It’s been very exciting to observe the Evolution of Artist Alberto Murillo during the last couple of years. I fist became of aware of his work at the JoAnne Artman Gallery in Laguna Beach. I’d wandered into her gallery after  having lunch with a friend, and she greeted us with such enthusiasm.  New to the neighborhood in 2008, her gallery is part of ‘Gallery Row’ at 326 North Coast Highway. She gladly gave us a tour and began educating us about her roster of artists.

At that time, Alberto’s work was very horizontal, or vertical depending on how you hung it, with thin lines of acrylic/resin on board. I thought it was unique, but it didn’t resonate with me. Cut to a gallery opening a year later with pieces like ‘Nassau‘ and ‘Taormina‘ and I was very intrigued. Murillo explained that he’d observed the resin on the floor after creating the vertical pieces and loved how the colors over lapped and melded together. He refers to this as his ‘Therapy Series‘ that helped pull him out of a very dark place.  The latest twist to his work is sandblasting away part of the resin to create an image, such as ‘Chanel No. 5′. Matte against shiny. It’s absolutely stunning in person. If it’s good enough for the Givenchy Family in NYC, then it’s good enough for me… adding it to my ‘must have’ list.