Pablo Calderon
b. 1952, El Salvador ∙ CE artist from 2002 - 2019
Photo by Evguenia Shtill
A profound studio presence during his time at CE - debating, laughing, whistling, or explaining his work to patrons - Pablo Calderon exemplifies the heroic artist’s attitude toward life and method. His art-making is bold, masterfully painting in grand scale, combining saturated hues in broad strokes, exploring color and its possibilities. His paintings of wide-eyed, curly haired muñecas (or "dolls") are imbued with a kind of ambiguity that invites speculation. He treats another of his favorite subjects, vehicles, playfully, with vivid, elegant depictions of bicycles and large, bird’s eye views of trucks flattened out into map-like abstractions.
Calderon moved to the US in his late thirties. He often mentions the trucks and and bicycles his family repaired – memories of El Salvador that inform his subjects. CB2 selected Calderon’s paintings in designs for a limited edition rug and a pillow. Hear Calderon's story in this video, which premiered at CE's annual gala Art Changes Lives 2016. Calderon left the studio program in 2019 but keeps in touch.
Select Exhibitions & Projects
2020
Of Here From There | De Aquí Desde Allá, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA
Art Changes Lives at Parc 55, San Francisco, CA
2019
Creativity Explored at Cutting Ball Theatre, San Francisco, CA
The Grand Finale, Spark Arts, San Francisco, CA
CE x CG x NIAD, Minnesota Street Project, San Francisco, CA
2018
Cordially Invited, Make Studio, Baltimore, MD
Fabulate!, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
"From" All Over the Place, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, San Francisco, CA
On Your Left, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
Outsider Art Fair 2018, New York, NY
2017
Secret City Exhibition, AIASF and Center for Architecture + Design Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Black White, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
2016
Celebrating a Vision: Art and Disability, SFO Museum , San Francisco Airport Terminal 3 Departures, San Francisco, CA
Tabula Rasa, Creativity Explored , San Francisco, CA
2015
Here, There and Everywhere, Sheffer Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2014
They are full of holy..., Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2013
Outsider Artists, Oakland International Airport, Oakland, CA
Outside In: The Art of Inclusion, Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, Ireland
Breaking Barriers: Bay Area Artists with Disabilities, Marin Community Foundation Offices, Novato, CA
2012
Fabulous, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
Mapping this Moment, Cara y Cabezas Contemporary, Kansas City, MO
Parallel Visions, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
Calderon: Nine Years in the Making, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
2011
4 Real 4 Faux Animating the Vernacular, Truman State University Art Gallery, Kirksville, MO
2010
Where Are We?, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
2008
INsects INsectos, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
2006
Sacred Places, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
Vessels, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
Drawing the Line, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
2005
Aliens: the Green Ones, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
2004
Radiant Spaces: Private Domain, Track 16 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
Functionable, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
Critters, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
Heads n' Tails, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
