Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - On Friday, January 27 from 6-10 pm, during this week's South Side Shuffle, a cocktail reception will open three special art exhibits at Galleria Dante, located at Basilio Badillo #269 in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone.

'AnDante' welcomes Guadalajara artist Israel ZZepda exhibit with a cocktail reception from 6 to 10 pm. ZZepda, who just celebrated his 25th Anniversary as a professional artist, is one of three artists from Guadalajara who have united to form “Andante” (Arte Nuestro Dante). Oscar Zamarripa, Guillermo Gomez, and Israel Zzepda have collectively exhibited in Vallarta for more than 78 years.

Israel, born in 1971, has been painting and drawing for more than 35 years, but also sculpts in paper mache, bronze & cast aluminum. The general public is constantly surprised at the huge body of work he has produced for a man so young. He became an apprentice at the age of 15.

A full time art teacher at the age of 19, Zzepda has influenced many young artists, including various members of his own family who are aspiring artists. He taught art and fashion illustration for more than 13 years. He has also painted more than 1000 meters of murals in both public and private places in Cancun, Uruapan, Michoacán and Jalisco.

In addition to this, Israel completed 6 murals in Sardinia, Italy this past summer 2011. After visiting museums in Florence, Rome and Spain, he vowed never to exhibit his work unframed again. It is worth a visit to his show, just to view the frames created for each painting, a work of art in themselves.

There is a sensitivity, innocence and a refined discipline about this young man. His work penetrates into the religious, spiritual, sexual and existential realms, reflecting over the truth and questioning established thinking. He is not afraid to express himself. "The artist is a reflection of daily life. I want to be a chronicle of my time," says Zzepda who seeks to be honest and reflect his own unique style in all of his work.

Texture also plays an important role in the idealized handling of the human figure. He can paint photo-realistic portraits, but instead sacrifices a little of the perfection of the human figure, in hopes of revealing the interior of himself. "We are all good and bad, we construct and we destroy, we are of light and somewhat dark, journeying daily through the streets of the planet."

His imaginative capacity, is perhaps, the most dominant visual feature of his work. The viewer will possibly be intrigued and will wish to apprehend the thematic contents of his paintings. He reveals himself as a witness of human suffering. The work of Zzepda appears to be recreating ambiguous and mysterious worlds. Therefore at times his paintings portray strange, desolate environments. Zzepda also displays serene and sometimes humorous eroticism. Also the artist embraces notoriously religious topics, as well as ontological and metaphysical subjects.

Guillermo Brockmann and Nino Magaña Exhibit Opens at Galleria Dante
Friday, January 27, 6-10 pm

Guillermo Brockmann, better known as "Pipo," was born in Mexico City and raised in Guadalajara. He is the son of a Mexican architect and an American painter. He received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of design and his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Brockmann lives in the Boca de Tomatlan with his son, several cats, at least five dogs, two horses, chickens, and a mule, at the edge of the river surrounded by lush vegetation. The pulse of this geography, and these living things are captured in his paintings and sculpture.

Pipo's paintings of dogs, animals, trees, landscapes and the human figure dance with color on the two dimensional surface. With dabs and knives full of impasto color, brush strokes and dribbles of loose paint he builds layer upon layer of information, developing and deleting, making bold choices and finally exposing his image.

In the end we see surfaces with the same energy authenticity and freshness that his sculptures command. Dogs stretch themselves out across the canvases or look at you with their heads cocked as if reacting to your approach, monkey ear trees spread their abundant branches, lush, heavy with foliage, cocky roosters crow, and a human face speaks to you silently.

"Creating a piece is half of its life, the other half lives in the eye of the beholder. You begin to understand, it is not just about the painting, it is about a point of view, where you stand in time and how you see your world," he says.

Nino Magaña – born in Guadalajara in 1970, Nino is one of 10 brothers. He began painting at the age of 8, and enjoyed it, but never thought it would lead to a life as a professional artist.

At 15 Magaña's life changed on a visit to the Instituto Cultural Cabanas, when he stood in front of a painting by Jorge González Camarena, entitled El Abrazo (The Hug). "This painting to this day in engraved in my mind, because this painting awoke in me the true calling to be a painter, which almost 20 years later I am still practicing. His work remains a real motivation for me."

After completing 3 years of his Art degree, Nino left to work as a commercial painter (birds, still-life, landscapes) which helped him develop his skill and discipline and gave him an income to explore and develop his own style. He would go on to paint murals in Mexico, but also in Los Angeles and San Francisco. "After winning my first award at the Salon Octubre in 1990, I had the confidence and freedom to express freely my passion for art," he says.

In 2008, Nino found time to return to University and finish his degree in music. Aside from painting, he loves to spend time with his wife and two children, who are a great support to him, as a life of an artist has many ups and downs. He is not only a disciplined artist, but also in his personal diet and in his Hindu practices.

His other passions are cooking in the kitchen with his wife, playing the piano and guitar. He has a Masters Degree in art and he is committed to the dissemination and promotion of culture. Nino is new to Dante this season, where his works have been very well received by collectors.

Don't miss your chance to meet these three talented artists at Galleria Dante's cocktail reception on Friday, January 27 from 6-10 pm.

Two Galleries, one location: Basilio Badillo 269 & 269A. For more information, visit GalleriaDante.com.

Open Mon-Fri from 10 am-5 pm, Galleria Dante is located at Basilio Badillo #269 in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone. For more information, call (322) 222-2477, or send an email to info(at)galleriadante.com.

Click HERE to learn more about Galleria Dante.