Check Out Edson Campos’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Edson Campos.  

Hi Edson, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Passion for drawing was developed at a young age. As I entered my teenage years, my aunt who acknowledged my talent for drawing and art, decided that I should illustrate her school books. She was a teacher and an author. This was an important step in my career. After a year or so, at the publishing co. I began to illustrate other books as well for different authors. This experience built up my confidence and reputation in Rio de Janeiro. As a freelance, self-taught artist, I was able to receive very good work and projects that facilitated my travels and desire to discover other lands and cultures. I traveled around many countries in South America working on Murals and Portraits. I also created my own magazine that I sold during my travels. 

Returning to Brazil I worked as a freelance artist for TV Globo and Globo newspaper in Rio de Janeiro. This experience enhanced my abilities and design skills. 

In 1979 I decided to move to the USA. Orlando became my destination. Creating a new life in a new place required a lot of time. Dedication to my Art was necessary and the pursuit of excellence was a must for me. Any opportunity I had to travel and visit Museums, Art Exhibits, and Galleries was very welcomed and enjoyed. The lasting impact from these trips inspired my work and developed my career. 

Europe was my ultimate destination to see the works of the Great Masters. Those multiple visits made an incredible difference in the quality of my work. Every time I visited their works it was like a new experience. I treasured the time standing in front of an Original Artwork from one of the artists I admired the most. I love Art and I see the importance of it in our daily lives. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Coming to the USA was a positive change in my life. Even though I left a good position in Brazil as an illustrator, my dream was always to become a fine artist. It is never simple or easy to move to a new country. It had its many challenges. I met new people, developed new friendships, and had to build trust in people to believe and know who I am, and what my purpose was to be in a new area. It always takes time. I always believed in myself and my choices worked out just right. Art is not an easy way to make a living, however, I love what I do and there is always more to learn and create. I feel very blessed to have chosen this path. My path. I have had mostly good experiences with people in the Orlando area and around the USA. They saw what I could contribute to the area and the Art community with my artwork. Today, I am happily married to a fellow Artist Kathleen Brodeur. Together we share our passion for art and life and we inspire each other in this challenging business and times. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Fine Artist. Oil paintings and Drawings are my preferred mediums. I am self-taught and classically inspired by the magnificent works of the old Great Masters. My artwork is a homage to their techniques. My style is to bring the past into a new form and a new vision, therefore creating a communication between the old and the new. My goal is to give the viewer a moment of wonder and pause. 

I believe that over the years my greatest contribution has been my continuous development of a very fine drawing skill which I use to create and design my Artwork. My strong attention to detail is very important as well as the sense of history to tell a story. My Artwork has a melancholy atmosphere to it. 

What stands out the most in my work is my approach to composition, my design abilities, and my rendering of the feminine mystique. From my airbrush techniques to my oil paintings, ” beauty is essential to the well-being of the soul”, is something I believe and live by. 

One of my greatest achievements happened in 2020 when I participated in the historic French Salon in Paris, France, at the Grand Palais and won a Gold Medal in painting. Also, I was a semifinalist of the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition at the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery in Washington. and a semifinalist at the BP Portrait competition at the British National Gallery Museum in London, England. 

I also participated in a retrospective exhibition with my wife Kathleen Brodeur [ also an artist] at the Saint Louis University Museum of Art in 2017. I am proud to be able to do what I love to do and to be able to communicate my own personal experience with the viewer. 

My drive and dedication is what I can say sets me apart and for always believing in Art and the opportunity to make a difference. 

How do you define success?
Success for me is the ability to be comfortable with my choices and to keep doing what I love and to see the positive impact on others. 

Contact Info:

• Email: cartista@aol.com
• Website: www.edsoncampos.com