Ajijic has earned a reputation as a bustling mecca of artistic expression, and what could be more intriguing than discovering it has spawned exceptional talents that transcend generations.
That’s the inspiration behind “It’s a Family Affair,” a new exhibition opening Friday, July 11, at Casa del Sol Inn. The show will highlight the works of Jesús López Vega, his son Jesús Eduardo, and his daughter Rosario.
Visitors will have the chance to meet the artists and explore a diverse collection of their paintings and other creative media during the opening reception, which will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at Calle Javier Blanco 7.
López Vega is well known for his paintings, engravings and murals, which are distinguished by themes of pre-Columbian mythology, mystical symbolism and a vibrant color palette. His works tell stories of life, nature, ancient deities and local legends passed down by the ancestors of the Lake Chapala region.
In addition to his paintings, he creates sculptures and figurines using clay ceramics and resin compounds. López Vega has even developed a line of souvenir products, including T-shirts, coffee mugs, and logo stickers.
López Vega is a product of the original Children’s Art Program (CAP), established in 1954 by Neill James, an American author who settled in Ajijic a decade earlier. James became a benefactor to the town’s first generation of budding artists and founded the Biblioteca Pública.
When the Biblioteca lost its lease on a house on Calle Constitución in the late 1970s, James relocated it to one of the front buildings at her Quinta Tzintzunzan homestead. After several years, CAP was revived as a weekly Saturday workshop following the Lake Chapala Society’s 1983 move to its new headquarters at the James property.
López Vega immediately signed on as a mentor to CAP kids and has continued in this role to this day, making him the longest-standing volunteer at the Lake Chapala Society (LCS).
Like their father, Rosario López García, 26, and her brother Jesús Eduardo, 29, both began their artistic journeys in the CAP workshops. While working in private enterprise, Rosario continues to paint, focusing on whimsical depictions of flora and fauna in bright colors. She also led a watercolor workshop for 30 children at last year’s LCS summer art camp.
Jesús Eduardo earned a degree in graphic arts from Universidad UNE. His oil and acrylic paintings, graphic works, and murals showcase a hard-edged style of expressionism, exploring themes related to life and society in the modern world.
The López Vega family also runs Galería de Arte Axixic, a gallery and semi-outdoor studio located at the west corner of Río Zula and Ocampo, where they host art shows and events.
“It’s a Family Affair” will also feature works by López Vega’s older brother, Antonio, a 1979 graduate of the prestigious Instituto Allende art school. Antonio’s studies at the institute were sponsored by Neill James, making him one of the early stars of the CAP program.
The exhibition will run until September 1, giving the public six full weeks to immerse themselves in a world of artistic brilliance and shared family passion.