SALUSTIANO

b. 1965, Spain

The subject, to artist Salustiano, is invariably the portrait. Salustiano chooses his subjects striving for an aesthetic result, but also the emotion and expression of the glance that creates a connection with the viewer. His work has been widely exhibited in galleries and museums. He paints using a special pigment - up to sixty layers - from the Cochinilla or Cochineal beetle. This pigment was used by the native peoples of Central America and was brought to Europe by the Spaniards. After gold, the exquisite red derived from this insect was the second most prized commodity imported by the Spanish (who later sold it to Navajos and other North American tribes for use in their rugs and textiles). He specialized on Painting at Fine Arts University of Seville, Spain.