Julio Del Río

Julio Del Rio (b. 1988) is a multidisciplinary artist who joined NIAD Art Center in 2007. His ceramics, paintings, and drawings are densely patterned with concentric rings, stippled dots, and lines that radiate out from smiling or singing faces. Some works are stark black and white fields, while others are dappled with every color of the rainbow. In his drawings, the repetitive marks create the illusion of texture and depth. This tactile quality is fully realized in his sculptures where he combs, stamps, and incises intricate designs into the wet earthenware surfaces. He describes the sensorial experience of working with clay: "I like to feel the clay in my hands. It's cold. It feels like dough or something like that. It becomes dusty. I feel relaxed."  In addition to mining his personal experience and imagination, Del Rio sources inspiration from history books, gravitating in particular toward pre-Columbian sculptures that depict figures, animals, food, and items of cultural significance. 

Julio Del Rio's work has been featured in a solo exhibition at NIAD Art Center, as well as in group exhibitions at Sonoma State University, Chico Art Center, Et al. Gallery, the Oakland Museum of California, Guerrero Gallery Los Angeles, and Left Field Gallery in San Luis Obispo. In 2023, one of his ceramic vessels was acquired for the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Julio Del Rio was born in El Tepehuaje, Michoacán, Mexico and immigrated to the United States when he was about 10 years old. He joined NIAD in 2007 when he was just 19 at the recommendation of his neighbor, close friend, and fellow NIAD artist Luis Estrada. Though it is difficult to conceive of, Julio asserts that he had no artistic inclination prior to joining NIAD.

Julio’s reserved demeanor belies his playful art practice. Working mostly in ceramics and drawing, he doesn’t arrive at the NIAD studio with a plan in mind, but rather lets his momentary inspiration guide him. He works at a slow and steady pace, and with a repetition of mark-making that imbues his finished works with a beautifully layered complexity.

When asked by Studio Facilitator Joshua Solis what he likes most about arriving at NIAD, Julio responded that he enjoys the earthy smell of the moist clay. Julio uses a modified coil method, where he builds up a structure, pinches, and smooths it. His color palette oscillates between bright and dark, and he often combines the two.

Taken by the fall season, Julio has made many pumpkins and, recently, darker-themed works like skulls and mummies. He also looks at magazine and book imagery about animals and pre-Columbian sculptures to inform his creations. A signature of his in his figurative pieces is to mis-match one green and one blue eye.

In his drawings, Julio’s work falls into two categories: small, single, and isolated faces and figures; and large, colorful abstracted lines that beam off the picture plane with an animated movement. Using colored pencil and oil pencil, these larger works contain a deeply mesmerizing quality.

Julio says that he is inspired by the linoleum prints made by his NIAD colleague Shana Harper, and that in the future he is interested in possibly exploring fiber as a medium.

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Julio Del Rio nació en El Tepehuaje, Michoacán, México y emigró a los Estados Unidos cuando tenía unos 10 años. Se unió a NIAD en 2007 cuando solo tenía 19 años por recomendación de su vecino, amigo y colega de NIAD, Luis Estrada. Aunque es difícil de concebir, Julio afirma que no tenía ninguna inclinación artística antes de unirse a NIAD.

La manera reservada de Julio desmiente su práctica artística lúdica. Trabajando principalmente en cerámica y dibujo, no llega al estudio de NIAD con un plan en mente, sino que se deja guiar por su inspiración momentánea. Trabaja a un ritmo lento y constante, y con una repetición de marcas que imbuye sus obras terminadas con una hermosa complejidad.

Cuando el facilitador del estudio Joshua Solis le preguntó qué es lo que más le gusta de llegar a NIAD, Julio respondió que le gusta el olor a tierra húmeda del barro. Julio usa un método de espiral modificado, donde construye una estructura, la pellizca y la alisa. Su paleta de colores oscila entre claros y oscuros, y a menudo combina los dos

Tomado por la temporada de otoño, Julio ha hecho muchas calabazas y, recientemente, obras de temática más oscura como calaveras y momias. También ve imágenes de revistas y libros sobre animales y esculturas precolombinas para informar sus creaciones. Una de sus firmas en sus piezas figurativas es pintar un ojo verde y otro azul.

En sus dibujos, el trabajo de Julio se divide en dos categorías: rostros y figuras pequeños, únicos y aislados; y líneas abstractas grandes y coloridas que se proyectan desde el plano de la imagen con un movimiento animado. Usando lápiz de color y lápiz de aceite, estas obras más grandes contienen una calidad profundamente fascinante.

Julio dice que está inspirado en las impresiones de linóleo hechas por su colega de NIAD Shana Harper, y que en el futuro está interesado en explorar la fibra como medio.