Louis Escobedo uses high-intensity colors and dramatic lighting effects with the purpose of giving energy to his subjects, which are landscape, still life and figurative. "Color is like a person's signature, if it's the right color, I have to have it. And when I find those colors that 'work,' I feel it immediately, like hearing music so beautiful that I have to stop whatever else I'm doing and listen."

As a colorist, Escobedo does oil paintings with dramatic lighting effects and focuses on relationships of forms and colors to create a visual map in each painting.

Influenced by many 19th-century European artists, Louis Escobedo is most influenced by Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida. It is the famous artist's "bravado" and use of color that most impresses Louis. Texas-born, Escobedo has been painting since he was six. He won a small art award in school, and has been pursuing his life's calling ever since.

With a BFA from Sam Houston University, now many years later, he finds that the role of painting in his life has not diminished. "The most important thing in my life is to paint and for people to enjoy my paintings."

Among the awards he has received are "Best of Show" from the Oil Painters of America, a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators in New York, and the Top 100 in the National Arts for the Parks.

His works have been exhibited at the Hermitage Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, the Colorado History Museum, the Denver Art Museum, and the Phippen Museum among others. Escobedo's work has been published in "Best of Portrait Painting", North Light Books - 1988, "The Artist's Magazine", "Art Talk", and "Honoring The Inner Voice" in Southwest Art Magazine - 2002.

Louis Escobedo was born in Sweetwater Texas and received an Advertising Art Bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville Texas. He changed his career from illustration to fine art in 1985. In 1990 he moved to Denver and painted with many great artists including Richard Schmid, Mark Daily, and Carolyn Anderson.

Louis’ many talents include experimenting with composition, design and seeing today’s life and objects from a philosophical point of view filled with humor and beauty. Whether it is people walking down the street, a kitchen sink, or the window of a retail store, his work has imagination, color, and insight of all that he sees and feels. Louis is always striving to master his use of color, tone and texture.

RECENT AWARDS
2017 Award of Excellence Oil Painters of America Online Show
2017 Award of Excellence Oil Painters of America Salon Show
2016 Award of Excellence Oil Painters of America Salon Exhibition
2014 Gold Medal ($25,000.00 Award) from National Oil Painters of America
2013 Summer Salon Award National Oil Painters of America Exhibition in Michigan
2012 John Young Hunter Memorial Award, Allied Artists of America 99th Annual National Show, NYC
2012 Most Original Award for Excellence from the National Oil Painters of America Exhibition

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS - GALLERIES & MUSEUMS
2012 and continuing, exclusively represented by 717 Gallery LLC
2008 – 2010 South Street Art Gallery, Easton MD
2006 Sangre de Cristo Museum Invitational, Impressions of the Southwest, Pueblo CO
2006 Featured Artist, for Autumn Celebration at McBride Gallery, Annapolis MD
2004 & 2005 Butler Institute of American Art Invitational, Youngstown Ohio
2000 & 2001 Coors Invitational Stock Show, Denver Colorado
2000 & 2001 Western Rendezvous of Art, Helena Montana

PUBLICATION
Southwest Art, “Postcards From the West” preview, November 2016
Southwest Art, “Vibrant & Eloquent”, January 2015
American Art Collector, “Color At Play” September 2014
Southwest Art, “Honoring the Inner Voice”, November 2002
Best of Portrait Painting, North Light Books, 1998
Southwest Art, Oil Painters of America Winners”, May 1997
Art Talk, “An Artist Worth Watching”, June 1994
The Artist's Magazine Cover, “Seeing Beyond Your Subject”, February 1994