ARTIST’S STATEMENT

“I am positive, disciplined and consistent, with a realized creative potential. I seek to be open to new experiences, ideas, perspectives and knowledge with the gift of a vision greater than myself. I am driven by a desire to expand the perception of what life can be. My specific talents grow from an ability to dream with an infinite vision and to bring these dreams and visions into fruition through the many technical and creative skills I’ve acquired. My direction as an artist is a many-layered process beginning with a dream and a desire to explore and experience the world. While exploring I practice photography, writing, drawing and visualization. When I return to the studio I focus my individual talents and imagination by creating photographic prints, paintings, drawings, poetry, and music. I find that quality over quantity works best for me and I tend to spend months on a painting. So while I have only produced a dozen paintings over the year, their visual presence reflects the intense emotion and forethought that has brought them into existence.”

PROFILE

Christopher was born in San Diego. Latin currents run in his veins, with roots in Spain, France, Native America and Mexico. He practiced painting, drawing, photography and sports as a child. After high school Chris spent 8 years in Los Angeles, playing music in clubs, making art in his studio, and in 1996 he received a B.A. from the School of the Arts and Architecture at UCLA. The summer of 1996 he was featured in a solo exhibition at the Sun Cities Museum of Art in Sun City Arizona. After the exhibition Chris moved back to San Diego, where he continued to exhibit his work throughout the community. Oleata’s art practice expands through travel and exploration. These travels brought him to see many different art forms and perspectives. He traveled through Mexico, Brazil, Hawaii, Tibet, Nepal, Spain, and Peru. December and January 2002, Oleata traveled Peru with the artist Group Fuerza: The Chicano Park / San Diego / Baja Artist Collective. They initiated a cultural exchange and expanded on those that they encountered while performing ceremonial rites, art workshops with children, mural painting with the community, and working towards future artistic goals in Peru. Chris is now painting visions of those experiences in Peru and looks forward to his next adventure.