Pedro De La Cruz doesn’t mind comparisons to other great Latin artists. In fact, he dreams that one day his name will be recognized as one of the great artists of the 21st Century.

De La Cruz has been drawing since he was a little boy. When his family moved from Mexico to Santa Barbara in 1985, he brought with him a love of his native country’s color, flair, humanity and spirit. Speaking just a few words of English, De La Cruz began learning how to communicate through his art.

“I began to seriously look at art as a way to express myself while attending Santa Barbara High School,” states the soft spoken De La Cruz. “Then when I was at Santa Barbara City College they taught me about Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani – it was my first exposure to the Modernists – and I was drawn to their work. I still had a long way to go before I could get to that style. As I met other artists, they would challenge me to refine and improve my work. Art is not static, you constantly have to make it better and perfect your craft.”

“I want to be part of the history of art. I continually push myself and make sure I am paying attention. I try to see what is around me and use it in my paintings. I love to travel because it is so nutritious for the mind. I may be working on a painting and feel sort of stuck and through my exposure to other artists or places I’ll see a solution right there in front of me,” he explains.

De La Cruz feels that art has helped him cope with life’s challenges in a positive way. “There are people who do drugs and drink to get away from reality. In my case, I paint!”

“I believe I’ve brought the colors of Mexico with me so I can share them with the world. My paintings have been purchased by people from all over. My art is not political – it’s colorful and playful – conveying the essence of the people I love!”