Glossy resin in intense pigments falls across the canvas like drops of candy, creating powerful lines within three-dimensional works that seem to invite touch. This is the signature of Mexican artist Francisco Valverde, whose creations venture into a world far beyond black and white.

From his earliest drawings on paper as a child, Valverde embarked on a journey of exploration. In searching for his own voice, he returned to the roots of his imagination, where that early creative freedom continues to serve as a fundamental pillar of his work. A vibrant universe enriches his practice, where color and line become narrative vehicles capable of expressing emotion and telling stories.

What was your experience like drawing on paper for the first time as a child?

It was liberating because, from a very young age, I found classes incredibly boring, and drawing allowed me to escape and feel comfortable in a classroom where you are normally expected to follow rules that can sometimes confine you. I think it was my first encounter with art, and it opened a door to imagination and creativity.

How does that early creative freedom influence your work today?

I understood it many years later. At first, my work focused on figurative art, and I created surrealist paintings that included characters and the human figure. Over time, however, I stopped identifying with my work on a personal level, so I had to look inward and ask myself why I truly wanted to make art.

That search took me back to the beginning, to the moment when I used to scribble on sheets of paper. Remembering that, I began rebuilding and reviving that creativity through the exploration of lines and colors that now embrace my paintings.

The concepts of obsession and freedom are central to your work. How do you find a balance between those two forces?

I think the paintings capture a harmonious coexistence between both. On one hand, the backgrounds contain a great deal of freedom of movement and spontaneity. Even the intuitive gestures I paint allow for a second reading, where viewers often discover figures that were never planned during the creative process.

On the other hand, when I begin drawing over and intervening in those backgrounds, I need to be more precise and obsessive so that, despite the abundance of color, the background remains visible through those woven structures. When I look at the work and feel that it functions, I know I have found the point where both sides are balanced.

With both Cuban and Mexican heritage, how do you explore cultural identity in your art?

Both coexist through color and texture, which, to a certain extent, reflect tropical tones and gestures within the work. Mexico and Cuba are both incredibly rich in flavor and culture, so the vibrant range of colors I use in my pieces is a manifestation of that.

You earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from ArtCenter College of Design. How did your education influence the development of your personal style?

My education gave me the tools to search for my own path and find my own voice. It allowed me to develop a broader perspective, drawing inspiration from different voices and cultures that I now express through the language of my work.

The use of plastic materials such as resin adds complexity to your paintings. How do you approach this technique to achieve the effects you want?

The material itself becomes part of the concept in my art. Resin is essential because it gives the work a singular character that, in some way, alludes to the plastic world around us.

From toys, figures, and objects to the intensity and shine of color, the use of resin and the final effect created by its distinctive plasticity remind me of all of those things.

What are your thoughts on the relationship between traditional art and abstract forms of art?

I believe both movements are part of history. We do not necessarily need to begin with traditional art in order to develop or create other techniques. Today, abstract, figurative, and conceptual art can all coexist within the same space.

Strictly speaking, I believe traditional art also contains abstraction within it.

Your paintings are characterized by powerful, directional lines. How do you use those marks to convey stories and emotions?

Although it happens unconsciously, I think the order within the pieces reveals a language that invites the viewer into a sensory experience. They do not necessarily approach the work with a predetermined or rational idea, but instead respond through their senses.

The texture may make you want to touch it, or the lines may encourage you to look beyond them and discover something you did not notice at first. There is no single explanation. Each person gives the work their own interpretation, awakening personal emotions.

Your work evokes the colors and shine of the candy you remember from childhood. Does connecting color and texture to personal experiences add further layers of meaning to your paintings?

There is definitely a direct relationship between the colors, the resin finish, and one aspect of Mexican culture. I think anyone who has attended a Mexican fair understands that almost tactile quality of color. It is never simply flat; it is always accompanied by texture or form.

The fact that art can transport you to different places or situations adds that additional layer of emotion and special meaning.

How do you find the connection between your own experiences and the collective experience of art?

I really enjoy listening to viewers talk about a piece and describe how they experience it, because I often discover more myself when I see how people respond to certain works.

This is especially true with the backgrounds. Even though they are highly intuitive and almost unconscious for me, viewers recognize something in them in nearly every case. It might be a face or a specific image, and each person sees something different, much like two people looking at the same cloud and finding different shapes.

I find that deeply enriching because the piece changes and transforms through the viewer. It stops being static and takes on a new life.

You have exhibited in cities such as Montreal, San Francisco, and San Luis Potosí. How do the narratives in your work resonate with national and international audiences?

Surprisingly, audiences are very similar. At the end of the day, I think human beings respond visually in very similar ways.

Whether through color, texture, or form, it is fascinating to see how people want to interact with the work. As an artist, it is incredibly satisfying to know that your work awakens something in the audience and allows them to become part of it.

Is there an exhibition you consider especially significant in your career?

Something I will never forget is my first exhibition. When you are beginning in the art world, it is very difficult to stand out, and you have to pursue every opportunity that presents itself.

It is not an easy process. In fact, it can be very frustrating, but knowing that someone outside your immediate circle believes in your work inspires you to keep going. Even though my first exhibition did not focus on the same style I work with today, I will always remember it with great affection.

As technology advances and forms of expression evolve, how do you imagine visual art will look in the coming decades?

I assume artificial intelligence will play a role, but no matter how much we try to imagine where art is headed, I think it is difficult to predict.

We cannot truly know because different movements often return and become relevant again. I think it depends greatly on the audience and how people connect with art. We may have reached a point where, beyond language or form, content is what matters most.

Is there a particular direction you would like to explore in your future work?

I would like to explore organic forms more deeply. I want to achieve a stronger balance between recognizing an image and allowing it to remain abstract at the same time.

Perhaps I will integrate a biological and botanical world, where every form could somehow suggest plants or herbal universes that exist in nature, without necessarily becoming tangible, but instead remaining ambiguous.

Interview by: Isabel Flores
Photos: Carlos A. González Q and Andrea Deus. Courtesy of the artist