The Amazing Art of Erick Mota - Painting with the mind's eye.

There's art that is beautiful to look at and art that gets you thinking.

Some works of art will evoke emotions in the viewer that range from joy to sadness. There are also works of art where the creator doesn't really want you to know what it is that you're looking at. It's all a big mystery. However, if you are looking for a painting that will take pride of place in your apartment's living room, start a conversation with your brunch guests, and, oh, by the way, dazzle ALL of your senses, then it's time that you met artist Erick Mota. Erick's art captures universal human themes that speak to everyone, expressing whatever he is feeling within his heart, mind and soul. With each painting, Erick's goal is to capture those emotions and make the onlooker see, feel and think through their OWN set of emotions. Psychology is a strong influence on Erick in his daily life; therefore he always tries to incorporate a psychological implication in most pieces, from the title of the painting to the specific colors being used. You will find yourself drawn into Erick's world without even realizing it. And, you will love every minute of the ride. You don't just LOOK at Erick Mota's art; you EXPERIENCE it!

Or, as the painter himself puts it: "I find inspiration in anything and everything. Sometimes I just watch and observe people as they come and go, paying attention to various idiosyncrasies in order to further formulate the narrative I intend to produce. When I paint I am actually painting things that I like; something I believe in; something I want to alter etc. By sharing HOW I see the world, I help others gain a new perspective as well, hopefully expanding their outlook on life. Erick has been turning out eye-catching works of art on a professional basis for five years now. After a great deal of thought, Erick resigned from his job as a retail manager and decided that it was time to take the plunge and devote his time to art. That is, in between studying for a Ph.D. and being a devoted and loving husband and father.

That decision, though, was not without its own set of challenges. "When someone decides to put themselves out there and sell their work, there comes with it a level of vulnerability that nothing can prepare you for. I had to face a ton of rejection by galleries and had people who were so-called "experts" criticize my art. I also had a hard time putting together a website and getting it off the ground."

Instead of letting all the negativity overwhelm him, Erick put on his big boy pants and started believing in himself. " I found that I had to be patient and receptive to learning what I didn't know and, above all, NOT take critical comments so personally. Easier said than done! I embraced those things that I already knew how to do; learned to be comfortable in my own skin and just paint - without comparing myself to other artists. The most valuable lesson that I learned was to always challenge myself to paint from the heart and soul".

The artists' perseverance paid off. Erick's work has been a part of many prestigious group exhibitions and he has won the Donatello Award from Florence Italy and the Leonardo DaVinci award from Milan's art community. In 2023, this amazing painter, who for a long time could not convince an art gallery to present his work, has been part of seven group shows including the New You exhibition at One Art Space, curated by Start Shows; the Works of Art show at 420 Gallery curated by Bushwick Street Art in Brooklyn; the New New exhibition at Brooklyn Art Cave, curated by The Culture Candy and Art Expo NY. Held at Pier 36 in downtown Manhattan, Art Expo NY is one of the largest gatherings of artists and galleries in the WORLD. Erick is understandably delighted to be a part of it, relishing the chance to meet art lovers as well as engage with other artists. Even at this stage in his career, Erick still loves to learn from his peers.

Be on the lookout for Erick Mota's art to be displayed larger than life in the iconic environs of Times Square, the crossroads of the world. Curated by Artist Talk Magazine, the Times Square Art Show will display Erick's works on a huge screen. Erick has been given full artistic freedom by the magazine to decide how many images of his paintings he wants to display and just how he would like everything presented. It's all happening on June 22nd at 42nd Street and Broadway.

So, right about now, you must be wondering; how did it all begin for Erick? What motivated him to put the brush on the canvas? Well, it all started over on Staten Island, the cozy and quiet borough where he grew up. Erick's father Anibal was a huge influence on both his sons in terms of encouraging their creativity. A mixed media artist, Anibal utilized a variety of different techniques
and materials to conjure up art that was truly one-of-a-kind. In addition to acrylic paint, Anibal Mota used tree branches, sea shells, sand, metal and paper to make artwork. One of Erick's favorites, growing up, was Anibal's New York Street Scene, with the Empire State Building in the background, which was made entirely out of newspaper clippings. Anibal NEVER tried to sell his art. He was happy just showing it to family and close friends. Erick has a ton of respect for the humbleness and humility that his dad displayed.

You also might be interested to know that Erick's brother Danny eventually carved out his own niche in the arts. He is a designer doing licensed Bob Marley merchandise and apparel for Universal Music Group as well as for other artists such as the Grateful Dead and Pantera. Danny is also planning to launch a boutique clothing label called Palis. So, stay tuned.

Aplez.com wondered, other than his father, what other artists have influenced Erick through the years. " I have always had a deep interest in visiting art museums such as the MOMA to study the works of celebrated artists like Van Gough, Picasso, Cezanne and Monet. I am fascinated by the influential Renaissance artists Leonardo Da Vinci and Michaelangelo. It's amazing how they used live models to pose in various positions to create detailed sketches in preparation for larger works. On a more contemporary note, there are no greater influences than Basquiat, Haring, Condo and Banksy. I really admire how they are proficient in challenging boundaries and creating art that speaks on a number of contextual frameworks. "

While his dad loved to experiment with different mixed media, Erick is more than happy to focus on oil painting. "What I love most about using oil is the flexibility and versatility that the medium allows. There is a certain freedom and flow that oil painting provides. I rarely work on one oil painting at a time. Because of the time that it takes for the paint to dry, which can be fairly lengthy, I am usually working on four to five paintings at once. It does keep me quite busy, though."

It's hard to believe but Erick didn't create his first real painting until he had to take an Introduction to Oil Painting class as an elective during his undergraduate psychology studies.

Part of the reason for signing up for this class was that Erick wanted to challenge himself and use a medium that his father was unfamiliar with, as talented as the elder Mota was. "I remember the first few paintings I did in class were still-life. I always tried to incorporate my own style in each one; giving it a bit of personality, as it were. One of my fellow students actually offered me money for the painting, as he wanted to give it to his mother as a Christmas present. When another classmate wanted to buy one of my other paintings I thought to myself "You know what; I may just have something here." And the rest, as they say, is history."

The psychological aspects of human behavior play a major role in Erick's work. As far back as he can remember, Erick has been intrigued by how people interact with each other.; what causes a person to behave a certain way; how exactly does the mind work? "I always had a curious mind, so the study of psychology was perfect for me," explained Erick. "The mind is everything in a person's life. Every action and thought travels through our brain before we are even aware of it. Learning about the power of emotions, why we do what we do, how thoughts develop and how culture influences our personality, is very empowering."

Now coming to the homestretch of his Ph.D. studies, Erick's goals in the profession are to help others and make a difference in their lives. Our artist in the spotlight has been exploring the idea of getting into clinical psychology and possibly integrating art into certain clinical practices.

As you might have suspected from reading up to this point, family is everything to Erick Mota. "My family and friends are the most valuable things that I have in my life. My wife has been extremely supportive of my artistic journey and my kids are my biggest critics. Constructive criticism, of course," Erick added with a smile. " They are with me at every event and exhibition opening and it makes me so proud to show them that persistence and hard work DOES pay off.
Art totally seems to run in the family. My oldest daughter has produced some really great work and my son, who is only eight, is getting into art, as well."

As the loyal Aplez.com universe is already aware, we are all about promoting small businesses, helping them to be discovered by consumers across NYC! We wanted to know if Erick had any favorite bars and restaurants that he would like Aplez.com's readers to know about. He wasn't shy about answering.

"This is a question I can break down into so many categories because NYC just has so much to offer when it comes to food. But, I'll try to keep it short. When it comes to pizza, my favorite in the entire universe is Patsy's in East Harlem. I am actually working on a painting involving Patsy and space aliens. Sounds crazy, I know, but you'll see it in the near future. I also love Lombardi's in the West Village, Joe & Pat's on Staten Island and Giuseppina's in Brooklyn. In Manhattan, my go-to place, by far, is Tao, both the uptown and downtown locations. Each of the locations has a different menu and vibe. Now, I really don't drink coffee. However, one of the best coffee bars on the Lower East Side is Froth. They make an amazing purple iced lavender chai tea."

We could have chatted with Erick a while longer. But all good things must come to an end and Erick had a busy day ahead of him. In closing out our conversation, we wanted to know where the artist saw his brand headed in the near future. "I would like to think that the possibilities are endless. Having said that, I don't want to set any expectations. I know that my work ethic reflects that of someone who puts everything into whatever I am doing, so I would like to think that all of my hard work will translate to a successful career. As an artist, I just want to keep breaking boundaries, keep creating and keep making the impossible very possible, indeed. Above all else, I want to move people, touch their feelings and help them to believe that if I can do it, you can too. Whatever your goals in life are, be confident and trust in yourself."

Treat yourself or someone you care about with the gift of art. Erick has an extensive online shop and a very entertaining website. You'll actually enjoy getting to know Erick through his art. He is also accepting commissions on a very limited basis. Email the artist and set up a chat.

Contact Info:

Website: www.erickmotaart.com
Instagram: @erickmotaart
Twitter: @erickmotaart