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Funny, joyful, happy, all smiles, all heart
they speak to every nationality, and exist globally,
loving and accepting of all.
They make us forget about our daily chaos
helping us get back to basics, inviting us to grasp
raw emotions and take down our guard.
They create a direct, simple,
and powerful connection,
One of complete Love.
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These words describe both the stimulus and implications of
the colorful portrayals of dogs and cats by West Hollywood
artist, Guillermo Borranjo. With pop art underpinnings, Guillermo's
imagery is instantly appealing to universal audiences. It
tickles the palate through disarming canine characterizations,
which serve as metaphors for lighthearted free will. Guillermo
sets his subjects in unexpected contexts, which create thoughtful
and humorous statements. What the artist articulates in these
ostensibly simple juxtapositions first eludes and then delights
the casual observer.
Having come to Los Angeles in 1989, Guillermo began a series
he dubbed the Urban Art Shows, a gallery exhibit
without walls on the streets of Los Angeles. These open air
showings were not only free to passerby but brought Guillermo
and his artwork a good deal of attention throughout the city
as residents asked each other if they'd seen the colorful
paintings of dogs in spaceships or cats on scooters on Crescent
Heights, Beverly Boulevard or any of the other streets Guillermo
showcased his art. His first foray into the world of entertainment
came one morning when a production crew pulled in to his
studio's front courtyard, soon after over a dozen of his
pieces were displayed in the short film, The Outlaws.
Next, Guillermo was commissioned to do a portrait of Sharon
Osbourne's Pomeranian, Minnie, made famous in her own right
through the MTV reality show, The Osbournes.
As more and more people, form Angelenos to celebrities to
tourists alike stumbled upon these large, colorful exhibitions,
Guillermo's reputation grew and his clientele increased with
a wide range of customers from actresses like Kate Hudson
and Drew Barrymore to pet owners who wanted to celebrate
their furry friends. He opened his first retail outlet in
2004, naming the store/gallery Woof Art.
Housed in a large red building on 3rd Street in Los Angeles,
a strikingly large portrait of Guillermo's own dog, Boo Boo,
graces the side of the store. While Guillermo continues to
do original pieces featuring a recurring cast of characters
including his own pets (Banana and the aforementioned Boo
Boo); privately commissioned portraits have become an equally
strong focus for him as he enjoys the glee it brings to his
customer's lives.
Guillermo's works have been shown in galleries in Los Angeles,
Washington DC, New York and his native Buenos Aires. He is
also involved with several non-profit charities including
Paws LA', Pals 2 Pets and Best Friends Animal Society.
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