AMADO ALDA
Born in Veracruz, Mexico, Amado Aldaraca was one of nine children. Growing up, Amado loved American movies, music, and culture. As a young adult, Amado moved to Salem, Oregon where he was able to bathe in the culture he loved so much and learn the language of his new home. It was then that chance came knocking on his door and changed his life. Amado saw an advertisement in an art magazine for a contest which entered and won. Equipped with the $60 winnings and motivated by his win, Amado moved to New York City in 1957, at the age of a 25.
Amado rented a loft in Greenwich Village with another artist, later to become the only artist working in the 228 Thompson Street loft. By day, Amado dedicated his time to making acrylic paintings. Later, as pop art and Andy Warhol became popular, Amado was inspired to delve into other mediums, namely large constructions using mirrors. To make ends meet, Amado worked as a bar tender in the famed but now closed The Grand Ticino, right below his loft on Thompson Street.
In 1972 Amado was tapped to participate in the 5th annual exhibition of work in the artists' loft, known as the 10 Downtown. For 3 weekends from April 22 to May 7, 1972, Amado exhibited his works at his loft to artists and to the curious, much like today's Open Studios in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
Amado and his fellow artist friends and contemporaries Rodolfo Abularach, Omar Rayo, Juan Gomez Quiroz, Marcelo Bonevardi, and Pablo Agudelo spent their time discussing art and politics at the Cedar Bar.
In the 1970s Amado tasted success as he was invited to exhibit one of his works of art at the Organization of American States in Washington, DC organized by José Gómez Sicre. That same decade, Amado became a US Citizen and changed his name to Amado Alda.
In 1974, Amado married and by 1979 was the father of two children. Amado began working in El Diario, la prensa, the leading Spanish language newspaper in New York City. As a graphic artist, he was able to use his artist's eye to reach a large audience of Spanish-speaking New Yorkers. As time went on, Amado was less free to work on his craft as he settled into domestic life as a father and husband.
In 2003 Amado retired from El Diario, la prensa. Now free to return to his original passion, Amado began painting again. No longer making the large construction pieces of his younger days, Amado has dedicated himself to using primary colors and geometric shapes to create complex compositions through simple designs.
Now in his 80s, Amado is prolific in his work. He sees his work as his original calling. In his own words "If you idealize your work, it becomes purified and it ceases to be just a finished painting. It inexplicably becomes art. All those who do things well are artists and that is why they love their work."
