Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "This watercolor represents the eagle knight of the aztec warriors. These knight were a special class which together with the jaguar knights made up. The eagle knights belonged to the maximum order to which the Aztec warriors could aspire. The made a vow and promise to die in defense of their homeland and never to flee from combat. His theoretical and physical resistance knowledge was unequaled. They were educated since the age of seven in the art of war. They strenghten their body and spirit through rigorous discipline. They symbolize the overcoming of the ordinary level of wariness and obtaining a high spirituality. This painting is based in those men."

Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "This painting represents the way of the warrior. The path was establised by the ancient shamans of precolumbian Mexico . This characters have the ability to see the energy As it flows from the universe . These warriors carry on their chest the second face of their inner being . They know that a true warrior Never gets mad at anyone . They know that no human being can do anything important enough To make them angry. They look at the sky because they know that the universe has sufficient force to keep them in harmony. Each one of them represents An attribute of the warrior."

Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "This painting is about the masks we use in our life. We all have a mask for each different moment or event. We adopt some attitude according to whose we are and the situation we are experiencing. We can use them as fun or as protection. Some communities used to rituals and dancing. And some more used as funerary places. Some people think they give power or superiority. This warrior have in their heads an animal which gives each of them an attribute. Could be the attributes of the jaguar, leopard or snake."

Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "This painting approaches the theme of the road with heart with love. This warrior is asking his goods what path to follow. When we take a path sometimes we do not know which route to follow and we doubt. Throughout life we have taken different paths and we have not got anywere according to the teachings lf Don Juan in the book of Carlos Castañeda. In this painting I wanted to represent the path of love in a different maner, the path of heart. If the road has a heart we will be happy during the process and we will be one with it."

Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "This painting is about listening. Sometimes we listen people around us. We listen wise people. We listen noisy people. Sometimes we listen words that come from our own mind. This warrior has to choose which are the important voices he has lo listen. He is surrounded of birds which reflect the voices from outside. In this particular moments he look at the sky to have best clarity in his mind. He knows that the voices that come from his interior are always the same because he is always the same. But the voices from outside are different because the world around him always is changing."

Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "This painting refers to a warrior. The principal idea to paint warriors arises from a talk I had many years ago with my grandfather . He explained me that in this life we all are warriors . Some of us are born with the gift of doing and being, and another have to learn in thoughout this life or many other lifes. My grandfather explained me that a warrior is an impecable being who thinks, speaks and acts all at the same level according to his heart. That is why this warrior appears alone. He is only wearing a mask of the animal he has hunted. He wears his canana, a belt were he carries his bullets."

Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "These characters represent the four agreements of the Toltecas, one of the most prosperous and cultured towns of ancient Mexico. The first represents the Word. The Word that can serve to communicate, convince, combat, caress... The second character represents the ego, sometimes our ego make us see things too subjective and we think that what other does is against us. The third character represents our understanding which allows us to see things clearly. The four character represents excellence. This one encourages us to give the best of ourselves as the wise Toltecas have said."

Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "This three characters are warriors. They go to a battle under the ocean. Some parts of my iconography arises from my admiration and respect to precolombian people who lived in mesoamérica. Another part of my drawings are inspired in códices and others are product of my imagination. I draw three characters because the Ocean is treacherous and together they can help each other to fulfill their mision. In their hands they carry rudimentary harpoons to hunt."

Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "The warrior represents the inner world and the outerworld. The inner world is the one that we carry impregnated in our being. Are the teachings that our ancestors have left us and the outer world is the nature where we live in. The ancient mexicas had an special respect for objets that came from the ocean which they collected to use in their outfits and at the same time in their surroundings and musical instruments. This warrior carry some of them in his necklace and have some around him."

Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Mexican, 1949

In the artist's words: "This painting represents a man who has win a thousand battles. In his dresses he wears decorations earned with pride an honor: On his head he wears a warrior mask. In his hand he carries his weapon which empowers and strengthens his heart. In his other hand carries a snake. This snake symbolizes the power of a warrior. This painting was made after reading some books of the mesoamerican people."

Medium: Linocut
Dimensions: 8 3/4 x 19 7/8 inches
Artist details: Mexican, 1972
Date finished: 2003
Edition: of 50

Staff Selections Exhibition:
I hold in high regard every work by Artemio Rodríguez, and this work speaks to me especially at this moment in my life. It shows such diversity in life and death - in the many languages and religions of the tombstones and the emotions and experiences of the people. The artist even includes his own name among the deceased, a little detail that I find fascinating. -Paige