Oliverio Balcells

A note from the artist:

“The legacy of the ancient Mesoamerican cultures is very rich.  One tradition is where large cities had an Amoxcalli or a “house where the painted books are”, similar to our present day libraries. In my design on the side I painted the Tlacuilo or “person who writes with paint” and the classic image of the House of Books from the Mixtec culture.  On the top is an original design reflecting the flourishing of the spirit of the person who reads and paints.  The hummingbird, on the back, is a revered bird that represents the symbol of tenacity and strength that all human beings should have.”

Artist bio:

Oliverio Balcells is a scholar of the ancient Mesoamerican cultures, photographer, painter and musician. He is interested in social themes like history, culture, human potential development, symbolism and nature. He is inspired by color, the ancient Mexican cultures, the master muralists and the golden age of Mexican cinema. Oliverio received his Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from the Univa University in Guadalajara, Mexico. 

In 2017 Oliverio presented a multimedia performance at Pueblo Grande Museum, entitled “The Unknown Symbols” and he was an artist-in-residence with Kyrene del Norte elementary school creating seven murals with students from Kindergarten to 5th grade. In 2016 he was a selected artist for the In Flux Cycle 6 with the City of Tempe and painted a mural on Apache Blvd. He was selected by the City of Tempe’s Public Art Program to design and paint a utility box on Mill Avenue; the image was then made into a library card for the Tempe Public Library. He has done several workshops for CALA’s Community Arts Program with Childsplay as an artist-in-residence in schools throughout Phoenix. He created a community garden mural with Free Arts of Arizona and their Professional Artist Series at the Challenger Middle School. He has also been a teaching artist with Arizona Commission on the Arts, creating a portable mural with the students of Mercury Mine Elementary School in Paradise Valley. He recently participated in an interactive workshop called the “Eagle Sun in Motion” with Vision Gallery, Xico Arte y Cultura and ASU West.