About

was born in Salto, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 30, 1964. I lived in this small town for 18 years until I moved to Buenos Aires City to comply with mandatory military service. After 14 months of being in the Air Force, I stayed in Buenos Aires and enrolled in the University of El Salvador to pursue a degree in Political Science. I graduated in 1989 and moved to Mexico. I traveled through that beautiful country for a while until I decided to come to the United States, where I now live.

In 1991, I married my wife of 17 years, Sara Tarbox. We have two beautiful children, Josephina born in 1994 and Charlie born in 2000. We now live in Mill Valley, California. The year I married Sara, I also started working at Pane e Vino, a popular Italian restaurant in San Francisco. I joined as a busboy and later became a waiter. Years went by and then I was promoted to manager. A few years later I became the general manager and partner of the restaurant.

For many years life was about taking care of the family, the children and the restaurant. In 2003, after experiencing personal and family changes I started painting. I went to the garage of my house and spent several days there working on my first painting: “Emotions in motion”, a vast moving ocean with an intense blue sky.

My foundation as a person was no longer intact and I was in motion. Something was moving and had a life of it’s own inside me. I decided to pay attention to this call. Through the years, many paintings have materialized and I am still in that motion.

I do not have a background in Art, never attended an art class or have much knowledge about art. I just like painting. There is no effort involved in this experience and no pressure of any kind to do it. It just happens to be that way. I can describe my experience in this way: “I call my experience “soul painting”. All of a sudden an intense desire to manifest myself and the world in which I live takes over, becoming the minimum requirement of my existence, it’s only purpose and only hope”.

Reviews

Carlos Pillado exhibition. Art review by Adriana Williams.

Irecently attended an exhibition of Carlos Pillado’s paintings at the Octagon House Museum.
The first thing that caught my attention was how visually appealing the artist’s paintings are and how varied the themes that inspired him.
I was transfixed by a series of ‘spiritual’ paintings of which “Every Person is Christ”, was the most striking for the powerful emotion it evoked. Another group was stirred by nature.
Among these were paintings of flowers, trees, birds and seascapes. A triptych of trees that spoke of death, the eternal, and the fragility of life, made a profound impression on me.
Other works such as the “Go Around” expressed the human condition and provoked contemplation.
All the paintings have a spiritual quality. This is emphasized by the insightful statement placed in front of each painting. The painter’s use of color (in some works bright and vivid, while in others subdued and harmonious) or the surge of movement (in others drawing the viewer into the work) successfully expressed the inner struggles and emotions he aspired to convey.
Carlos Pillado is an original and visionary artist.
Adriana Williams.

Review by maestro Alessandro Baccari.

Beautiful and thought provoking are the painting of the self-taught artist from Argentina, Carlos Pillado. Through the gift of imagination, he creates compositions what are extremely rewarding to the eyes of the viewers. The strength of his artistry is showcased in his ability to give true meaning and value to the inter-relationship of line and design, and color balance. His paintings also reveal his love for all mankind and his commitment to live by the “Golden Rule- Love the Neighbor as Thyself”. This is an special human being and an artist with great talent, most deserving of encouragement and support.
Alessandro Baccari.

Anonymous Review

Ithink that in fact, Carlos Pillado is not who paints his canvases, no painter does it. They all have an angel, a demon, a Sylph who travels the skies and transmits in secret, mysteriously without anyone knowing- even the artist himself – maybe as in a dream, perhaps while they sleep, perhaps while not sleeping, insomniacs of so many things, in his terrible nights, when clocks don’t call the hours anymore.

Review by Charles Carroll

Ilooked at the paintings, read your story, then looked at the paintings again. What comes to mind is T. S. Elliot’s famous lines from “The Wasteland” –

“April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of dead land, mixing.
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.”

Your work is obviously deeply felt. And just as obviously you are an Odysseus wondering the labyrinth of your soul while trying to find your way back home. The paintings are the journal of your wanderings.
Warmest regards,
Charles

Carlos: I enjoyed your work. The painting are very spiritual. The titles/names are a work of art in themselves.

Carlos, Love your paintings. They have beauty and lightness; they capture the essence of an idea with texture and color. Keep painting with passion.

Wow! This work is brilliant. You have raw talent and created masterpieces here. Thank you for sharing your God-given gifts.

Hola Carlos, estoy absolutamente…conmovida?, encantada?, gratamente sorprendida… y claro, inclinada a poseer “el rey llora” y “ámame si puedes”. Pero bueno, solo quería que lo supieras y recibas estas lineas como un elogio para el alma.

Exhibitions

Carlos Pillado exhibitions