Fausto Fernandez

CAMINO AL ARTE ARTIST RESIDENCY
Community Engagement Project
Atotonilco and San Miguel de Allende
Mexico
2023

The Atotonilco Sanctuary has a sculpture of a virgin who lost her head. In this project I set out to find out why by interviewing the community in which they participated by writing their versions on drawings I created. Here is a picture of the local priest participating by telling his story in conjunction with a local resident who expressed his story of how him and his friends damaged the piece when they were kids.

The artwork and photographs are framed and presented as one piece for future opportunities.

Art Farm Iowa Residency June 2023

During the residency Fernandez created this artwork at the farm inspired by Iowa agriculture. Fernandez learned to drive a tractor and a three wheeler in dragging a canvas across the farm in rows just like farmers till the soil with their tractors or plant rows of corn. The end result is in process as Fernandez is combining the canvas with a performance video.

The Art Farm Iowa Residency resulted in my first performance work that was published in the statewide Iowa Magazine.

VIDEO LINK

Available

located at Artfarm Iowa in Northwood Iowa

Art Farm Iowa Residency June 2023

Farm soil, grass stained canvas and spray paint, framed in black.
62 x 92 inches

During the residency Fernandez created this artwork at the farm inspired by Iowa agriculture. Fernandez learned to drive a tractor and a three wheeler in dragging a canvas across the farm in rows just like farmers till the soil with their tractors or plant rows of corn. The end result is in process as Fernandez is combining the canvas with a performance video.

The Art Farm Iowa Residency resulted in my first performance work that was published in the statewide Iowa Magazine.

VIDEO LINK

Available

Located in Northwood Iowa at ArtFarm Iowa

Collage, laser cut paper, resin and canvas on wood ,framed in black

16x16 inches

2023

available

Collage, laser cut paper, resin and spray paint on wood ,framed in black

16x16 inches

2023

available

Laser cut collage, acrylic, spray paint, and resin on canvas with black frame

33.75 x 33.5

2023

Available

The international border is where two cultures overlap. The bridge is a merger of ideas and conflict. The painting is a display of cars crossing the border. The work contemplates the commitment it takes for many border residents to cross the border regularly, their logistical planning, and the stress and anxiety experienced while stuck in traffic.

Laser cut collage, acrylic, spray paint, and resin on canvas with black frame

33 x 33

2023

Available

The international border is where two cultures overlap. The bridge is a merger of ideas and conflict. The painting is a display of cars crossing the border. The work contemplates the commitment it takes for many border residents to cross the border regularly, their logistical planning, and the stress and anxiety experienced while stuck in traffic.

Ready lane (left) and General traffic lane (right)

Laser cut collage, acrylic, spray paint, and resin on canvas with black frame

49 x 49 each

2023

Available

The international border is where two cultures overlap. The bridge is a merger of ideas and conflict. The painting is a display of cars crossing the border. The work contemplates the commitment it takes for many border residents to cross the border regularly, their logistical planning, and the stress and anxiety experienced while stuck in traffic.

Laser cut collage, acrylic, spray paint, and resin on canvas with black frame

49 x 49

2023

Available

Laser cut collage, acrylic, spray paint, and resin on canvas with black frame

49 x 49

2023

Available

Collage, acrylic, oil stick, photography and image transfer on canvas with laser engraving on wood slab. Framed in light blue

49 x 96

2022

Available

My art studio is inside a warehouse that transforms locally sourced Arizona lumber into custom handcrafted furniture. My artworks are memories of my journey and I thought it would be special to make a piece that captivates this time working on within the community at the warehouse where my studio is located. I photographed the enormous burl as reference that has been placed right next to my worktable for the last 5 years.

Collage, acrylic and spray paint on canvas

32 x 22

2022

Available

Collage, acrylic and spray paint on canvas

32 x 22

2022

Available

Collage, acrylic and spray paint on canvas

32 x 22

2022

Available

Collage, acrylic, oil pastel, and spray paint on canvas

2012-2022

72 x 48

Available

In this painting the metaphor is in a microscope in reference to a breakup. When talking about love and romance, people often bring up unseen and mystical connections. Such connections exist in the subatomic world as well, thanks to a bizarre and counterintuitive phenomenon called quantum entanglement. The basic idea of quantum entanglement is that two particles can be intimately linked to each other even if separated by billions of light-years of space; a change induced in one will affect the other.

Consider two particles, A and B. The quantum state for a two-particle system is simply the tensor product of the two state spaces. We can write the quantum state of the two-particle system as,
|Φ⟩=|𝐴⟩⊗|𝐵⟩|Φ⟩=|A⟩⊗|B⟩
Or simply,
|Φ⟩=|𝐴𝐵⟩|Φ⟩=|AB⟩
This is just a compact notation that indicates that the left state corresponds to particle A and the right to particle B.

Collage, acrylic, oil pastel, and spray paint on canvas

2012-2022

72 x 48

Available

The Space Station .

(The formula for finding a partner)

In this painting the metaphor is in the space shuttle in relation to space. The Drake equation is used to estimate the number of highly evolved civilizations that might exist in our galaxy. Dr. Frank Drake developed the formula in 1961 at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia.
Peter Backus used this formula to calculate his potential girlfriends as explained in his academic paper called “Why I don’t have a girlfriend: An application of the Drake Equation to love in the UK”

G=R⋅fP⋅ne⋅fl⋅fi⋅fe⋅L

G = The number of civilizations capable of interstellar communication
R = The rate of formation of stars capable of supporting life (stars like our Sun)
ne = The average number of planets similar to Earth per planetary system
fl = The fraction of the Earth‐like planets supporting life of any kind
fi = The fraction of life‐supporting planets where intelligent life develops
fc = The fraction of planets with intelligent life that are capable of interstellar communication (those which have electromagnetic technology like radio or TV)
L = The length of time such communicating civilizations survive

Collage, acrylic, oil pastel, and spray paint on canvas

72 x 48

2012-2022

Available

(The formula for the perfect ass)

In this painting a stationary bike is the metaphor to working out and having a perfect ass.
The mathematical formula was Developed by Dr. David Holmes, a psychology lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, and his team of British academics, this mathematical — but also pretty subjective — formula will tell you exactly how flawless your ass really is. One must assess our assets on a scale of 1 to 20 in the following categories:

(S+C) x (B+F) / (T-V).
S = overall shape
C = circularity
B = bounciness
F = firmness
T = skin texture

Calculate V, which is the ratio of the hips to waist. Then simply do the math and determine how close it is to 80 — a perfect score

Collage, acrylic, oil pastel, and spray paint on canvas

2012-2022

72 x 48

Available

(The formula where the result is I love you)

In this painting a vintage rotary dial telephone is the metaphor for communication and love.
The mathematical formula can be brought down by simple algebra like,
say, i+5 < 3u+5 => i<3u

The famous style is this:
Solve for i,
9x- 7i < 3 (3x -7u)
= 9x - 7i < 9x - 21u
= -7i < -21u (cancel out the 9x)
Simplified: i <3 u

Therefore: I love you

Collage, acrylic, oil pastel, and spray paint on canvas

2012-2022

72 x 48

Available

The formula for the perfect scary movie)

In this painting the metaphor is an electric chair in reference to a scary movie. The pentagram was not painted for its spiritual significance, but rather as a variation of the five lines in this series. The pentagram is often used as a mystic and magical symbol so it inspired the mathematical formula. It represents the perfect scary movie, the shining.

The mathematical model shows what elements of suspense, realism and gore combine to make a blood-curdling scary movie.

(es+u+cs+t) squared +s+ (tl+f)/2 + (a+dr+fs)/n + sin x - 1,

Where:
es = escalating music
u = the unknown
cs = chase scenes
t = sense of being trapped
s = shock
tl = true life
f = fantasy
a = character is alone
dr = in the dark
fs = film setting
n = number of people
sin = blood and guts
1 = stereotypes

The “Math Series” are a series of conceptual works and mixed media collages that reference machines with mathematical equations in relation to relationships.

Fernandez incorporates motifs of machines and tools. These serve as metaphors for how when we are in love, we lose sight of reality and our true nature, making our behavior mechanical and autonomous.

5 paintings were made in order to break the symmetry of an even number. The dark backgrounds imitate chalk boards with a five inch canvas border. The black lines in these paintings are variations of the same five lines, same length and same width.
Each painting has a written mathematical formula. In the front the formulas are covered by the layers of paint and collage, they are symbolic to a chalk board background, the formulas are written in the back for context behind each painting.
The white paper collage images are inanimate objects that are cut in pieces and conceptually inspired by these formulas.

Photography, image transfer, collage and acrylic on canvas

36 x 36 inches

2021

Available

This is a portrait of local artist Yuko Yabuki. I appreciate photography and occasionally I photograph friends as subjects in my work. I use these photographs to create my image transfers, a process that requires laser prints to transfer the toner onto canvas, removing the paper. This process allows me to create the portraits in multiple layers. The surfaces of the works are built up in layers of paint, collage, and drawing materials. In this process, I meld gestural brushwork and intuitive mark-making with fragments of realism, including the human face and form.

Photography, image transfer, collage and acrylic on canvas 36 x 36 inches

2021

Available

Collage, cardboard puzzle, acrylic, photography and image transfer on panel passed through a planer.
24 x 18
2021

Available

Collage, acrylic and gold leaf on canvas

108 x 84 inches

2021

Available

This series reimagines damaged Navajo rugs repaired with gold, inspired by Kintsugi and wabi-sabi philosophies that celebrate imperfections. Influenced by my experience working with museum collections, these works honor the fragility of cultural artifacts while embracing Abstract Expressionist spontaneity through bold, gestural paint splatters.

Collage, acrylic, oil sticks, crayons, resin, and spray paint on canvas.
84x69 in
2021
Available

In 2020 I noticed remarks on faith and religion with the political dilemmas, misinformation, disagreements and strong opinions in individual beliefs. With over 4000 religions and over 28 million gods in the world arguments on these subjects were pointless, this inspired my idea for this painting. I thought to gather all gods into one painting but had to pick a few just to make a point for context. The gods and goddesses I selected are Ganesha, Hera, Jesus, lord Shiva, Osiris and Zeus.
While doing some research I learned that Omnism is the recognition and respect for all religions or lack thereof. It is a way to accept the existence of various religions without believing in all they profess to teach. That was interesting.

Photography, image transfer and acrylic on canvas in orange frame\

46 x 60 inches

2021

Available

This is an image of a picture I took in 2017 from the grounds of the Pasadena City College Robinson Stadium during their graduation. Here, I am neutralizing their facial expressions to address the beauty of our individual characteristics, the non-verbal communication, that are meaningful for our connection. I also noticed the amount of diversity of people in this picture, something that I enjoyed about living in LA, most of my friends when I lived in LA were from different parts of the world.

Collage, acrylic, gun powder and gold leaf on canvas
60 x 120 inches
2020
This series reimagines damaged Navajo rugs repaired with gold, inspired by Kintsugi and wabi-sabi philosophies that celebrate imperfections. Influenced by my experience working with museum collections, these works honor the fragility of cultural artifacts while embracing Abstract Expressionist spontaneity through bold, gestural paint splatters.

On Loan and available at Goodmans

1400 East Indian School Rd Phoenix, AZ 85014

Collage, acrylic and gold leaf on canvas
2020
48 x 72 inches
Available

This series reimagines damaged Navajo rugs repaired with gold, inspired by Kintsugi and wabi-sabi philosophies that celebrate imperfections. Influenced by my experience working with museum collections, these works honor the fragility of cultural artifacts while embracing Abstract Expressionist spontaneity through bold, gestural paint splatters.

On Loan LUX Annex Scottsdale

Collage, acrylic, and photo image transfer on canvas.

60 x 48 inches

2019

Available

On Loan at LUX Central, Phoenix