Mendoza visited Toledo, Spain and was inspired by its imposing presence and geometry.  As you can see from this photo, it’s a mishmash of vibrant geometric lines and shapes. His painting, “Toledo,” (view in the site’s Art Gallery) was similar to a painting done by the artist El Greco entitled “A View of Toledo.” Continue reading →

In this pencil sketch, Mendoza conceptualized a future mural that was a variation on a theme he’d painted earlier in his career entitled “The Tail in Madrid.” This one depicts the “Festival of the Sun” along Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive. Continue reading →

Mendoza was not only a master of technique but also a person well-versed in art history.  He understood his role as an artist within the context of contemporary art.  Every artist is a product of his own place and time, and his completed works will reflect the hopes, possibilities and limitations of that period. Continue reading →

Mark Nelson created a documentary film about Mendoza’s life and art.  Nelson is an artist and teacher in Chicago, and was a very good friend of Mendoza.

Before his move to Pilsen in 1985, Mendoza had already established his name as an artist from the South Chicago neighborhood.  It’s a neighborhood at the Southeast corner of Chicago, near the lakefront. Continue reading →