Commissions accepted.
About Raymundo
Raymundo, a renowned Mexican-American fine artist from Mexico City, has his work featured in private collections worldwide, including Buenos Aires, Dallas, San Francisco, and Palm Springs. He has also showcased his talent in numerous group exhibitions throughout the years.
Raymundo's Journey
Raymundo's passion for art ignited during a school visit to Mexico City's National Palace, where Diego Rivera’s murals left a lasting impression. Captivated by shapes and colors, he began studying art as a child. Encouraged by his father, who enrolled him in piano, painting, and soccer classes, Raymundo quickly gravitated toward art, dedicating a decade to honing his skills.
Frequent visits to iconic art museums like Frida Kahlo’s and Diego Rivera’s houses, as well as the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City, deepened his admiration for Mexican artists such as Rufino Tamayo and Francisco Toledo. This early immersion in art shaped his creative foundation.
With a degree in graphic design, Raymundo launched a successful career in advertising, working as an art director. However, his passion for painting remained. It wasn’t until he emigrated to the United States in 2004 that he fully dedicated himself to his artwork, finding both the time and drive to explore his creativity.
Traveling extensively over the years, Raymundo drew inspiration from the masterpieces of global art museums and developed a profound love for Asian cultures, particularly India and Southeast Asia. These influences continue to enrich his artistic vision.
"My art draws inspiration from the hidden shapes and colors within every environment. The vibrant hues, shifting light, and rich textures of my city and the surrounding nature ignite my fascination with uncovering beautiful geometric patterns in the world around me."
Raymundo Valdez
Migrating to the United Sates
After immigrating to the United States in 2004, Raymundo officially launched his professional career as a fine artist in 2005. He began creating large-scale oil-on-canvas paintings and was selected for his first group exhibition in Dallas, Texas, alongside notable artists like Sibylle Bauer.
Later that year, Raymundo moved to San Francisco to lead creative efforts for a Hispanic Market Advertising Agency. By 2007, he had made San Francisco his home, where he met his future husband, fine artist Bradley Giles. In 2009, Raymundo participated in the Tom of Finland Foundation's "Emerging Artist Competition" in Los Angeles, earning second place in the Fantasy category for his piece H2O. This experience was transformative, culminating in the Foundation acquiring his painting for the permanent collection at the Tom of Finland Museum in Silver Lake, California.
In 2014, inspired by his personal journey and the struggle for marriage equality in California, Raymundo created Hardship. This powerful piece, deeply influenced by the works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, was featured in the "Fiestas Fridas" group art show in San Francisco's iconic Mission District.
Since 2017, Raymundo has divided his time between San Francisco and Palm Springs, drawing inspiration from the vibrant energy of San Francisco and the serene beauty of Southern California’s desert landscapes. During the pandemic, an epiphany struck as he observed the intricate patterns of energy wires framing Victorian buildings outside his Castro apartment window. This vision inspired his acclaimed piece Neighborhood, celebrating the geometric and organic forms of urban life.
Raymundo's work spans portraits, wildlife, and landscapes, with commissions from private collectors in Argentina, Mexico, and the United States. He has received numerous accolades, including recognition from the Tom of Finland Foundation and the Desert Plein Air Association’s "Paint the Desert" competition in Palm Desert.
Museum-quality reproductions of Raymundo’s art are available at select stores, including Welcome Castro and SF Mercantile in San Francisco, as well as the Artist Council store in Palm Springs.
Two Cities
Raymundo splits his time between San Francisco and Palm Springs, where he finds inspiration for his work. While he has explored pastel, watercolor, and gouache, his true passion lies in creating with oil on canvas, his preferred medium for expressing vibrant shapes and colors.