ARtist Statement
I am a figurative artist, versed in various media, driven by a commitment to craft meaningful works that foster cultural appreciation and raise awareness of contemporary societal concerns. My wellspring of inspiration flows from my rich cultural heritage. Raised in a humble, Mexican-American, working-class family in the San Gabriel Valley, with strong indigenous roots.
In my formative years, I was privileged to learn from the influential Chicano artist, Gilbert "Magu" Luján. These experiences have endowed me with a deep well of visual narratives that enrich my work. The central theme in my art is movement. In movement, I find life, progress, growth, and learning. Stagnation, I believe, leads to decline.
My artwork symbolizes the upliftment and stirring of the spirit. By harmoniously merging past symbols with contemporary imagery, I aim to signify not only advancement, but evolution. Beyond the visual, I embody movement through Aztec Dancing, reflecting its profound rhythms in my work. The fusion of art and this ancient tradition infuses vitality and depth. In essence, my art conveys the message that movement is life's essence, propelling us forward and connecting us all on this magnificent planet.
Bio
Reynaldo (Rey) Mora, M.F.A., (b. Los Angeles, 1976) is an artist with extensive experience creating fine art with clay, acrylics, chalk, pastel, oils, photography, and mixed media. Rey earned a Bachelor of Studio Arts degree from California State University, Long Beach and his Master of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Los Angeles.
He is the co-founder and co-owner of Skillful & Soulful Press, a family-operated, award-winning independent publisher that publishes poetry books, educational material, art prints and parent-child stationary. Through its imprint, Casa Colibrí Books, it publishes socially impactful bilingual and trilingual children’s books that promote a love of language. For Rey, the goal of this creative project is to address the need to offer more diverse books, written and illustrated by people of color, that introduce young children to exciting new words in languages other than English.
His first illustrated bilingual children’s book, Mommy, Tell Me Why I Am Radiant / Mami, ¿dime por qué soy radiante?, won two International Latino Book Awards in 2018. Rey is the author/illustrator of the stunningly illustrated and award-winning trilingual counting board book, Hummingbird – Colibrí – Uitsitsilij, a unique book that introduces young children to numbers from zero to 10 in English, Spanish, and Nahuatl (the language of the Aztec people). This is part of his community advocacy work in preserving indigenous languages and highlighting diverse cultures.
Proceeds from his book sales support non-profit organizations serving underserved, underrepresented communities throughout Los Angeles that promote arts education and literacy.
He lives with his family in Whittier, CA.