Finding Art in the Oddest of Places

Local artist David Anaya stands before one of his large pieces
 located on the wall at Rainbow Spirits, 2811 N. Saint Marys

You find art in the oddest of places. And so it was that on walking into Rainbow Spirits at 2811 N St. Marys, I found local artist David Anaya sitting in the old barber chair right at the end of one of the display racks.

We got to talking, and explaining that I shoot "street", I asked if he knew who did the unusual modern-Aztec style wall-art that was all over the side of the building.  He modestly replied that he was the artist, and that some more of his work could be seen outside on the back wall. 

On stepping out into the back parking lot, I saw that, sure enough, there was another large piece, titled "Para Mi Primo" blasting its colors into the adjoining neighborhood.



"Para Mi Primo" - a large art piece by local
artist David Anaya

Asking how he got his style and if perhaps he had central american roots, he indicated that he did not, and that he just painted what came to his mind.

David showed me other pieces on display in between the liquor racks and near the front door, and those also had a style that was graffiti-ish, yet of a different genre. Unlike modern LA -style graffiti, with its bold strokes across broad patterns, and nowadays having a symbology that is generally the artist’s name, thrown up in so abstract a form, that although a cacophony of color, is becoming increasingly difficult to make out, David' s form is more detailed, with smaller components, painted in more of the muted greens and reds that one associates with earth tones, as opposed to "candy" tones such as those that come out of a Montana spray can.



David showed me the latest piece that he was working on, a 12x18 slab on canvas which is priced for sale at $450.

Latest piece by artist David Anaya
Oil on Canvas ~ approx 12 x 18
$450

　

He can be found most days, 12-9 pm  at his gallery co-located with Rainbow Spirits, 2811 N. St. Mary's Street, San Antonio, Tx, and is reachable by phone at 734-8920. True to form as an artist, David has his own style, such style being that he deals with patrons face-to-face, and has no website or email.