Brian M. Viveros grew up in Corona CA., back then he submitted some of his artwork to Lowrider Arte when he first started drawing. Unfortunately for Brian, his artwork was never published. “It wasn’t up to par,” says Brian who was still finding his way. “For me, it’s exciting having the opportunity to be published in Lowrider Arte,” excitedly expresses Brian who’s artwork has gained a small cult-type following.
Brian currently resides in Riverside, CA., and works out of his home studio. We had the chance to catch up with him right after he returned from his solo exhibition titled “Returning Art to the Unclean” at Paul Booth’s “Last Rights” Gallery in New York. “That was the first show where I got the opportunity to sign flesh,” says Brian. Many people that attended the gallery had tattooed some of Brian’s art pieces on them. “I was asked to sign their flesh, they were going to get my signature tattooed on them next to my art piece.”
“It took a lot to get to where I’m at,” says Brian who used to make packages of his art during his Junior and High School days. He used to mail out those packages out to different publications hoping that one day they’d get published. Unfortunately for him, his artwork would always get rejected. “Back then I wasn’t doing my fine art, it really wasn’t me yet, it took years for me to hone in on that.” The smoking girls were something that Brian found himself getting really attached to. “I try to really hone in that (smoking girls) by using iconic elements from my childhood,” says Brian who grew up with Mexican wrestling, boxing, bullfighting and playing with guns. “The women in my artwork come from two of the strongest women in my life, my wife and my mom.” Both his wife and mother have been through a lot. “I try to put a lot of that emotion into my paintings,” says Brian. “I have always looked at my mom as a strong woman who kept things together and kept me on track. These women (in paintings) aren’t victims, actually they are heroes, and they have won the battle, they have won the war!”
" “The women in my artwork come from two of the strongest women in my life, my wife and my mom.”
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A lot of people that don’t know Brian or his artwork assume that the bloody women have been battered or abused. “Those people are blind and they only want something to say. If you look closely, you will see that my work is all about pushing the strength, the power and the sexiness of a woman.”