Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - On Friday, March 9 from 6-10 pm, a cocktail reception will open an art exhibition by Guadalajara artist Luis Castellanos Valui at Galleria Dante, Basilio Badillo #269, in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone. Be sure to stop by and meet the artist while you're out doing this week's South Side Shuffle.

Born in Guadalajara in 1955, Luis Castellanos Valui is a painter who infuses his Latin American roots with the traditions of tropical jazz and café culture. Collected by the J. Paul Getty Institute and Capitol Records, Valui creates rhythmic images, bringing his subjects to life. His works are also in the collection of Atlas and Mambo Restaurants, Go West Productions, Televisa, Ripstein Collection, Univision. At his openings in Los Angeles, many Hollywood jet setters are among the collectors.

Luis studied for two years at the Fine Arts University in Guadalajara. At the age of 20 he moved to Mexico City where he studied at the "Esmeralda" school. He restored Colonial and Pre-Hispanic art for 4 years at the request of the Mexican government.

He then established himself in the Bohemian community of Tepoztlan, Morelos, a small village south of Mexico City. There, he began his formal career as a painter. In 1986, he had his first individual exhibition at the prestigious OMR Gallery in Mexico City.

"For me, in the beginning it was van Gogh," Valui says. "But, over the years, I learned about the German Expressionists, pre-Hispanic art, and became influenced by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall." Not just people, but animals are also a favorite subject - crabs, parrots, lions, tigers being some of his most favorites to paint.

Musicians and dancers recur in Mr. Valui's paintings, and their heat and energy are palpable. You could get a charley horse in your calf just looking at his dancers' legs. "We say in Mexico, when you are a musician who is very ..." he rolled his hand in the air, "... very talented, very into it, we say, 'tiene duende,' he has it in his blood, in his soul."

Luis paints in oil, as well as water color. When you attend his shows, you will hear the friendly bantering of his collectors: "Well I own 7 of his paintings." Another will say "But I own 14." Very few people stop at purchasing only one painting by Luis. The paintings make you smile and leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

Luis is a painter of our senses, what you feel looking at his paintings: to dance, to sing, to dream, to love. And when it comes to dance, there is probably not a style that Luis has not painted: mambo, tango, salsa, cha-cha-cha, waltz. There are scenes on the beach, by the campfire, in plazas, street and market scenes. His paintings are fresh, luminous and definitely tropical. They are full of humor and saturated with color and light. Thank you Luis for bringing us such joy.

Come and meet this wonderful artist for cocktails from 6:00 to 10:00 pm on Friday, March 9th at Galleria Dante.

While you are there, be sure to check out Di Vino Dante, a chic wine and tapas bar overlooking the gallery's sculpture garden. In late June, Di Vino Dante opened a small dining area on the ground floor in a corner of Galleria Dante, for those who like to people watch. Be sure to ask about their new three-course dinner menu.