Ernesto Rodriguez

Rodriguez’ childhood seemed to pre-destine him to a world of creativity and beauty. Rodriguez hails from a large Cuban family of intellectuals and artists. In 1968, the Rodriguez family moved to southern California. Although he possessed artistic sensibilities and was interested in pursuing a creative career, at his family’s prodding to pursue something “more practical,” Rodriguez earned a Master’s degree in psychology from San Diego State University. His credentials landed him a position as a school psychologist for the American School system in South America and later, in the Middle East. His love of nature and interest in art caused him to pursue photography. His work began to attract the attention of companies and corporations seeking photography for brochures and other marketing tools. By the early 1990’s, Rodriguez was supporting himself and his family with his artwork and commissions, but began feeling an artistic restlessness. He started experimenting with Polaroids and alternative methods of manipulating images. “My images are an invitation to the viewer to indulge in a memory or escape to a place they can fantasize about,” says Rodriguez. His pictures almost never include people. “Psychologically, it is easier for a viewer to project himself into the image without the intrusion of other people; one is able to put oneself in the scenes.” His process involves manipulating the Polaroid film, and then, digitally painting the images using various computer-assisted technology, he is able to give the image the right quality of atmosphere and intensity of feeling. Extremely time-consuming, the resulting images have been called “high-tech and high-touch,” and the process is grounded in a poetic perspective. Whatever his subject, Rodriguez attempts to capture the essence of a fleeting moment. Rodriguez’ eye and method have earned him fans around the world. He has received numerous special awards and commissions for projects ranging from festival posters, to merit awards, to art competitions, and he is included in several corporate and public collections.