Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Enrique Flores, a prolific painter and lithographer, will have a one-man show of his work at Gallery Colectika in downtown Puerto Vallarta, with a public opening on Wednesday, March 18. The gallery, founded by Kevin Simpson, is at Guadalupe Sanchez, 852, Centro. The gallery will be open at 11 am and the reception will be part of the Art Walk from 6-10 pm.

Flores is one of the most famous artists in Mexico. He is the leading exponent of the school of "Magic Realism" somewhat akin to the Russian-born Marc Chagall with flying people and animals all in a lively flow and unique compositions. He notes that his work is also strongly influenced by the unique Dutch painter, Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), noted for his fantastic imagery to illustrate moral and religious themes.

Maestro Flores was born in Huitzo in 1963 and started painting when he was a junior in high school. By 1980 his formal training had begun, the next year he studied at the Oaxaca School of Fine Arts and then off to Mexico City.

"My goal had been to be accepted to La Escuela de Pinturra ye Escultura, I wasn't accepted because I didn't have all my high school credits. It all worked out better for me because a friend introduced me to the founder of 'Magic Realism,' Rudolfo Morales." Morales became a strong influence and Flores became his protégé.

The young artists returned to Oaxaca and entered Taller Rufino Tomayo, then to Juan Alcazar. In 1988, Enrique Flores returned to Huitzo, where he now has an excellent teaching studio for lithography, his specialty.

"While Morales was my primary mentor over the years, I derive inspiration from my art studies in Japan, French Impressionists, and the unique quality of the people in Huitzo, an attractive combination of Mixtec and Zapotec genes. In this mixture of cultures there is a richness of dance and dress and also difference is physiques-stature, facial structure, hair texture and more."

His work is found in fine private collections and museums and he has had scores of exhibitions. He is also head of an internationally well regarded lithography studio where students come from all over the world.

Simpson founded his high end gallery in 2010 where the finest art is exhibited. He also has an excellent folk art gallery, Peyote People, featuring the best in Huichol art.

Ed Schwartz and his wife, Bambi, are Mexico-philes from way back, having visited Mexico over 40 times before buying a house in Sayulita in 2007. His writings on wine, food and travel have appeared in the SF Chronicle, LA Times and Image magazine.

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