earned his second lifetime achievement award with a body of work that represents an amalgam of his unique perspective incorporating infl uences from his motherland , Mexico , New York , and Orlando .
Pedro will be showing in the group exhibition Celebrating Hispanic Artists & Culture , at Osceola Arts , September 13 through October 27 , 2016 .
You can see more at : FineArtAmerica . com / profiles / Pedro-Brull . html
The Ponce Massacre , oil on canvas
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