Intersections: A Decade of Following Dreams
- artandcakela
- Jun 21
- 4 min read
By Kristine Schomaker There's something disarming about an artist who describes their work as "imagine Picasso, but not quite!" There's intention behind the humor. Moises Ortiz, an award-winning painter who has exhibited nationally as well as in Mexico and Italy, brings this same direct honesty to his new show Intersections opening at SOLO Gallery in San Pedro—a ten-year retrospective that traces the evolution of an artist who's been mining the space between reverence and rebellion since day one.
"I'm always open to interpretation from first time viewers," Moises wrote, and I believe him. Standing in front of his work, you feel invited into a conversation rather than lectured at. The pieces demand engagement, not passive consumption.
Intersections feels like the right title for this moment. Not just because intersections are fundamental to his compositions—those natural outcomes of geometry that shape his visual language—but because the show itself sits at the crossroads of a decade's worth of artistic evolution. About ten paintings spanning canvas, linen, plexiglass, and brushed aluminum tell the story of an artist who's been consistent in his materials but relentless in his refinement. His experimental media-driven techniques employ acrylics, oils, and wax on wood or metal, creating works that feel both familiar and entirely fresh.
The older works, Moises explains in his responses, have "very intricate compositions and tons of color." The newer pieces? "More precise into the message and composition I'm trying to develop, the color palettes are more minimal and soft." It's the kind of artistic maturation that happens when you stop trying to say everything at once and start trusting that less can be more.
But here's what strikes me about Moises's practice: he never sketches. Never. These complex compositions that navigate the intersection of Cubist legacy, Italian Futurism, and post-graffiti aesthetics emerge directly onto the surface. "Time!" he responds when asked about his biggest challenge. "The nature of the compositions absorbs a lot of my time, considering that I never sketch any of the works."
There's something beautifully terrifying about that approach. No safety net, no preview, just the faith that the conversation between artist and material will find its way. And when accidents happen—which they do—they become part of the construction. "Many times these accidents will determine the way the piece would be constructed," he admits.
The gallery space at SOLO creates what Moises calls "a great scenario for a more intimate exhibition." Peter Scherrer, the gallery owner who became a close friend after their works were exhibited and collected by the same people, understands this intimacy. It's not just about showing art; it's about creating the conditions for genuine encounter.
Working with low inventory meant pulling pieces from other shows and galleries just to fill the space. But maybe that's fitting for a retrospective—art living its own life, traveling its own circuit, coming home changed by the journey.
Moises draws inspiration from everywhere: Zaha Hadid's architectural vision, Italian Futurism fundamentals, Juan Gris's cubist experiments. His studio soundtrack rotates between Massive Attack, Unkle, and Portishead. Architecture and Visual Arts training informs his meticulous attention to clean lines and precise curves.
"I love the reaction that people have once they try to deconstruct the work and analyze it," he writes. There's genuine joy in watching viewers engage with the three-dimensional aspects, the way texture, form, and shape create contrast and depth.
But here's the thing about Moises that I find most compelling: "Every time I finish a work I feel like it is not great." That dissatisfaction isn't defeat—it's fuel. It pushes him to excel his practice, to expand his technical abilities, to keep reaching for something just beyond his current grasp.
His work proves that certain art movements are atemporal. Rooted in movements over 100 years old, his practice demonstrates how the past can speak to the present without becoming nostalgic pastiche. The visual language feels both reverent and rebellious because it refuses to choose between honoring history and making something entirely new.
Looking ahead, Moises dreams bigger. Literally. "Bigger works. I love creating big artworks, not necessarily murals and such. I think the more I paint the more my mind gets hungry for more. Sometimes I'm asleep and my mind keeps working."
That hunger, that restless creative energy, that willingness to work without a net—it all comes together in Intersections. The show runs through the intersection of past and future, structure and spontaneity, history and now. It's a retrospective that looks forward as much as back.
When asked what he hopes people take away from the exhibition, Moises responds simply: "That I did follow my dreams."
Sometimes the most radical thing an artist can do is exactly that—follow their dreams with complete commitment, trust the process even when it feels uncertain, and invite others into the beautiful complexity of what emerges at the intersections.
Intersections opens Sunday, June 29th, 3-6 PM at SOLO Gallery, San Pedro, California. The exhibition features ten years of Moises's evolving practice across multiple mediums and formats.
