Pastel and Charcoal Drawings

Pastel and Charcoal drawings 

The collective is the primary focus in all my drawings. Individuals in my drawings are faceless because they are important only to the extent that they help define the group-the community interacting and participating in its many rituals, social settings, and group functions. My artwork of common everyday life incorporates elements of magical realism; it confronts reality and attempts to untangle it, to understand the mystery of life and human events. Vital is not the creation of imaginary beings or worlds, but rather the discovery of the mysterious relationship between human beings and their circumstances. I do not try to replicate the surrounding reality.  Instead, I seize and illuminate the mystery behind things. I attempt to depict not objective reality, but rather the subjective emotions and responses that objects and events arouse in me. Magical realism mashes up, transgresses, reforms and transforms ideas into my magical vision without losing sight of social, political, historical and aesthetic qualities. 

Slide show of pastel and charcoal drawings:

The artist retains copyright to the images displayed on this Web site. They may be used for non-commercial purposes if credit is given to the artist. For commercial purposes, please contact Tony Ortega for permission to reproduce, publicly display, copy, distribute or otherwise use such images.