Drawings by J Michael Walker
Drawings by Los Angeles-based artist J. Michael Walker
"Around the first time I went to Mexico [1974], I bought my first set of Prismacolor color pencils, took them with me to la Sierra Tarahumara, and taught myself to draw. Only later, when I began showing my work around to galleries in Los Angeles, did I discover that the technique I had developed off in a quiet corner in Mexico, this painting-like finish, is essentially unique."
Themes
"Several themes have remained fairly constant in my work of the past twenty years: Mexico, particularly the Virreinal; women; spirituality; and social justice. These combine in different ways in practically every drawing I do because, for me, really, they are all related. Of course, they all come together in my interpretations of the Virgin of Guadalupe."  

A selection of vibrant and realistic images over the past twenty years, reflecting the artist's ongoing deep connection to the world that has long nurtured him


Grounded in thoughtful observation or fruit of whimsical reflection, these portrayals of women consistently celebrate and empathize with their subject


A continuing theme through the artist's output over the years is a focus on the spiritual side of our existence, utilizing a variety of symbols and forms


A love of women and of Mexico combines with an inclination towards spirituality in these sweet and surprising depictions of the Virgin


A selection of works that speak to social themes without being either shrill or divisive, but remain quietly insistent on the plight of the marginalized and the poor


A suite of works that revel in the seeming outlandishness of the period, while remaining seriously respectful of its aims, forms, and accomplishments