Jose Alberto Maldonado

Jose Alberto Maldonado was born in Guatemala City on December 24th, 1981. From the earliest days of his childhood, art and photography caught his attention and captured his developing creative interests. 

At the age of 14, his family migrated to the United States, where his love for the arts soon blossomed into a full-fledged and serious pastime. Concentrating primarily on illustrations and photography, it soon became apparent that Jose had an uncanny eye for composition, and his photography displayed from its outset a mature understanding of the uses of both contrast and light. His...

Jose Alberto Maldonado was born in Guatemala City on December 24th, 1981. From the earliest days of his childhood, art and photography caught his attention and captured his developing creative interests. 

At the age of 14, his family migrated to the United States, where his love for the arts soon blossomed into a full-fledged and serious pastime. Concentrating primarily on illustrations and photography, it soon became apparent that Jose had an uncanny eye for composition, and his photography displayed from its outset a mature understanding of the uses of both contrast and light. His photographs represent a significant body of work, ranging from simple – yet beautiful - examples of architectural composition to candid human expression and magnificent wildlife subject matter. His photographs inevitably evoke emotion and are often cast in stunning sepia tones or arresting pastel color schemes.

Jose attended the Savannah College of Art, after which he moved to Florida where he spent two years and discovered his true creative passion...painting. 

Deciding that he needed a change of pace, Jose then moved to Brooklyn, NY, where he shared a loft with his brothers and established an art studio. Along with a few personal murals, he completed an astonishing 50 paintings in that first year alone, and managed to sell enough of his work to finance his next creative journey – an inspiring trip through Central and South America. He visited Mexico City, Uruguay, and Argentina, before settling down for a brief period of time in Buenos Aires. It was there, where he lived in Barrio Palermo, that he was inspired to his current and most prolific style of painting.

Jose’s paintings are an eclectic mix of shape and color, and they often feel tribal even in the absence of common tribal themes. His love for the masters of his craft is evident in much of his work, though Jose skillfully manages the difficult task of maintaining complete creative autonomy in both his style and content.  

His paintings can be found throughout Guatemala, most specifically at the WER ART GALLERY in Antigua, as well as in an established and well-known gallery in Guatemala City , GALERIA EL ATTICO. 

A broad selection of Jose’s work will also be featured in an upcoming feature film, Con Alas Pintadas (On Painted Wings) shooting in the Caribbean later this year in association with Zaizmar Films International, Santiago, Dominican Republic. 

View details: www.ZaizMarFilms.com