Artist Proof: Albert Montoya is a 27 year old artist and web designer from Las Vegas, NV and is currently attending the Art Institute of Las Vegas. He prefers acrylic & ink as his weapons of choice and on his free time you can catch him on TheArtillerist.com updating interviews and links.
Artsprojekt: Please give us a brief intro about yourself, your art and where you are currently located.
Albert Montoya: Well, ever since I could lift a pencil, art has pretty much been a prominent part of my life. I grew up in Yuma, Arizona where I spent my childhood mostly solo, creating my own daily comic strip which I drew and distributed to my friends and family. After high school, I moved to Las Vegas to attend the Art Institute and have been here since where I paint from my home studio amongst my collection of skulls, birds, antique toys, and other miniature inspirations.
AP: What plays a bigger role in your artwork, where you live now? or where you were raised as a child?
Albert: Neither. I’m not a product of my environment.
AP: Describe your artistic style in 5 words or less.
Albert: Whimsical, seductive, charming and alluring.
AP: What inspires your art?
Albert: Everything and anything including alchemy, the nature of bees, robots, and politics, have all found their way into my previous pieces.
AP: Do you remember your first experience of making art.
Albert: Besides growing up with coloring books, my first real experience with art was in the 4th grade. In class we had to lay on huge pieces of construction paper, have a classmate trace the outline of our bodies, and then finally draw a life sized self-portrait. I remember my piece was bright orange, and I drew myself as a cowboy. Thinking back, it was actually really fun and interesting to think about how we each perceived ourselves at such a young age.
AP: What was your most recent experience of making art.
Albert: My ritual goes as follows: come home after a long day of working in the Las Vegas summer temps of 110 degrees, wished my wife off to work as I proceed to tame two wild little monsters (also known as my 2 and 7 year old sons,) keep them busy as long as I can with movies and snacks as I unwind with a glass full of ice cold vodka and whatever mixable substance found in the fridge, then sat in front of a beautiful piece of hand cut and sanded wood awaiting to be painted on. This is my life, rewind, then repeat.
AP: Who’s art are you digging right now? Who do you want to give a shout out to?
Albert: I’ve always dug film maker and animator Blu (blublu.org) and Las Vegas locals and friends of mine, Mike and Dasha Biggs. (www.causticimagery.com)
AP: What are some art related things that you cant live without? Tools of the trade, events etc.
Albert: The internet, India ink, music—I’m set.
AP: What motivates you to get out of bed every day and create art?
Albert: The thought that artwork lives on, even when you’re long gone.
AP: Do you listen to music when you work? If so, name a few of the tunes you rock out to.
Albert: I can’t paint without my music. I have several playlists I’ve compiled just for painting. I listen to a lot of Radiohead, and as of lately Broken Bells.
AP: When you arent making art, what do you like to do? What are some of your obsessions or hobbies?
Albert: Besides creating art, I also have a passion for creating music and web design.. with an occasional dabble in tattooing.
AP: If you had the ability to time travel, what advice would you have for the artists of the future?
Albert: Don’t let technology ruin your imagination.
