The Passion of Life: Master Royo Returns to San Diego!

At Exclusive Collections Galleries, May means International Artist's Month!

Royo, one of EC Galleries' most distinguished artists, joined us from Valencia, Spain for a three-day show at Exclusive Collections Gallery in Fashion Valley Shopping Center May 13-15.

"Royo is discussed in the finest art galleries in the world as one of the greatest figurative painters of all time.  His international gallery presence can be found from Geneva to London, Tokyo to San Diego, New York and Chicago, along with Mexico.  Royo's collectors hail his genius as paintings are rare, demand is high, and the sales of his art are swift" (Off the Easel Magazine).

Royo exhibited his most recent collection of original oil paintings for his beloved collectors, signed copies of his book Utopia, and personally dedicated his paintings to their new owners.

Royo, preparing to write a personal dedication to a collector

Royo's publisher of sixteen years, Greg Bloch, said of the artist, "Unlike any other painter that I have seen, Pepe dedicates his attention to one painting at a time, from start to finish.  He gets up every day with the intention of doing his very best work."  As an inspiration to us all, Royo's beautiful Impressionist oil paintings remind us to live our lives with the intention of doing better, working harder, each and every day.

Master Royo with his interpreter, Mireya, and his US agent, Greg Bloch

On Friday and Saturday evenings, Royo's devoted collectors enjoyed Spanish tapas and the Flamenco guitar of Anthony Garcia and Juan Moro.  Of the show, Royo expressed his delight and gratitude to everyone who appreciates his talent.  Royo took time out of the busy evening to thank his collectors and share with them the love that he has for his vocation.  Through his interpreter, Mireya, he said,

"To be an artist is a privilege.  They used to say in ancient Greece, 'When the gods gave you talent, they also gave you a whip!'  Privilege comes together with sacrifice.  It is a privilege to be a painter, but [I have] the obligation to do better every day.  Talent is not free.  You have to work at it every day."

Flamenco guitarist Anthony Garcia with Master Royo

On Sunday evening, Royo's collectors joined the artist in an exclusive dinner and musical accompaniment at Trattoria La Bocca in San Diego's Downtown Gaslamp District.

Master Royo, with his wife, Margarita, and art consultants Sarah and Keegan

It is a great honor to have Master Royo visit Exclusive Collections Gallery, and we look forward to seeing him again in another two years.

Thank you, Master Royo!

Guests got "Lost in Venice" with Steven Quartly

Steven Quartly charmed our collectors with his most recent series of paintings, entitled “Lost in Venice”. In what may very well have been some his best work to date, the evening commenced as Venetian opera masks were handed out upon entering the show. The Italian themed food and Chianti were displayed with a dramatic old-world backdrop, and two Italian opera singers performed live to heighten the overall experience. Steven Quartly was in the center of the gallery and painted a stunning and quite large Venetian scene as guests watched on. As we witnessed him place the color on canvas with effortless ease, he spoke about the composition and the importance of light. He also shared with us his remembrance of traveling to Venice and how much joy it brought him to capture it again through that particular piece of work. Not surprisingly, it was sold almost immediately!

All who were there to experience this special show at EC Gallery had the rare opportunity to become lost themselves… lost in the beauty of the canvases, lost in the surrounding voices of Italian opera singers, and finally, lost in the overall emotion of the weekend.