“My name is Juan, and I am an artist.” That says it all now. For most of Palencia artist Juan Estrella’s life, art was a hobby. “No more,” he says.
Juan was born in the Dominic Republic and immigrated to the United States in 1976. He resided in Manhattan before finishing his high school education in Rochester, NY. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated with a Nuclear Engineering Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned as an Armor officer (Tank Platoon Leader). He is a veteran of Desert Storm and has worked in corporate America since leaving the service.
Juan is passionate about fitness. He has qualified for both the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii in 2022, and recently the Boston Marathon.
Juan is a self-taught artist. He constantly strives to improve his technique and composition with a goal of photo-realism using charcoal and graphite. He experimented with other mediums — pastels, acrylic, pen and ink — but he likes the challenge of figuring out tones using pencils.
Most of Juan’s focus is on animals, portraits and flowers. The more detail the better. He spends hours capturing the unique twinkle, quirk, crinkle or smirk of his subjects. His goal is to connect his subject to those who view his art and evoke an emotional response from the viewer. In one instance, he knew he succeeded when a friend cried when he saw Juan’s drawing of his friend’s pet.
Juan enjoys creating a series of works. His African series started with an elephant Matriarch and moved on to other popular African animals. He is currently working on a period series drawing famous actors from the 1950-1960 era including Clint Eastwood, Chuck Connors, Marilyn Monroe, and a young Elvis.
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