BIOGRAPHY

Creation and interpretation is Paul’s life. In painting he is at home in all mediums and prodigious. His styles include Realism, Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism, Post Expressionism, Surrealism, Abstract Surrealism and Future Conceptualism, a Revolutionary Technique developed and created by Ygartua. He is an artist whose versatility is reflected in his work.

He was born in 1945 in Bebington, Cheshire (Liverpool)England. After graduating from The Faculty of Arts Industrial Design,Liverpool Art College in 1965 he immigrated to Vancouver, Canada. From then on painting became his soul existence.

Paul Ygartua is a painter and muralist with bases in Canada, France, Spain and England. He has single handedly painted some of the largest public space murals in Canada and the United States. His most famous works are his “Heritage Series” depicting North American Natives (Native Heritage Mural, Chemainus, BC) and other ethnic and cultural groups. He is renowned worldwide for his monumental murals. “The World United ” (100ftx25ft/3,048cmx762cm) being one of his most notorious, commissioned by the United Nations for the United Nations Pavilion at the World Expo 86 Vancouver and his largest to date “Legends of the Millennium”, over 9,000 square foot (24ft x 390ft / 731cm x 11,872cm). The American website ASKART considers it probably the largest mural ever painted by a single artist. His most recent mural in 2013, United in History, commemorating the history of Denny Island and The Heiltsuk Nation, Bella Bella – Pauline Hilistis Waterfall and the Hereditary Chiefs of the Heiltsuk Nation, Bella Bella dubbed him The Mural Miracle Maker.

ARTIST STATEMENT

THERE IS AN ENERGY, A HIGH WHEN CREATING

When you are influenced by everything around you, whether it is the people in the world, their culture or nature itself–it is emotional and personal. It is these emotions that one tries to express–an inside view of your thoughts , your feelings and your ideas. I sketched, as a child, with my Mother, who was also a painter. When we returned to the Basque Country, Northern Spain, my Father’s birthplace, for the summer vacations, I used to work alongside her on location. I attended the Liverpool School of Art in England, specializing in Gold and Silversmithing. I took life-study but I didn’t take Painting and it wasn’t until I immigrated to Canada that I changed direction and started making a living solely from my art in 1970.

My family and I have always travelled extensively and throughout my life I have been influenced by other cultures. My interest, no doubt, comes from my Basque Heritage, the oldest white race of Europe. This influence has also directed me to the varied subject matter I seek out when living in other countries. In the early 70’s I started painting the North American Native, I found strength and a passion for a race struggling for their identity similar to the Basque People of northern Spain. These influences dominated my work for many years; even today I still feel a need to create with a passion and strength that captivates our mind and soul. I like to stir one’s emotions, I like my patrons to feel this energy that runs through me.

I search for interesting subject matter that has vibrance and movement; then incorporating this emotion into my subject involves the viewer, transporting one to another world. The challenges of different subject matter are always inspiring and fascinating; I enjoy working straight eight to ten hours, intense, with high energy; this becomes a real physical workout on my larger works.

I generally work on four feet x four feet paintings and larger. Murals give you a vast expanse, the largest canvas you can ever hope to get, expanding your perimeters and challenging yourself to the highest limits.

When working freehand with no scale or projector, you must imagine the image, see it in your mind’s eye and envision the painting mural finished. It is an addiction and I can’t wait to start the next painting. It is exciting to challenge oneself with each work, always searching within, this opens new doors, new horizons–it never ends.

It is a passion I feel and it is this emotion that I try to portray in all my works.

Website: https://www.ygartuaoriginals.com https://www.ygartua.com

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