José M Fontaiña

Fairview, NJ, United States

About 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 of art. Creating art is my full-time job. I am obsessed with it, but it is a healthy and rewarding obsession. Each blank surface is a painting with a new beginning, an intriguing puzzle that must be solved, and a wonderful means for discovering myself in a way of life that I love to live.” Fontaiña was mentored by Mr. André Teabo, an assistant to well-known artist Romare Bearden, a cartoonist and art editor for the Eucleian Societies at NYU, who later became famous for his collages and abstract paintings. Teabo helped Fontaiña discover new, more interesting and exciting ways of painting.

Education:

BA in Art, William Paterson University, 1985

Exhibitions:

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:

2015 Members’ 12”x12” exhibition, PAAM, MA
2015 Maxwell’s Tavern, “Spring Resurgence”, Hoboken, NJ
2015 Nabi Museum of the Arts, Teaneck, NJ
2014 Barbantiarte, Museo do Gravado, Artes, Spain
2014 Focus NJ 2014, Juror: Susan Manspeizer, Artist, ACNNJ, New Milford, NJ
2014 ECLECTIC AESTHETICS, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ
2014 UNUSUAL ART, The Belskie Museum, Closter, NJ
2013 Focus NJ 2013, Juror: Howard Nathenson, Instructor - Parsons School of Design and NJ Center for Visual Arts, ACNNJ, New Milford, NJ
     Second Place in Acrylic Category
2013 Arte Barbantia II, Museo do Gravado, Artes, Spain
2012   Ilusionarte, Galeria La Catedral, Lugo, Spain
2011 8 (4+4), Liceo de Noia, Noia, Spain
2010 “Reality & Artifice”, Jurors: Margaret O’Reilly and Ricardo Barros
   2010 New Jersey Arts Annual, NJSM, Trenton, NJ
2007 Focus NJ 2007, Juror: Daniel Dickerson, Art Students League, NYC
   First Place in Pastel Category, ACNNJ, New Milford, NJ
2007 Pentagrama, Casa de Cultura, Pobra do Caramiñal, Spain
2007 Celebrating Bergen County’s Diversity 2007
   Jurors: Marjorie Shaw Kubach and Bernice Leibowitz
   First Place in Pastel Category, ACNNJ, New Milford, NJ
2006 Focus NJ 2006, Juror: Andrew Lukach, Art Students League, NYC
   ACNNJ, New Milford, NJ
2006 Galeria Bo Marzo, Riveira, Spain
2005 Galeria Artefacto, Riveira, Spain
2004 Centro Social, Boiro, Spain
2004 Pat Gail Gallery, Montclair, NJ
2003 Jewel Spiegel Gallery, Englewood, NJ
2003 Robin Hutchins Gallery, Maplewood, NJ
2001 A Benefit Exhibition for Aids, San Senxo, Spain
2001 Museo Valle Inclan, Pobra do Caramiñal, Spain
1999 Faces of America, Nabisco Gallery, E. Hanover, NJ
1998 Synchronicity Space, NYC
1997 Art of the Americas Gallery, Piermont, NY
1992 Biennial Alumni Exhibit, Ben Shahn Gallery, WPU, Wayne NJ
1992 Hispanic Artists in NY, Hudson Guild Art Gallery, NYC
1992 Montserrat Gallery, NYC
1992 Certificate of Excellence, Winter Soho International Competition,
   Montserrat Gallery, NYC
1992 Upcoming artists in Soho, Montserrat Gallery, NYC
1991 Collector’s Choice, Montserrat Gallery, NYC
1991 Alumni Juried Art Exhibition, Ben Shahn Gallery, WPU, Wayne, NJ
1990 Hudson Guild Art Gallery, NYC