Some people are lucky to be good at something they love but to be a prodigy is on another level. This is the case for Andres Valencia, a world-famous young painter.
At only 10 years old, the gifted abstract painter is undoubtedly a child prodigy as he had achieved enormous accomplishments that adult artists can only dream of.
He had a one-person show at New York Gallery Chase Contemporary, had a solo showcase at Art Museum, and sold his entire painting collection for up to $20,000 each.
Most of his clients are renowned personalities such as Channing Tatum, Diane Keaton, Sofia Vergara, and Brooke Shields.
Andres’ passion for painting is apparent in his vibrant and profound artwork. His paintings are inspired by Picasso and George Condo, a mishmash of cubism, symbolism, and surrealism.
The young artist has painted a lot of interesting artwork but what put him in the spotlight was his creation of a modern-day “Guernica” dedicated to Ukraine.
In this painting which he titled “Invasion of Ukraine,” a wide eye can be seen weeping onto a Ukrainian flag, embellished with bullet casings and a broken heart. The painting showcases the fear and terror of war with its bold colors and distorted Cubist figures.
His mother, Elsa Valencia, shared that Andres felt ill on March 25, a month after the Ukraine invasion started.
She remembered that on this day, she was watching the news about the war in Ukraine and Andres was in his bedroom. She went to check if he was fine and she saw that he was painting something.
“I asked him about the painting. He said it was the ‘invasion of Ukraine.’ I was absolutely moved by the painting. I sat there analyzing it,” said Elsa.
“I turned to him and I asked him if he wanted a big canvas. He turned to me and asked if Putin would do ‘something to him.’ I said, ‘no, he won’t do anything to you. Why do you think he would do something to you?’ I asked him. He said, ‘because when Picasso painted Guernica, Franco was not happy about it and they wanted to hurt Picasso.”
In just nine minutes, the young painter finalized the painting on a huge canvas. Elsa said she made sure to ask what the painting exactly meant. He was happy to oblige and described the entire image to her, going through each area.
“I think that art tells stories and I am telling the story of the Ukrainian people and what Russia is doing to them. My painting is telling a story that cannot be forgotten,” said Andres.
Lupe Valencia, Andres’ father, is also a big fan of his son. He is an art collector and he always knew that their son was a gifted artist.
“When he was 4 or 5, my wife and I would watch him paint and do sketches, and we were really surprised at what he would do,” Lupe said.
“On one hand, you think you like it because you’re supposed to like what your children do. But as time went on, things got more sophisticated and evolved. When Bernie Chase, who now represents Andres, came over when he was 6 or 7, he decided to represent him. He told us that Andres is going to be an important artist.”
After five years, Chase’s words became a reality as Andres blew the minds of fellow artists and art collectors worldwide as he showed his incredible painting prowess.
It also turns out that Andres is not only a gifted young painter but also a philanthropist. He donates the proceeds of some of his paintings to different foundations.
One of these is his artwork “Invasion of Ukraine” where all the proceeds will be donated to the people of Ukraine. He also donated one of his paintings to UNICEF. This painting was called “Maya” which was sold for 225,000 euros.
With this humility, Andres can capture hearts with his paintings for many more years to come. He is definitely an artist to watch out for!