Pancho Jimenez sculpture – Circle Foundation for the Arts

What themes does your work involve?

The themes of dreams, memory and experiences and how we recall those in our mind's eye.

Describe your creative process.

I have been making artwork for twenty years. I usually work in series. Sometimes on a single series or back-and-forth between one or more series. I begin a work with a specific concept in mind and/or allow the work to guide me. As I am working on one piece, an idea for the next piece inevitably emerges. Typically, when I complete a work, I put it aside for a number of days and then return to it and refine it. I find the time away from the piece allows me to see the work with “fresh eyes”.

What influences your work? What inspires you? Why do you make art?

I am inspired by pre-Columbian art, other artists, themes and/or issues that are relevant to our times and culture and that engage my imagination. I make art because it fulfills me; I feel incomplete when I am not creating art. It’s also fun, rewarding and a challenge.

What is good art? What makes a piece of art great?

A great piece of art bridges concept and form. It successfully communicates an idea, a point of view or elicits emotions via a compelling object, installation or performance.

What is the role of the artist today?

In my opinion, the role of the artist today is the same as it has been for centuries: to reflect culture, to hold up a mirror to us and reveal something about ourselves and the human condition.