Marco Antonio Aguilar

Marco grew up in the small Caribbean nation of Belize. He cannot remember a time when he was not involved in something creative. He studied art at St. John’s College and it was there that he fell in love with the acrylic medium. In Belize, he painted numerous tropical scenes and wildlife paintings including a mural in the library at St. John’s. After graduation, Marco moved to California to try his hand at acting and quickly became a fixture in Antelope Valley theatre and has performed in many local productions there and in the Los Angeles area. A true renaissance man, Marco has also won multiple awards for acting, directing, choreography and set design. For several years, while studying everything from acting, to commercial singing, to various styles of dance, painting took a back seat. It was not until he was “volunteered” to help paint a backdrop for a local theatre production that the fire was rekindled. The scene was an English garden with blue skies and billowy clouds. Constant compliments from the cast and crew made Marco re-evaluate his lost art form and he found himself once again putting brush to canvas.

Marco Antonio’s current painting style is virtually self-taught. He has developed it through years of experimentation and observing other great artists and their techniques. He admits to being impatient and likes to work in acrylic for its speed more than anything else. He also likes to draw with pastel chalks on suede boards for a change of pace.

“I love the play of light and shadow,” Marco says, “and I use my theatrical background as reference for the dramatic lighting that seems to be the general theme in all my work. I love to observe the way light reacts in different settings. I am fascinated by the way it dances on water, or the way dust particles seem to float in a beam of light, or the way it will make rocks seem to glow. It just transports me to a place of tranquility and happiness.”

Marco’s older inspiration comes from masters such as Maxfield Parrish, Albert Bierstadt and the other Hudson River School Artists. He also cites modern artists Dale Terbush, Roy Tabora and James Coleman as important influences. Marco also has an affinity for Asian artwork and attributes some of his painting style to Eastern philosophy, painting scenes that seem untouched by man. His subject matter ranges from landscapes to seascapes to wildlife to fantasy. “Painting has been a wonderful journey for me and I am anxious to see where my travels will lead.”

Marco currently has artwork on display in galleries throughout California and Hawaii.