Antonio López García is a Spanish painter and sculptor, known for his realistic style. He is criticized by some art critics for neo-academism, but praised by others, like Robert Hughes, who consider him a master realist. Wikipedia

This artist was introduced to me when I was in second year at Uni, by the same lecturer that introduced me to Edward Hopper.  As it says above, he is a realist painter and I found his work so inspirational.

As a photographer, it is hard not to be impressed by the realist artists.  Though, like any artist their work has to have some connection with you.  I will admit that I was incredibly blown away by the skill of Antonio Lopez Garcia.

A drawing, the detail is wonderful.  I love the feeling of decay in the images, which has always influenced me.  Everything isn’t pristine and beautiful.  I really do like that.

You had to know that this image would appeal to me.  An empty street.  I really want to try and achieve some images like this with my photography.  There is also a texture in much of his work, it adds to that gungy look and often the subject matter that he uses.

If you look him up you will see that isn’t afraid to paint or draw life, the good, and the ugly.  Some of his paintings are really ugly, well the subject is.  I think he is telling us to just do it and make art out of everything.

This is the first image of his that I saw.  It was the image I was told to look at because of an image I was working on.  The image I did was not a photograph, but a Lithographic print.

Sorry, the photo is crap, the print is hanging on my wall, and I took the photo quickly with my phone, (even I can be lazy).  For those that don’t know a lithograph is basically a drawing that is done on a special limestone and then you print from it.  I loved drawing on the stone.  You get the idea of what it is about.

When my lecturer saw this on the stone he told me to look up Antonio Lopez Garcia.  I fell in love and he is still one of my all time favourite artists.  I have told you about 3 now, just one to go.

For me this is an image that is inspired by Lopez Garcia.  The grunge and sense of isolation perfectly matches his street themes.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at Antonia Lopez Garcia, I wonder if I should do some photographers!