Jose Gonzalez Veites, an unpredictable artist.

Mexico City artist Jose Gonzalez Veites attracts collectors worldwide. His acrylic and oil paintings draw attention for their dual properties--visually multi-dimensional and textured, yet smooth to the touch.

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Seated in his 3rd floor studio on the chaotic Circuito Interior, Jose Gonzalez recently described his painting style as geometric abstraction, a process that takes an average of two months to complete as he experiments with techniques and often reworks a painting countless times before finishing it.

The tall 48-year old artist found his passion during a 9-month period between high school and college when he took lessons in enamel at a school in Mexico City's Colonia Condesa. Previously, he sought a degree in biology or history. After his exposure to the art world, he studied the craft formally for four years in the School of Fine Arts (old San Carlos Academy) focusing on sculpture before traveling to Europe. The trip was the catalyst for his current painting style.

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Jose Gonzalez explored the museums of France and Europe in the early 1980s before studying informally near an art school in Venice for almost a year as renowned painter Emilio Vedova's assistant. Artists who inspired him included his mentor Vedova, abstract artists Manuel Felguerez, Gunther Gerzso, Mark Rothko and numerous other masters.

When he returned to Mexico City, Gonzalez began his lifelong career as a professional artist. His work evolved from sculpture and monochromatic paintings--architectural, geometric and rigid--to a more fluid style. Gonzalez said, "Today, I maintain a geometric structure but am not limited by it. In fact, I experience periods when I am more expressionist and others when my form is more precise."

"Color is also more important and experimental than it was before my trip to Europe," Gonzalez added. He discovered the use of light and color in Oaxaca, Mexico and Venice where his perception of light changed. In Venice, he recalled, the light made it difficult for him to defermine where the water ended and the sky began.

Gonzalez said he understands texture differently than he did twenty years ago. Immediately after his two years in Europe, he incorporated objects into his paintings, pasting materials onto his canvas. Now, Gonzalez integrates the objects visually--not physically--by layering paint and using his hands or clothing to make the painting appear multi-dimensional though it remains one smooth surface. But painting is not the only medium the artist works in. He also uses collage to express himself.

Art consultant Wendy Navarro said, "Jose Gonzalez Veites' direct, calculated approach to abstraction requires no explanation or translation. His harmonious use of bold blocks of color and his mastery of composition and technique contribute to the magnetic appeal of his work."

During the interview, Gonzalez emphasized the process of painting over his initial sketch. In the beginning of painting a piece, he has a vague idea of what he wants it to become, but the journey is unpredictable. He may find himself inspired by a tiny fragment of the painting so that he paints over the entire canvas giving the work a different meaning. He said, "The process is like a trip. The unexpected occurrences of a journey are more significant than the original itinerary."

According to Gonzalez and Veronica Vazquez Cangas, his wife and business partner, Mexico's modern art world is enormous. Though photography and digital mediums are currently more fashionable than painting, his fan base grows. Gonzalez is notable in the midst of great Mexican artists because his abstract paintings are emotional rather than flat. Gonzalez said he expresses his feelings when he paints but values the observer's reaction to the finished painting more than his own emotion when he created it.

Luckily, Gonzalez and his generation of painters found fame early since Mexico's galleries and museums in the 1980s sought young inexpensive artists to compensate for the country's economic situation. Most of his buyers are young too, in their 30's and 40's, although their nationalities are diverse, primarily American, Swiss, Mexican and Colombian including former Colombian President Cesar Gaviria.

The Roseline Koener art gallery in New York (www.koenergallery.com) and the Galeria de Arte Mexicano in Mexico City ([e-mail]) host the artist's temporary exhibits. To make inquiries or buy from Jose Gonzalez Veites' collection, contact art consultant Wendy Navarro, [e-mail].