José M Fontaiña

José M. Fontaiña was born in Riveira (Galicia), Spain in 1961 and moved to the USA with his family in 1978. He attended William Paterson University, planning to be a Spanish teacher, but his artistic interests overcame his desire to teach and he ultimately switched his major in the middle of his junior year, graduating with a BA in Art (Dean’s List) and a Minor in Spanish – a decision he has never regretted.

An avid comic book reader, Fontaiña initially sought to create a career in comics but discovered his style of art was not a good match. He enjoyed creating “pointillist” works with technical pens, small brushes, and inks, and began exhibiting in galleries. Committed to detail and precision, Fontaiña spent a painstaking amount of time to complete each piece. He later discovered Sennelier oil pastels and worked in that medium for years. Then, satisfied with his accomplishments in pastel, he began to paint in acrylics.

“My paintings are a true reflection of myself and I enjoy the wonderful freedom that originality provides,” says Fontaiña. I describe my work as being a good Caldo Gallego, a delicious Galician soup made by mixing together many vegetables and meats. Instead of using cooking ingredients, I use the elements...

BA in Art, William Paterson University, 1985

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

2015 “Jarabatos do Verán”, Liceo Marítimo, Riveira, Spain
2013   PEEKABOO!, Waltuch Gallery, Tenafly, NJ
2007   Saddle River Valley Cultural Center, Upper Saddle River, NJ
2006   Restaurante O LAGAR, Pobra do Caramiñal, Spain
2000   Eme-C Gallery, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
1997   “Two weeks in Santa Severina”, Piazza Campo, Crotone, Italy
1996   Exposicion Xunta de Galicia, Casa de Galicia, Madrid, Spain
1994   New Galvanic Works, Jadite Galleries, NYC
1993   Galvanism, Jadite Galleries, NYC

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2021 TOAF Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY
2021 The Affordable Art Fair, NYC
2021 Market Art & Design The Hamptons
2020 JAM at MAM (online sale), MAM, Montclair, NJ
2020 Copelouzos Family Art Museum’s 35 x 35 Art Project, Athens, Greece
2020 Artbys Galería de Arte, A Coruña, Spain 
2020 Priscilla Fowler Fine Art (Artsy Exhibit), Las Vegas, NV
2019 TOAF Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY
2019 “ARTFIRST”, Novado Gallery, LLC, Jersey City, NJ
2019   OPEN ORANGE 2019, Orange, NJ
2019   "ABOUT FACE VALUE", Oyster Point Gallery, Red Bank, NJ
2018   Barbantiarte VI, Museo de Gravado, Artes, Spain
2018   Art Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM
2018   Decatur Fine Arts Exhibition 2018, Decatur, ...