Pablo Antonio Milan

The Artist

The late Pablo Antonio Milan, internationally recognized contemporary artist, is renowned for his use of bold colors and distinctive expressionistic painting techniques that ranged from layering of delicate to bold acrylic washes, at times reaching 25 layers in one painting, to powerful brushstrokes, splatters and palette knife. The delicate and bold washes, formed by spraying fast drying acrylic paint with water, created depth and luminosity that set his work apart from his contemporaries.

The Artist's Journey

Milan was primarily a self-taught artist who started painting at 12 years of age in the town of Milan, NM, founded by his grandfather. He was accepted into his first gallery at the age of 17. His paintings have shown in galleries from coast to coast, including his own gallery in Santa Fe, NM. His natural talent for bold expressionism was evident early on and captured the attention of gallery owners and collectors.

Milan's career started flourishing in the eighties and nineties as he exhibited his art in Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and California galleries. In 1990, he was named Spanish Artist of the Year and seven years later was selected to be the featured artist for the Pink Floyd tour.

Eventually, he opened his own gallery in Santa Fe, NM – the third largest art market in the United States. His paintings were placed in several museums and collector's homes and offices throughout the world, including celebrity collectors Ron Howard, Tommy Lee Jones, Shakira and members of Nickelback.

Technique & Vision

Milan was accepted into his first gallery at age 17, and at the time of his death at age 55, his paintings were in collections throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and Mexico.

A prominent and recognized artist, Milan's paintings have been viewed as highly collectible. His paintings have a distinctive contemporary edge, both in bold colors and style. Milan would bring paint onto the canvas; spray it with water to give it a water color effect, building brightly colored layers, then adding splatters and texture. The resultant paintings were a mystical illusion of Southwest imagery.

Milan often explained the colors in his paintings ignored the art school color wheel and were the colors he had seen his whole life.

"The colors of New Mexico, the early morning sunrises, sunsets, the high deserts and tree laden mountains. I just embrace them and emphasize them." — Pablo Milan

Recognition & Success

Milan showed in six of American Design's nine galleries during the nineties, said Paul Zuger, president of the company, which owns nine galleries in Colorado and New Mexico.

"Pablo was a great colorist; he knew how to work paints and colors. He worked in his own style. He had everything I looked for in an artist; he knew his craft, he was very bright and he was unique. You couldn't keep a Pablo in stock." — Paul Zuger, President of American Design

Throughout his career, Milan showed in galleries in Texas, Colorado, California, Idaho, Connecticut, Florida and New Mexico. Milan also owned two galleries bearing his name in Santa Fe, NM. Milan was named Spanish Artist of the Year in 1990, featured artist in the Pink Floyd Tour and is exhibited in three museums.

The Man Behind the Art

Milan was also known for his wit, humor and generosity. Milan supported charities such as the Legacy Ball, St. Joseph's School in San Fidel, N.M. and helped start a school for the arts – Centro Artistico y Cultural de Huachinera – in Sonora Mexico.

Milan was a sixth generation New Mexican and spent his early years in Milan, NM, a town founded by his grandfather. Later, he graduated from high school in Dallas where he also attended community college. He joined the Air Force and was stationed in Tokyo, Japan where he took university level art courses. He studied under a master water colorist. Milan liked the technique, but not the soft color tones and announced he'd do the same technique with bright acrylics. The professor warned it was not possible; acrylics dried on contact and if he used that amount of water on canvas it would warp.

Milan went on to master the technique, by applying acrylics and then spraying the paint with water, layer after layer, creating one of his signature techniques.

"Pablo was a good friend, a very fine artist and a wonderful humanitarian. I once heard him tell a visitor in his gallery that I paved the way for many artists, including him. My friend you didn't need any help." — Amado Pena, Legendary New Mexican Artist

Legacy

At the time of his death, Milan left behind a legacy of painting innovation and a wealth of original paintings and limited edition prints. His paintings continue to be celebrated in museums and countless corporate and private collections around the world.

The online Pablo Milan Gallery continues to honor his memory by making his original paintings and limited edition prints available to collectors who appreciate the unique vision he brought to the contemporary art world.