Touching Earth - Reaching Heaven | Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center

Touching Earth - Reaching Heaven | 09.01.23 - 11.25.23

Fernando Padilla Jr. | Regional Gallery

During the last forty or more years, the creativity and versatility of Padilla's artistic gifts and talents, have proven to be innovative as well as powerful statements of Native American culture, in particular southwestern native cultures. In that time he has been established as a nationally and internationally renowned Native American Artist, gaining a reputation as an award winning artist in multiple art categories. In less than ten years, after becoming a professional artist, he was being recognized as a Master Artist, then in 2021 garnering the status of "Honored One" at the 35th Annual Red Earth Art Festival, in Oklahoma City OK. Honored One is recognition of an Native artist whose reputation and scope of work has been representative of Native culture in the arts, and continues to inspire the imagination and works of younger or up and coming artists.

His Artist resume is replete with awards dating back to 1981 for Judges Best of Show in the Oklahoma Indian Youth Art Festival exhibition at the Oklahoma State Capital Building. From there he continued mastering his craft and techniques, as he created his Padilla signature style of highly detailed fine line graphic and representational paintings. He has been the Featured Artist, Demonstrator, and Speaker at over 35 major art shows, museums, and festivals.

He claims that he got his break into television and films when he portrayed an unknown burglar on Crime Stoppers in OKC, he was never captured. Although he has been interviewed on news channels, throughout the country1 in connection with art events, API carried his story when he completed a mural for the new Denver International Airport, he's been a guest on cable and local TV talk shows, his illustrations have been included in at least five book publications, two Public Artworks to his credit, with exhibitions in over 20 museums and several museums attaining art pieces for their permanent collections.

He was a teenager when he first visited Sangre de Cristo Art Center in 1974(?), but from that time he knew he wanted to be involved with the Art Center, as an Artist, then in 2019, that dream was fulfilled. His artworks and wire wrapped jewelry is available for sale in the museum gift shop, Three Peaks Boutique. "Touching Earth Reaching Heaven" is his first 2023 major exhibition, with Sangre de Cristo Art Center displaying several new art pieces and jewelry. Come visit us and see the exhibit now!