José Herrera Gallegos  lives and works in Oaxaca, where many popular Mexican artists have come from. He belongs to the Mexican Watercolor Society and is one of the most active watercolorists in his country, having won a variety of awards and recognitions for his work.

“I could say that I’m a self-taught artist, but in one way or another, we all have the virtue of observation and with it, we can develop our abilities. Being a wild artist – in the good sense of the word – allows you to create your own worlds, so I created the altar of my particular creed. Pre-Hispanic Mexican heritage has deep meaning in my images. Perhaps I’m trying to redefine the ethnicities of my country by giving them not only the form, but also the substance. Tlacuilos (which means ‘one who writes’ and/or ‘one who paints’) were in charge of decorating the Aztec temples, yet they did not know the concept of art…this is how I understand painting.”