90 Raul Campos — Build Your Own World

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On today's episode, we sat down with Raul Campos, a neo-Baroque painter whose work features dark, multi-figurative scenes in an effort to reach timeless iconography. He tells us all about why he became a painter and how studying with Odd Nerdrum affected his work. He also emphasizes the importance of developing your personal voice through honesty and reflecting on your own culture rather than copying others. He also gives us the valuable tip of world-building within your own paintings to create a consistent universe that ties all of your work together. Finally, Raul talks about some of the challenges of the art market, balancing creativity with commercial considerations, understanding the value of art, and the unique cultural and social aspects of the Mexican art scene.

Raul's FASO site:
https://raulcamposestudio.com/

Raul's Instagram:
https://instagram.com/raulcamposart/

Transcript

Raul Campos: 0:00

I think that's what a painter should always do, right? Find, like, be honest, like, in a way, like in your context in your life. Like, who are you and what do you like? Because you don't want to be a copy of someone you want to be you. Welcome to the BoldBrush show, where we believe that fortune favors the bold brush. My name is Laura Arango Baier, and I'm your host. For those of you who are new to the podcast, we are a podcast that covers art marketing techniques, and all sorts of business tips specifically to help artists learn to better sell their work. We interview artists at all stages of their careers as well as others who are in careers tied to the art world in order to hear their advice and insights. On today's episode, we sat down with Raul Campos, a NEO Baroque painter whose work features dark multi figurative scenes and an effort to reach timeless iconography. He tells us all about why he became a painter and how studying with the Odd Nerdrum affected his work. He also emphasizes the importance of developing your personal voice through honesty and reflecting on your own culture rather than copying others. He also gives us a valuable tip of world building within your own paintings to create a consistent universe that has all of your work together. Finally, roll talks about some of the challenges of the art market, balancing creativity with commercial considerations, understanding the value of art, and the unique cultural and social aspects of the Mexican art scene. Welcome Raul to the BoldBrush show. How are you today? Very good. Thank you. Thank you for the invitation.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:34

Oh, yeah, it's been a while since we last saw each other. I mean, we saw each other last week, cuz we ran into each other. But the listeners don't know that we actually briefly studied together at Angel Academy. So it was nice catching up. grid on Florence. Yeah. Good old Florence. But yeah, so I want to talk to you, of course, about your work and about all your experience, because now you're selling your work and your work is massive, and it's really beautiful. But before we dive into that, do you mind telling our listeners a bit about who you are and what you do?

Raul Campos: 2:12

Well, I'm a proud campus. I am, of course, a painter. And mainly, I consider my work like Neo Baroque. It's a bit of a joke in a way, you know, because this looks very awkward. It's contemporary. So I just added a new, you know, I live in Mexico. What else? is where it gets complicated? Yeah.

Laura Arango Baier: 2:41

Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah. Neo Baroque is a very good description, because yeah, that's yeah, because your work is very, it's figurative, multi figurative. Actually, you have a lot of, especially in your work, and it's Yeah, and it's quite a bit dark, kind of like the Baroque paintings very, I guess. tenebrous in some cases, and in other cases, not so much. But there's still that Baroque sort of feeling to them, which is really cool. Yeah, you're welcome. So I wanted to know, when was the moment that you decided, okay, I want to be an artist, I want to be a painter. Well,

Raul Campos: 3:20

the thing is, my story's a bit of a cliche, right? Because I was the kid who was always drawing at school, and, you know, so I've always been very into that. But when I was like, 15, I met like this artist, like this painter who was already selling, like, he has so much shows in Mexico. And he was like, you know, you can you can come to my studio and study with him. Like, for free. I mean, of like, what they're doing does, right? And I was like, fantastic. So I started there, like, learning basics of drawing, or, you know, mainly how to live as an artist, I think that was, and that you could actually be an artist and have a life, like, a nice life. Thinking was then like, when I was 15, that I was like, you know, I want to do this. But the question was, like, how I'm going to tell my parents, right? Yes, so with big complicated, so when I told them, they were like, No, you have to study something else. You're gonna starve, you know? And I was like, No, you know, so in a way I was always very fair to my decision.

Laura Arango Baier: 4:35

Yeah, and you're not starving. So that's just

Raul Campos: 4:39

the beginning I was. Oh, yeah, that's

Laura Arango Baier: 4:41

I think that's pretty normal. Um, but yeah, as far as I know, and from what I've noticed, you're doing quite well. Especially with the Mexican market, which seems to really love your work and also really love are starting to really love more realism, which is kind of unusual for LA In America, I feel like Latin America is very behind in the realism world.

Raul Campos: 5:05

Yeah, we're very close to the United States, right. And there's there's many painters, I've been to states who have been to Europe, like the arrow. We're on, like bringing the school to Mexico. So there's a lot of young, like yourself right now. Right. So it's interesting, and the claims are very tired of this abstract, not abstract debate contemporary, you know, market, which can really be very confusing. And also, because there's very Catholic values, Christian values, like a very religious country. Right. And I think that that really impacts the collection. The collectors, because they want, like stories in their houses. Yeah, that's where I come in. Yeah.

Laura Arango Baier: 5:56

Exactly. Exactly. And speaking of, because, you know, when we met, I remember, you hadn't studied with the audience, and you would always talk about odd. Why did you decide to stay with odd? And how has your work evolved? Since you left odd studio?

Raul Campos: 6:15

Well, like, I've always been a very huge fan of artwork, singing since I was a kid. And but then, I, when we were, when we were in Florence, I found out that he had like a school, right? And I was like, oh, that's crazy. I've never heard of this, you know, because in Mexico, nobody knew about the Nerdrum school. And because they weren't very present in social media or anything. It was like a very, you know, so. So I was like, you know, I'm just gonna email them and see what happens. Because I still have like, a semester to finish in danger. Well, but then I sent the email and then they replied, like, like, an hour later. Like, oh, you've been accepted in October. And I was like, what? So so I had to arrange everything. I never finished the angel Academy because of that. Because I left before before, like, I never did the still lives.

Laura Arango Baier: 7:24

Oh, nice.

Raul Campos: 7:30

But anyways, talking about my experience with without, I think it's very interesting, because, in a way, the angel or the Academy's teachers, you know, they teach you how to how to do the work, right, they help, but I needed to find like, the why. I think Nerdrum was very, very good with that. Because it makes you question many things. Like, it's not so much a technique. School, right. It's more like a philosophy sessions where or psychology sessions, Morrow, you know, challenges. Right, so I think that's, that's what helped me like, find, like, what I wanted to do, which is create like, this contemporary items in the Mexican Mexican culture, right? But with, like, very subtle, like, like you would have to really know or pay attention to the word to realize is, in a very Latin American context. Right. Right. I don't know. Okay. Long answer. No,

Laura Arango Baier: 8:36

it's a great sir. And I completely agree with you the that I had the same experience, you know, going to odd. Where you, obviously he's not there to teach anyone. He expects us to already know what we're doing when we go there. But yeah, I definitely also was able to sit around in the why a lot longer than the academies really let their students I feel like academies, almost don't let their students consider the why Ever. Which can be really, yeah, can be really difficult. Because then once you're done at the academy, it's like, What the hell do I do? What now? Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, I completely agree. I feel like your work is definitely it definitely touches on a lot of the cultural aspects of Mexico, but with a nice blend of the, I guess, the more European sort of classical way of doing things. It's a really nice blend of

Raul Campos: 9:31

the two. Yeah, I'm trying to represent the madness of this country, in a way

Laura Arango Baier: 9:38

that's a nice way of putting it. Yeah, that's

Raul Campos: 9:41

pretty much yeah,

Laura Arango Baier: 9:43

um, speaking of you know, what was it so how have you personally tried to find your own voice right, because we just talked about how like, being with od helped you with the why and then of course, the Academy's help with the how, what was it like for you? After when you were trying to find your personal voice, what was something that really helped you?

Raul Campos: 10:05

I think always like I was talking to this painter the other day, good friend of mine, actually my first teacher, which is now my friend. And I was in his studio, which is close by, and we were talking about honesty. And I think that's what a painter should always do, right? Find, like, be honest, like, in a way, like in your context, in your life. Like, who are you in? What do you like, right? Because you don't want to be a copy of someone you want to be you. Like, I don't know if that makes sense. But just think Harold speak, have you read the science and practice of crimes. And he talks about the deal. If an artist had like this impulse, he should always follow it. Because that's what's gonna define his work. And in a way that I've always been very curious and what textures. Like, like madness, so so. And also a Mexican, like, I cannot paint like, like, I try not to blood to bring back this classical stories like the Greeks, because it has nothing to do with me, like, like, has nothing to do with the police. I am in I'm gonna have some some classical paintings, but in a way, right now, I'm trying to paint more like, what I'm seeing, you know, the contemporary items. Because there's a lot of things that and I think every country has their own identity, which is what Peter should follow, right? Instead of trying to copy the great masters who have painted this great painting. So bless, you know, those so that Yeah, I think that's, that's pretty much what I'm, what I what I'm trying to do, I haven't really achieved it. Like, so. I'm better than this long life.

Laura Arango Baier: 11:54

Yeah, yeah. It's definitely a lifelong pursuit. Even I remember even on, you know, saying that, even now, he's not done yet. Right. And he's like, 80. So yeah, definitely. Yeah. It's a lifetime.

Raul Campos: 12:07

He was a social leader before? Yeah. Yeah. He

Laura Arango Baier: 12:11

definitely changed a lot in his style, and in his themes, and I mean, obviously, he just gets better and better. Which is what we all hope for. Yeah. Yeah, I remember one time I asked him, like, how many paintings have you painted? And he looks at me really tired. And he says, don't ask me that. Because it's, he's probably painted so many, many that we've probably never seen and might never see. And that says a lot, you know, that. Because, you know, as artists, that's, and as painters, we're, we're always seeking that improvement, and always seeking that, you know, moving forward and seeing it as a whole journey.

Raul Campos: 12:58

I think I think that's what, that's what you should always try to like, like many painters find, like this commercial style, and just stick with it until they die. And I think that that's like, because I know many that are like in this golden cage, which is, it's a bit sad, because as a painter, I think you're always as a person, you're always changing. And as I was telling you before, honesty, if you're honest with yourself, you know, you're changing the you know, your baby has to evolve, even if you don't sell anymore, because that will happen eventually. So, I mean, money is has has to always be like secondary, I think, in the way of painting. Right? I mean, if you sell what you do, then great, but don't try to paint to sell. I think that's yeah, and has done a fantastically, I think, once he gave me like this advice, which I'm still trying to decipher, was like, You should always paint like you're drowning. Oh,

Laura Arango Baier: 13:58

that's really great advice. I'm gonna have to sit with that one, too. I'm gonna

Raul Campos: 14:05

be like a future less.

Laura Arango Baier: 14:09

You know? Yeah, he's, he speaks in riddles, sometimes. It's fantastic. Yeah, it's great. Because it also leaves it very open to interpretation. And you get, I guess, you interpret it how you need it in that moment. And then when you revisit it, you reinterpret it, and you're like, Oh, it's this thing? Or Oh, it's nothing, but it still makes sense. Like,

Raul Campos: 14:31

like the article in The Matrix, right?

Laura Arango Baier: 14:33

Yes, exactly. Exactly. He is. But yeah, I completely agree. I think, you know, our pursuit as painters is and as and as creators is very much about discovering ourselves and discovering the world around us and expressing it and I completely agree that if it's possible for anyone to like sell with their painting, and then they do great, awesome, like you of course, but if someone is, you know, bending themselves to the will of the market. I like that you call it a golden cage. Because it can be because the person, the artist is put in a position where they can, you know, get money for what they do, but maybe they don't feel fulfilled. Right? Because

Raul Campos: 15:16

they're stuck. It's very dangerous. And then you have to always improve within this slide. So you don't get like, cast out on the market? I don't know, like, the market is very, very tough.

Laura Arango Baier: 15:31

It is. Yeah, I recently spoke to an art dealer, precisely about the art market. And you said that it's basically an aristocracy, and you don't really know what rules you're breaking until you break them. And that's when you find out it was rule, which is very true. And also the art market is so I guess it has its own rhythms that are managed by like a few people that one day you're like in style, and the next few not. And that's kind of what happened to Rembrandt also in his time, where the beginning is very, very popular. And then at the end of his life, Rembrandt was like, who even cares about that guy? Right. Which is unfortunate, because he was wonderful crafts person, wonderful painter.

Raul Campos: 16:15

But she was an antique. Yep. By her right, obsessively.

Laura Arango Baier: 16:20

Yeah, yeah, he was a collector as well. So it probably didn't help. Yeah, he had a lot of he probably had a lot of expenses.

Raul Campos: 16:29

Yeah. And I think that that's what natrium doesn't really well, because he doesn't paint for it. You know, he pays for a tentative proposal to transcend, like, yes. And I think that's what you should do. That's why it's very important to reflect your reality in your work, you know, because in a way, people are gonna look back to it, and they're gonna be like, This is how it was somehow, you know, it, you know, he said, he painted the Greek gods for 100 times. Like, he painted this, this contemporary items, which I think, well, I mean, that's what I'm trying to do. And I think that's, that's what negatively.

Laura Arango Baier: 17:14

Yeah, yeah, cuz odds, odds narratives are timeless, right? You can look at the painting doesn't, it isn't necessarily a story that everyone knows it's a story we can all resonate with. Right, which is what matters. I think your work also does that.

Raul Campos: 17:29

Sometimes his work is very post post aware, and very oriented to work.

Laura Arango Baier: 17:35

Yeah, lots of people with guns. It's very post apocalyptic starvation. It's like, yeah, it's people in rags and guns. Yeah. Like, I hope I don't live there one day, that would be really depressing. But it would be very funny if his images became like, true, right? That would be crazy. Yeah. Yeah. No. But yeah, back to technique. Actually, I wanted to know if you have because you also had some students in your studio for a while. And I wanted to know, do you have any advice for an artist who's looking to improve at their craft?

Raul Campos: 18:18

Well, I think I think you will have to find like, like, if you want to face the life, or whatever, but I always suggest like, do you have like a reason to not let's just do it because the sake of doing it to improve, right? Maybe you want to make this painting, which requires some fluids. You're gonna, I'm gonna and I'm gonna paint, I'm gonna become good. So I can add them to my painting later, right? And I think that that gives you like purpose. Because it's not exercises can become very boring. Like if you're in an in an atelier, it's easier because you're forced to do it. You have no other choice. But if you're at home, you can be like, Why am I going to print a Barbie? Why on earth? Yep. You want to learn shading the dots you want to do a portrait? By like a purpose? Yeah. BoldBrush

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We inspire artists to inspire the world. Because creating art creates magic, and the world is currently in desperate need of magic. BoldBrush provides artists with free art marketing, creativity, and business ideas and information. This show is an example. We also offer written resources, articles and a free monthly art contest open to all visual artists. We believe that fortune favors the bold brush. And if you believe that to sign up completely free at BoldBrush show.com. That's B O LD B R U S H show.com. The BoldBrush Show is sponsored by FASO. Now more than ever, it's crucial to have a website when you're an artist, especially if you want to be professional in your career. Thankfully with our special link faso.com forward slash pluck How fast you can make that come true. And also get over 50% off your first year on your artists website. Yes, that's basically the price of 12 lattes in one year, which I think is a really great deal considering that you get sleek and beautiful website templates that are also mobile friendly, e commerce print on demand in certain countries, as well as access to our marketing center that has our brand new art marketing calendar. And the art marketing calendar is something that you won't get with our competitor, the art marketing calendar gives you day by day, step by step guides on what you should be doing today, right now, in order to get your artwork out there and seen by the right eyes, so that you can make more sales this year. So if you want to change your life and actually meet your sales goal this year, then start now by going to our special link faster.com forward slash podcast. That's s a s o.com. Forward slash podcast. Yeah, that's a very good point, you know, having a purpose and that intention of why am I doing what I'm doing? And how is it gonna benefit? My work? That's a very good point. Yeah. Yeah. And then actually, I wanted to ask you about your social media, I think I think I know that you have someone who manages your social media for you. But in any case, I wanted to know how you use both social media and offline ways to get your work more well known.

Raul Campos: 21:19

Well, I've been I've been I mean, I'm very, very curious, because I'm very big on minimalism. Like, there's actually, like, a whole philosophy about that. And I know, Instagram, or social media sometimes can be very counterproductive. Because it's because they give you ideas. Like, I remember Harold, you know, Charles? Yeah. It was very funny. I'm sorry, I'm going back to that question is important, because, because he, we went to this workshop, actually, they went with deregulation. And it was really funny, because we want to show Charles like images of paint. Like, have you seen this painting? No, no, I don't see internet images. Because they corrupt by Yes. Like, yeah, that makes sense. And in a way, I try, I mean, sometimes fail. But I tried to do that, right. Because in order to create, like, I mean, I am going to call it original, even if it's not original, to create my work. I don't want to have like inferences from from things. Like only me, that we can create like compensations because sometimes Instagram really feeds you that anyways. But it's very important and you need it. It's like this double edged sword, I would say, I found many clients and collected or galleries through Instagram. So, I mean, but there's alternatives like, like meta business suite, where you can actually post without actually being online.

Laura Arango Baier: 22:56

Right? Yeah. Yeah, you can, you can just schedule a post. No, you're good.

Raul Campos: 23:02

Cisco's very interesting, but it's hard because you have to live like a double life. Right? Because many people like, like, have you? Have you seen the message? I sent you an Instagram? I'm like, No. Like, they have to ask the person to help me with this. Right. Yeah. I mean, it's, but I always suggest that you should have your like, I'm gonna call it your corporate image in order, right? Because if you need like a website, I think you need a good website. Essential. You need a good Instagram page, maybe a Facebook page, even though Facebook quickly. But you too, like, because that's your, your, your presentation type, right? You go to a gallery? You're like, yeah, you can see my website, which is lightning fast. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I think I always tell my students they should do that. They never do. They should.

Laura Arango Baier: 24:05

Yeah. Yeah, I guess. Because it's, I guess, because it's like, once you have your website, it's it becomes very real, right that you're now an artist and you have a portfolio and you have to have images for your website.

Raul Campos: 24:22

Yeah, but I think you have to have, but it's like, just just be careful with it. Like I tried to get myself locked in the cabinets. The Of course, and I use I use this phone.

Laura Arango Baier: 24:38

Oh, nice. So it's like a like an early 2000s phone type?

Raul Campos: 24:43

Texting. Yeah. Yeah, that's all you need. Communication. Yeah, exactly.

Laura Arango Baier: 24:48

I mean, I think it's also so exhausting to have like basically a tiny computer. Always available because it really messes with your memory. It messes with your brain and messes with your sleep. I'm certainly with you. Yeah. And I agree with Charles sweet. I mean, it's like, oh, no, no, I don't want to get influenced.

Raul Campos: 25:07

It's hard to be like a hermit like, it is.

Laura Arango Baier: 25:10

It is, but uh huh. I kind of want to try it.

Raul Campos: 25:17

Yeah, it's good. I love hearing. And that's something actually nerdom told me once, like later, he was like, it's a shame that your your generation doesn't know how to get bored anymore. And I was like, Yeah, because he used those stories when he would travel to the states. And he just sat on the plane. With nothing to do sketching, creating ideas are on the trains, right. Now we just sit and watch a TV and then we appear in another place. But no, I think he's right. Like, we lost the ability to get bored. Like thinks, like, really important.

Laura Arango Baier: 25:59

Yeah, it's so important. I mean, when I think of, like, for example, like writers during the Romantic period, right, so like, the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, like all of these people who had absolutely nothing else to do, right, they had, they had no way listening to music, right? Like today, it's so easy. You just go to Spotify on youtube put music. And we never have a moment of silence. Whereas I think I agree having that silence in that meditative sort of forced time to be with your thoughts. It's really important as a creative

Raul Campos: 26:33

Rembrandt that he all of the great painters they didn't have music industry is exactly nothing else to do the paint should be quite interesting if you try to paint themselves because I've been trying lately. A weird I did it because of a friend of mine. He's older. He's like 70 is a painter also. He is actually he's an abstract painter, typically very good. He told me she doesn't paint with music, because music influences his like, like a very interesting. So he's always trying to control it. And I'm like, Well, maybe. Because music is a stimulant. And if you actually just learn to be present in the painting, it becomes like, I mean, you should try.

Laura Arango Baier: 27:27

Yeah, I, I would probably worry that my ears will start bleeding from the silence. But but it should be it should be great. I'll let you know once I try it. But yeah, I also wanted to know, because you do have a quite a bit of collectors. And do you work with galleries as

Raul Campos: 27:48

well? Yeah, I have a couple of galleries. Okay, cool.

Laura Arango Baier: 27:52

Because I wanted to know, you know, how do you manage, you know, working with galleries and maintain those relationships with the galleries and with collectors.

Raul Campos: 28:00

I think it's very important to realize, I mean, okay, this very complex process and painting is based on really nothing, right? Like you're stuck is based on the demand, right? So it gets hired. But so yeah, there's so many people are like very afraid of giving like a huge percentage to the governor and because they take like half of your money, right? But then if you go back and you think you're getting this thing, I'm doing somebody have a value, these guys are going to create a value and then they're gonna stain the value. Because if they ask someone you know, this gallery says the price is this. It's very important for your career to have like a gallery Yeah, but yeah, I mean, there's really not much it's just just to work with try to be responsible. Don't go behind the gallery spec. essential things because it happens. Playing around with Xander I'm gonna go to use it to you and I'm gonna pay you like but let's do it outside of the gallery because that way deeper, and I'm like, Oh, this because if I do that, I'm gonna find my other collectors, right? Because you're gonna be paying less than they are and it's not fair. Sometimes I try to keep like very ethical pricing. And that's why I've been able to work with a lot of galleries. A couple of clubs, because I tried to be very honest with my sister this is just it's a business in a way. I mean, I love painting and I love what I paint, but in a way I also know it's a business that is both of them. Yeah, like you're like a construction worker but they're also they are stealing

Laura Arango Baier: 29:59

Yeah, Basically, um, yeah. And then I also noticed that at least since I've been hearing get it that it will be lifestyle is much more social. Do you find that you have a lot more time to be able to be social with your collectors here?

Raul Campos: 30:16

Yeah, yeah. I think there's a very social in Mexico. They love having lunches and parties. And they love to show up. Very funny. Yeah. And to make this museum like I have this client who's making his private museum of his work is just a fantastic museum just because in but they love. I mean, they love the experience of talking to a painter is, and there's something you've probably noticed very funny here that everyone becomes like, massive. Yeah. Yeah. Like, like, but even collectors, like, like, Master, you know. But it's funny, because there's like this, like, intrinsic, like, society's respect for society in this respect for painters like these, like with respect, which is very cool. I mean, it didn't happen anywhere else at this point in the place I've been. Yeah. Always, like going back in time.

Laura Arango Baier: 31:28

It is. Yeah, that's very true. It's happened to me here too, where people seem to, it's almost like, you know, how they call doctor's doctor, right. So it does kind of feel like a really nice, I guess, like term of like, respect, because they realize that it's a difficult career. You know, it's something that you've studied for. It's something that you've put in a lot of hours for. In other countries. They don't. It's like, oh, you're an artist. So you poor thing.

Raul Campos: 31:59

Yeah, yeah. It's, it's funny here. Especially like, like, I mean, Mexico in general. There's also like, like, you know, painters staying with paintings. Their taxes, you know,

Laura Arango Baier: 32:15

that's a cool.

Raul Campos: 32:18

pay with money. Yeah,

Laura Arango Baier: 32:20

that's great. Um, I guess if anyone's interested in coming to Mexico. Now. They know why. They

Raul Campos: 32:26

should they should come here. Yeah, that happened. Because this painter I forgot his name. But he was, he was a good friend of the President of Mexico back in the day. He was like a man. And brother. And then they change their legislation to make like patriots and pay taxes. Like with money. That's

Laura Arango Baier: 32:47

awesome. That's awesome.

Raul Campos: 32:51

Oh, they show the work like in museums. Yeah.

Laura Arango Baier: 32:54

Right. Yeah. Because that's like, the tax write off is basically that the words become like, property of the state and they can be used, you know, it's like, yeah, for museums. Just really useful. It grows the culture, which I think that's one of the nice things that I've noticed about being here is that it's very culturally active city. Like there's always an exhibition, there's always something going on.

Raul Campos: 33:17

Oh, yes. Interesting. Yeah,

Laura Arango Baier: 33:20

yeah, it is. Um, but speaking of galleries also, what if someone wants to start working with a gallery? What do you recommend for them to do maybe before meeting the gallery or reaching out? What do you recommend?

Raul Campos: 33:35

I always think is very better to go in person, like with your portfolio. And I mean, some galleries prefer like you to send them an email with your work. I think if they get to know you, but you get introduced by a friend, it's usually easier to go in, and just like sending them a message on Instagram. I mean, sometimes it works. But I think like I've noticed that it works better when you get like introduced by someone. But But going back to the thing I think you need your whole image like very well making, right like your website, their portfolio. me maybe a couple of years work, like have like another boys have, like their work has to have like some sort of unity. I think you can see like your pay these guys is a serious thing. It's not just like, This guy just came out of school and wants to be famous. Right? I think I mean, but the gallery world is also very strange. Some galleries are just not interesting. Anything and suddenly, galleries are like, very, very meticulous with how they get artists. And so but yeah, let me just go in and so

Laura Arango Baier: 34:53

yeah, that's true. You have to go in and ask or else. Yeah, very true. And then do you have any upcoming like shows or exhibitions or anything? Well, no,

Raul Campos: 35:08

not at the moment. I mean, at least not this year. I think right now I'm really just focusing on my work without compromises, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's

Laura Arango Baier: 35:25

a good point too. Because I think sometimes, you know, working with a gallery, it's great. But if you have to do like a, say, like a solo show, or something that's 20 paintings, and sometimes they only give you like, six months or something, or hopefully more than six months. And that can be a lot, especially if you're making paintings, like the size that you're making, which are huge paintings. I think that would be very, very intense.

Raul Campos: 35:50

Yes. So right now I'm just exploring this new subject. Just want to involve them a bit more than I. Then I can listen to the show. I'll see what to do with them. At the moment, I'm just

Laura Arango Baier: 36:06

Yeah, yeah. And actually, I wanted to know, what does it been like for you to go from like, smaller paintings to bigger paintings, what's that transition been? Like?

Raul Campos: 36:17

Works. Remember, all you certainly never make big paintings. They're like a painting, they're very expensive to sell, very expensive to move them to, to create, but in a way, it feels like you're doing something important. You know, if you work like in a big painting, it's just like, like, tougher like this beast, you want to just conquer. At the moment that you're trying to make like, like, just like, he bought huge paintings, but just bigger, bigger paintings. Because the thing is, like, like, my references are there. And he he really makes a huge painting. So my paintings compared to his another big, medium size on an address.

Laura Arango Baier: 37:08

Wow. And medium says it's still huge.

Raul Campos: 37:10

So meters. Yeah.

Laura Arango Baier: 37:14

Which is a lot of space to fill. And then I also wanted to know, because you know, with art, especially like, it's very funny, you ask God like, oh, where's your inspiration from? He says, he just gets images on his head, right? What about you? How do you find your inspiration? Blessing

Raul Campos: 37:33

something, something very similar? Like to answer because because I had this question before, when you create these images, and I'm like, No, they just pop like, yeah. But it's because I'm always trying to like, like, develop my world, right. So I think if you know, which world your characters belong to, it's easier to conceptualize like, what could a new painting be? Within the the laws of this universe? Right. Makes sense? Yeah.

Laura Arango Baier: 38:12

Yeah. It makes perfect sense. And it makes no sense. But like, with your work and how, like, they they have these hats, right? Or they have like, the specific clothes and the places that they're in? Yeah, they have to, I mean, it is a little bit like, like how you say, like, your own world, and you're building it. You're like world building, literally. Yeah.

Raul Campos: 38:35

That's what I'm doing. And there's different subcultures in different Yeah, yeah. Country. 70.

Laura Arango Baier: 38:43

It's very Lord of the Rings. Yeah,

Raul Campos: 38:45

you know, talking. Yeah, but actually, that advice came from Mike. He always told me that you have to create a world because that's how you can in that way you create like, this, this new paintings. I know if that makes sense. But he really works like that. But he lives in this loss. This universe he created and then these characters are always like part of it. Yeah. I mean, the technique virus lodash is very loose. I think back in the day, he was very, like, imagine as he calls it. Yeah. So but they're always like, these people who would live in this reality. And I think that's what people should do. Like. I mean, even if it's abstract, there's lost within that. I think if that makes any sense.

Laura Arango Baier: 39:42

Yeah. Yeah. I mean like, let's pretend now. Yeah, no, it makes perfect sense. Um, yeah. Because I mean it's really funny because it's it's also like how you said you know, odds earlier work. Has this basically very similar, not the same scenery as the one he's making today. But the way he painted, obviously changed, but you can still tell that it's an Odd Nerdrum. Right. It's still

Raul Campos: 40:13

work. Yeah, they live within this world he created. Exactly. People have to live in their own honest world.

Laura Arango Baier: 40:24

Yes. In silence in boredom. Yes, yeah. That's how you get there. Oh, man. But yeah, do you have any, like final advice for any artists out there who are looking to live from their work?

Raul Campos: 40:44

Never be afraid to ask, like, advice. Let's first land and to talk to galleries or clients. Also, no, like, it's very important to learn how to talk about the work. You have to make it interesting, right? That's, that's what, what people, people want to know, stories. They want to connect with what you're doing, but you have to explain it in the right, we'll see. Less of the days.

Laura Arango Baier: 41:18

Maybe not. That's great. That's great advice. Because, you know, a lot of like marketing today, right? marketing and branding and all these things. It's all about storytelling, deep down, like it is about like, having a narrative and but not necessarily a false narrative, right? You're you still want to be honest with your collector with the person who's like asking about your work, you still want to tell them like, oh, well, that's this that does. But it also helps to be clear, right? Like how you said, you know, knowing how to talk about your work? Yes. Someone who your life and your life. Yeah. Yeah, that's because people, people love

Raul Campos: 41:55

painters, like, I've realized that they're like, fascinated. Even nothing on they just paint and like, yeah, just get bored and like, and that becomes like, like, the whole package, right? Like, you tell them all the work. And then they see like, the way you live, and it just becomes interesting for them. Like, for me, it's just normal. I know, painters isn't even like this. It's just people like leaving this nine to five routine. Usually need like this escape the intersection and create that.

Laura Arango Baier: 42:33

Yeah, that's a different way of living when you're a painter, because you're not escaping from anything, you don't have to escape or anything. Like it's a much more organic life, in my opinion, because you get up at whatever time drink your coffee, maybe sit outside and like, I don't know, feel the sun for a little bit. And then it's like, Okay, I'm gonna go work. You know, it's like, the way that God lives. It's like, I want that, right. Yeah,

Raul Campos: 43:00

right. We all want that. It's just, yes. Such a nice life in the series.

Laura Arango Baier: 43:05

Yeah, exactly. It's very natural. You know, it's very different from today's life, which is very much like Go Go, go. Always be available, you know, on your phone and like, always be around and stay up to date with the news and all of these things. It's too much. It's too much. I

Raul Campos: 43:26

love how he calls the phone. The machine. It

Laura Arango Baier: 43:29

is it's the machine. Yeah.

Raul Campos: 43:34

That the machine. Yeah, what essentially? It

Laura Arango Baier: 43:36

is. It is yes. It's a tiny machine that big brother is watching. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So where can people find more of your work? Well, it would be

Raul Campos: 43:51

on my website. I think that's the easiest, you know, you can probably find the link somewhere.

Laura Arango Baier: 43:57

Yes. I'll be adding all the links in the yeah,

Raul Campos: 44:00

my Instagram. That's a contemporary way of reaching. Perfect.

Laura Arango Baier: 44:05

Well. Oh, yeah, that's another option. Yeah, if anyone's ever and get it, though. Yeah, it should hit you up. Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for all for giving us some of your time and some of your really awesome advice. Oh,

Raul Campos: 44:22

let's use mine.