Ivonne Galanes was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 18, 1963. At the tender
age of three, when she drew an unusual, detailed depiction of the events of the
crucifixion of Christ. Since then, she has known she was meant to be an artist.  When asked, about her motivation Galanes simply says “I can’t help it, art just runs through my veins”. Her parents quickly provided her with art lessons, and her father, artist Ricardo Galanes Lloréns,  encouraged and carefully tutored her during her growing years under his guidance, she started painting in oils at the age of seven (7).

Galanes graduated from the Lucchetti School of Visual Arts (now Central High School of Visual Arts) and went on to further her art education at Pratt Institute, in New York, where she studied the techniques of the Great Masters, along with human anatomy from real human corpses at the School of Medicine in Columbia University, NY.  This experience contributes greatly to the realism of her human subjects, and the uncanny accuracy of her portraits.  Her cultural heritage, has inspired many of her pieces, in which the diversity and beauty of Puerto Rico’s landscapes play a significant role.  Her artwork can be found in some of the Island’s important corporations as well as some prestigious private collections.

Galanes has won several awards during her life as an artist, since 1979, and has shown pieces in
numerous art shows in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. She is also a member of the American Society of Portrait Artists (ASOPA), and has executed many portraits for prominent figures in society throughout her career.

In addition to her brilliant career as one of Puerto Rico’s brightest  contemporary painters, Galanes is also an accomplished poet and concert pianist.  She has also taught courses in the fields of Illustration and Graphic Design in some of the Island’s institutions of higher learning, and served as Graphic Designer and Art Director in many Puerto Rican advertising agencies and publishing companies.

It is rare to find such a well rounded and masterful artist.  Galanes can truly convey the soul and essence of all her subjects, and has the ability of making us, the mere spectator, see hidden meanings and nuances in her artwork. She really makes you feel like there is a piece of her in every thread of the canvas, an intimate portrayal for her essence.  This is the element that makes her work so powerful, so genuine, and so great.

Galanes is a successful, full-time artist and currently lives in San Juan, Puerto RIco.

You may reach her by e-mail at: arte@ivonnegalanes.com

In facebook: “Galanes Art”