A New Perspective on Color, from Finance to Arts
A fascinating story of a color-blind Brazilian artist Carlos Cesar Alves who despite his disadvantage and extensive career in finance, 15 years ago decided to take a leap of faith and become an artist. Today, 150 worldwide exhibitions later he says he cannot imagine doing anything else in his life.
INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST CARLOS CESAR ALVES
Artist CARLOS CESAR ALVES
From the artist’s archives
LES COULEURS: At Les Couleurs, we believe in the transformative power of art. How did it all start for you with your background in finance, what made you switch careers?
CARLOS CESAR ALVES: The transformative power of art is definitely what made me change my career. I worked for Citibank in Fort Lauderdale for 8 years as an Assistant Vice President for Operations and Technology when I started painting in 2006. Everything happened in such an unexpected way that sometimes I don’t believe it myself. I bought a condo in 2005 and while remodeling it I decided to go with a friend to the design district to buy some artwork for my new home. The problem was that the artwork I liked I could not afford, so I told my friend that I was going to paint it myself. He started laughing and told me “Are you crazy? You have never painted before, besides you cannot see any color, how are you going to paint?”
There is nothing that bothers me more than when someone says that I cannot do something and honestly my friend's comment pissed me off and my initial reaction was, I will show him that I can do it. I bought six canvases to work on and once finished I hung the artwork in my house. It was a huge challenge for me, and I have to admit that not seeing colors and deciding to paint is something that not everybody would perceive as a good idea, but I was determined to do it and I did it.
While creating the artworks I felt like the happiest person in the world. It was a strange feeling that I never felt before.
After a couple of months of living in my new house, I hosted a housewarming party to show my friends my new place. A friend brought another friend who had an art gallery in the Design District in Miami at the time. He started looking at the paintings and asked who the artist was. I started laughing because I never thought someone would think that was a professional artwork. I told him that I was not an artist but that I did it myself and that I have never painted before which he did not believe. He told me right there and then: “You should be proud of your work because you are a great artist.” To make a long story short, he invited me to show the six pieces in a group exhibition that he was going to have in his art gallery in about 2 months. I thought he was joking, but he wasn’t and I accepted. We sold the six pieces on the opening night of my first exhibition and since then I have participated at around 150 exhibitions, did art residence in Italy, earned a certification as a Resin Master, opened my art studio, and some other things.
As I mentioned before I started painting in 2006, but continued painting and working at the bank for 2 more years and in 2008, during the real state crises, the bank offered a package for AVP’s and VP’s to leave the corporation and I decided to take the package, leave the bank to become a full-time artist. That was not an easy decision since my entire life I worked in the corporate world in the U.S. for Citibank as well as in Brazil as a Financial Director for GM.
Art not only has transformed my life and made me change careers but also changed me as a person, it made me surpass many challenges and insecurities, made me see the world in a very very different way. For the first time in my life, I am doing something that fulfills me completely. I feel extremely happy that I decided to switch careers and I don’t regret my decision.
CARLOS CESAR ALVES
From the artist’s archives
LC: Interesting fact,- you are color blind but your artworks are so colorful. How do you select, feel the colors?
CCA: Yes, I have a condition called Monochromacy (achromatopsia) which makes me see only in black and white and shades of grey. That did not make my life easy when I was a child. I could not understand what people were saying when they were talking about that profuse red, yellow, blue, etc., for me, it was all the same. I could clearly notice though that one color was different from the other because each color vibrates in a different way, emanates different energy. We found out that I had this condition when I was around 13 years old. I was born in a very small town in the countryside of São Paulo, 55 years ago. At that time the place I was born did not have a hospital or an eye doctor. It was only after being diagnosed at age 13 that my mother and I started to develop methods to help me deal with that condition because before that I was lost and could not understand many things. We had to find a way for me to coordinate my clothing, find out a way to figure out when I could cross the street, make sure that the light was green, and other things like that. With time things started to become much easier and I did not have to think much about it, everything became natural in some way.
When I started painting, initially I used to label all the bottles. If I decide to mix colors I had to take notes of the painting brand, type, color, code, and obviously the quantity I used from each color because if I had to get to that color again it would be impossible for me. It took me a while until I decided that I should not give that much importance to doing everything the way that people normally would call “ perfect”. I realized that there is no right or wrong and that this concept somehow was holding me down. I forgot the labeling part and started following my instincts. Nowadays I have created a correlation between every color I use related to my “Grey Wheel “. I link one color to one grey tone which is the way I see it. if the colors do not flow well from one tone to another I don’t use it, if I feel that this color goes well with the other, then I use it together. My artwork is extremely colorful and somehow strong colors are easy for me to differentiate.
In the end, I think that this condition is not a deficiency but instead, it is a gift. I don’t feel any fear of making any mistakes because I am painting with my heart and my soul. I rely on my senses and feel that if it’s pleasing to my eyes, it might please the eyes of others as well. I have received numerous compliments about my color combinations, so I am assuming that my method is working.
CARLOS CESAR ALVES
From the artist’s archives
LC: Tell us about the artwork you created for us at Les Couleurs - we find it mesmerizing!
CCA: When I heard what you guys do at Les Couleurs I decided to create an artwork and donate it to the charity. The founder of the charity, Aura Copeland was at my art studio and during our conversation, she mentioned that the Les Couleurs logo was created with different colors so I created the artwork using the same colors as in the logo. I created a mixed-media geometric piece where I used colored tape and epoxy resin. I had to call my sister to come to my art studio and pick up the tapes with the exact colors of the Les Couleurs logo for me since I cannot see the colors and obviously in this case I wanted to make sure I get it right.
That’s something that happens constantly and it is a fun process because, for example when I have to create a commission piece for a client and they want artwork with specific colors, I ask them to come to my art studio, and I get them involved in the process because together we select the paintings with the specific tones that they like and after that, I create the artwork.
I am a self-taught artist and everything that I create is unique, so my agreement with my clients is that I allow them to select the colors they want on the piece and which technique or style they like best (geometric, abstract, watercolor, mixed-media, and so on) and based on that I create the artwork for them and only show them when it’s ready. So far I had not had one client that did not like what I created for them.
The artwork I created for Les Couleurs was easy because I created an artwork that was an explosion of colors and I just had to express what this beautiful organization does: harmony, dedication, structure, precision, and a lot of LOVE, which I believe I was able to achieve. I am very happy that you guys liked it!!
As a way to Thank God for allowing me to paint and make a living with this profession without seeing any color, I always donate 10% or more of what I sell to the charity and I would like to THANK YOU guys at Les Couleurs for allowing me to help with this small contribution. I want this amazing organization to continue its mission and keep helping kids in need through art. Thank You!
Artwork Carlos Cesar Alves created for Les Couleurs Charity
LC: Our mission at Les Couleurs is to inspire, educate, and empower disadvantaged children through arts education. What advice would you give (very) young art students?
CCA: That's a difficult question, but if I advise them something it would be: open your heart and don’t be afraid. Let your emotions come out (good or bad), put that down on the paper or canvas, and don’t be afraid to make a mistake because there are no mistakes when you are painting. The best artwork will be the one you did from your heart!
Don’t be afraid to be judged. If you can do that I can guarantee that you will feel happy like never before and I am sure that you will have created amazing pieces of art. Art can and will transform your life. Trust me!! It did it for me! And always, always be humble and listen to other people around you, and don’t be ashamed to ask. And the most important thing ever: Always believe in yourself!
LC: Tell us what appeals to you most in the current Miami art scene?
CCA: What I like the most in the Miami art scene is this constant transformation. You see new artists with amazing talent in Miami. The city allows that to happen and gives artists this possibility.
Another interesting thing is the expansion of the art scene in Miami. New art districts have been developed in Miami, like Little River, Coral Gables, etc. and the great thing is that this continues expanding to Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach.
Another interesting thing is the opportunity for artists to create specific projects. There are so many new buildings being built in Miami, and that opens new opportunities to so many artists.
LC: What are you working on now, what inspires you nowadays?
CCA: I am working on a new series of geometric pieces that I hope to finish for the Miami Art Basel in December. I am also working on a series of works on paper inspired by my childhood, which I am very excited about. I grew up in a very small town in the countryside of Brazil and the folklore there was very rich, so I decided to create this series based on songs that we used to learn in school. At that time everything was completely different, we did not have computers, video games, TV, and all the technology that we have nowadays. It is sort of a tribute to the past.
I always get inspired by things that I see on my daily basis, experiences, memories. Every little thing I see I register in my mind and I use it in my artwork.
CARLOS CESAR ALVES
From the artist’s archives
CARLOS CESAR ALVES
From the artist’s archives
CARLOS CESAR ALVES
From the artist’s archives
CARLOS CESAR ALVES
From the artist’s archives
