Joe Bravo's 'Tortilla Art'

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed)
Aug 9th 2007 at 11:03AM

When someone says "tortilla" to you, what pops to mind? Lunch, right? A nice big burrito with extra sour cream. But Mr. Joe Bravo isn't like most of us, when he thinks "tortilla" he starts thinking of his next artistic inspiration. To him tortillas are canvases on which he paints amazingly detailed and deep creations with acrylics. Of course, the tortillas must be prepped and treated beforehand, and for each painting Bravo searches through several tortillas until he finds the one with just the right appearance and texture. This month Bravo will be heading to Hong Kong to showcase his floury creations while painting a celebrity live and in person. I'd love to see him paint -- must be an interesting process!

Via Book of Joe

Tags: art, bravo, joe bravo, JoeBravo, paint, painting, paintings, tortilla, tortillas

Filed under: Decor, Art

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Cara Aug 15th 2007 8:22PM

This is amazing, just amazing. I'd love to see him paint this, as well. Oh, what will they think of next?
But, you know, this could be a great art project for children. I have 8 myself, and it would be a great way to keep them busy!

David Miller Aug 15th 2007 9:24PM

Tortilla art, isn't that an oxymoron? Or is that, artist moron? Christ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SKW Aug 15th 2007 9:40PM

Why not? I mean, tortillas have a similar texture and absorbancy to canvas, you just have to watch out for the natural oils. I say if you want to paint on a tortilla, go for it. Just preserve it or your portraits will have green, furry acne.

Hortencia Aug 15th 2007 9:42PM

We have so many kinds of art, why not tortilla art?
That is great!!!!

Martin Bingham Aug 16th 2007 12:22AM

Mr. Bravo, You need to try regular canvases for your paintings. You are magnifico.

epiphanomaly Aug 15th 2007 11:21PM

Look folks, this IS America, right? Where's your sense of capitalism? Geez. Just make edible ones in mass quantity.
We coud be just a few tortillas away from sport star, rock star and........gulp.......porn st.....NO, I can't even say it.
But the good part, would be what we could name all the finished food items...and yes, I know!!!!!
One for a pink taco.

beegirl Aug 15th 2007 11:41PM

DOES THAT COME WITH CHEESE ?

cyncyn Aug 16th 2007 12:37AM

Instead of tortilla isn't it really Artilla?

Diana Aug 16th 2007 12:52AM

This man is brilliant. I have saved it on my computer, so I can show my husband...I would like to see more. I even would love to meet the artist...Mr.Joe Bravo.... Bravo for him.!!

JBud Aug 16th 2007 1:47AM

Being a formally trained visual artist myself, one that has attended and graduated from two of the best art schools in the country (I have a Master's in Fine Art), I can assure you that what Mr. Joe Bravo is doing with his art work (which would technically be considered more as editorial illustration than it would be considered fine art) is nothing innovative at all. 2oth century Art history is rich with examples of artists who have used non-traditional materials (i.e. paint and canvas, graphite drawings, marble sculpture): Picasso started collaging pages of newspaper and postcards into his paintings circa 1911, sometimes not even using canvas at all. And in regard to Bravo's imagery, all he is doing for the most part is recreating cliched pop culture icons that you can see on any given t-shirt, on any given person, walking down any given street, on any given day of the week (Andy Warhol was using pop culture imagery such as this in his artwork starting back in the late 1950s). Bravo does have pretty good technical skills as a draughtsman, but I wouldn't say that he possesses any true creative vision; here again, he is just replicating what is already all too familiar. He could choose any other arbitrary surface to work on other than canvas, and his work would still be nothing more than it is: relatively competent illustration. It wouldn't make any difference is he were painting his images on a cocktail napkin, a discarded window pane, or a piece of pita bread. More than likely, any other formally trained artist would have a similar opionion to mine: Bravo has good skills in recreating imagery that we're already familiar with, but his work doesn't do anything more than that. He is an illustrator, albeit a competent one, bottom line.

Donna Aug 16th 2007 3:38AM

JBud.... tooting your own horn arent you? I think you like hearing yourself talk about yourself. Go talk to the mirror.

Peter Carrillo Nov 5th 2007 3:13AM

My Amigo Senor Joe Bravo. Wishing you the best in your success in the Art World. Take the bull by the horns and ride it well. Thank you for being a friend and mentor. Lets get the familia together for a dinner.. Peter E Carrillo(Zocaloc Prod)

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