Domenech

Artist Biography

I was born in Barcelona in 1952, and come from a working class family. My grandfather together with my father, had a little carpenter's workshop in the centre of Barcelona. Although I studied, like all the other children in Spain in the 1950's, all my education was directed to the carpentry trade, following in the family tradition. But I have to say my passions were for art and design and I was not very good at Mathematics and other subjects.

I took drawing lessons (Technical design) from a private teacher who was a close friend of my father, and had in fact taught my father painting when he was younger. When I finished my professional education in wood work I spent some time in the Tarrega Academy where I perfected my drawing and I learned the technique of charcoal drawing. My professional life as an artist began in 1989, when I left the carpentry business, and dedicated myself full-time to painting. In 1974 I presented my art, prints and posters to the Sala Pares - a prestigious gallery in Barcelona, which was a great opportunity for any young artist under the age of 30. The selection of my work was a pleasant surprise to them, and it stimulated me greatly as it was the first time that any of the public had viewed my work.

In 1985, under the presidency of Juan Antonio Samaranch, I entered a competition that was dedicated to sporting artists (I had a federal license to participate in sporting events in table tennis and mountain biking). The competition was held because Baron Pierre de Couvertein, the initiator of the modern Olympic Games, wanted to re-create the relationship between art and sports that had existed in ancient Greece. I won first prize in that competition and that award allowed me to introduce my art, prints and posters to many art galleries. After this competition came many more like it, as well as numerous exhibitions. I was lucky that just that one painting exposed me to all of that.

Domenech Art, Prints and Posters Collection