Featured Artist: Pablo Ontaneda

At a recent home show I attended, I had the pleasure of meeting talented Ecuadorian artist Pablo Ontaneda. His work was extremely captivating, visually inspiring people to do positive things about the environment. Pablo uses recycled materials and dried leaves to create marvelous works of art. He finishes his art with a high gloss coat to preserve the dried leaves and give it a contemporary look.

Pablo Ontaneda was born to a creative family; his father was a well-known coffee exporter and entrepreneur from Ecuador who enjoyed painting and sculpture. During Pablo's childhood he spent much time visiting coffee and cocoa plantations; he felt a great connection with nature.

Pablo lived in Italy for two years and studied language and art history. Being exposed to centuries of architecture, sculpture and painting gave him a new perspective to art.

Pablo currently lives in Ecuador, a country filled with exuberant rain forests, majestic mountains and endless beaches. Nature is his main source of inspiration. "I believe art can be the most sensible way to change our relationship with nature. It can motivate us to get away from irresponsible progress to get closer to nature."

I have attached pictures from his most recent collection of art entitled "eARTh."