Q: Jose, when did you start to paint in a professional way, who were your influences and what was your inspiration?

A: I have been creating art since I can remember. I began to oil paint in college at Michigan University in East Lansing, Mi. My inspirations have always come in response to my life, emotions, and people in my life. My early influences were Jose Orozco, Lola Bravo and Rivera. After I began painting and going to Museums, my influences became more eclectic. I began to be influenced by Van Gogh with his thick use of paint, and John Singer Sargent for his sensually graceful brushwork and beautifully executed paintings, as well as Rembrandt and others.