Our attempt at making something in the duration of a day. It's challenging to put a painting down or looking at it the next day and want to change something. But this process pushes us to be fast and raw.

A gift for love from love.
"I need no witness, just the stars, the moon, the love before me."

Desmadre: Fresh Latino Perspectives in America
May 14 – June 6, 2009
Vermillion Gallery and Desmadre Arte

Rob's older sister was ending her battle with cancer as he painted these. She had passed when the show opened.

Watch a video clip of the opening here. Rob's paintings come into view around 00:24.

Interview with Robert Santiago

Where are you from?
Santa Barbara California

What is your heritage?
I am Chumash Yaki and Apache Indian on my fathers side, and Spanish on my mothers side.



What is the medium that you most commonly work in?
It has been acrylic and found materials.

What tends to inspire you and your work?
Time is upon me in this life and the work I create are my survivors. They have the possibility to live longer than I will, say more and express the time that a was given here.
If it was not for art I would be………..?
Lost

Do you have any artistic relatives? if so what do they do?
My father is involved in Indian culture so a lot of crafts, my sister Nicole is a writer, my other sister Yvette is a great doodler, and her kids are following in her footsteps. My wife is one of the most rare, her art is connected to a greater consequence than your common artist.

Is music part of your creative process?
Yes
What do you listen to most?
People
What food most reminds you of home?
chorizo and eggs, bacon, tortillas, coffee, gossip.

When you are with family do speak mostly in english or espanol?
English, only a few people in my family are fluent in Spanish.

What do you think could help raise the profile of young Latino artists here in America?
Step out of your comfort zone and take a part in subjects that have nothing to do with you, learn and express your feelings ideas emotions whatever. If even one person understands the work than your on your way.

Is there a connection between Latino artists here in the US and those throughout the hemisphere?
Rice and beans, hot sauce.

Anybody you would like to thank or acknowledge?
My father for ruining my life and my mother for trying to make it better. I would like to thank all those who did it wrong so I didn’t have to, and minha esposa bonita she is my sunshine that breaks through this everlasting rain shadow.

Solo Show
January 16, 2009
Moksha, Seattle
In honor of Valentine's Day and it's pagan origins:

Pagan Beginnings was based around a painting entitled, Romantic Misunderstandings, that we collaborated on several years ago (pictured below). The painting began with just a head floating in outer space. We researched beheadings and found many legends about St. Valentine.


During Emperor Claudius II's reign, pagan rituals were ripe and marriage was outlawed to keep soldiers focused on war. Bishop Valentine held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to Claudius II. Eventually he was persecuted and executed. There is more about it here and here.

What really intrigued us was all the pagan history we discovered. Rome before it was Rome: Roman legend says that the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, twin babies in a basket are placed in the Tiber, and are washed up at the site of seven green hills. The babies are found by a mother wolf, who suckles them and rears them as her own, saving them from death.

This sheds a new light on the wolf. In our dark European and Scandinavian folktales the wolf was bad. They huffed and puffed and blew your house down, and impersonated grandmothers. Here was a wolf showing compassion, intelligence, altruism and love.


The true origin of St. Valentine's day appears to be theLupercalia. During Lupecalia, the young men in loin clothes would lead a procession of priests around the city carrying bloody strips of goat hide with which they would gently slap women and crops alike to increase fertility and purification. This macabre parade was followed by lotteries in which maidens names were plucked from massive urns by eager young bachelors. The resulting pairs would become sexual partners for a year.

The festival of Lupercalia was observed for hundreds of years until Christianity took root in Rome. Not surprisingly early Christian leaders found much of the festival’s activities objectionable. The sex lottery and goat-skin whips were gradually phased out as emphasis shifted to the life and legend of Saint Valentine.

Where has this connection with the earth gone? I'd swap modern living for goat-skin whips any day.

Interestingly enough, St Valentine's Day is traditionally the time when wild birds come together to mate.

Black Mountain
SOLD

Left: Lupercalia AVAILABLE
Right: Doorway to Pagan SOLD

Claudius Gothicus
AVAILABLE

One Soldier Gets A Girl
SOLD

My Head For Your Heart
SOLD

The Gods Look Down
AVAILABLE

Virgin Awaits
SOLD

Devour My Innocence
AVAILABLE

Give All To Love
AVAILABLE

Secrets
SOLD

St. Valenine's Head
SOLD

A Daring Attempt At War
AVAILABLE


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