I am a Santa Fe-based artist of Latino background who has developed a career exhibiting both in the US and Europe. Being exposed to theater as a child (my parents had a very successful flamenco dance troupe) and to the sensibilities of my Spanish father, I began painting emulating the great Spanish masters such as Goya and Velázquez. I later discovered Caravaggio and the work his followers--my first body of paintings had distinct tenebrist sensibilities, which highlighted the luminosity of the flesh and psychology of the characters in theater-like settings. The main themes in my work are a focus on the recuperation of Old Master techniques and approaches, with a heightened awareness of contemporary art. I enjoy juxtaposing art styles from various periods to highlight the political contexts, gender roles, and psychological realities of the various human subjects I paint. I use historical pigments and materials to excavate the past, and make statements about our own place in history at this time of upheaval and inexorable change.

http://www.franciscobenitez.com