<table width=620><tr><td> <img src=pics/main.jpg><br> <br> <b>Gabriel Benavidez</b><br> <i>Metal Sculptor</i><br> Los Angeles, California<br> <br> Gabriel Benavidez found his calling to art through his professional career as a metal set worker for the movie industry. Working long hours on sets for movies like Speed 2, Windtalkers, Van Helsing, and Pirates of The Caribbean II & III, he rescued scrap metal from the trash and brought it back to life in the form of indigenous inspired sculptures. <br><br> In his hands, large pieces of scrap metal turned into ornately welded Toltec jaguars, warrior hummingbirds, and skeletons that honor de duality of life an death. His depiction of flowers are ever present in many of his sculptures. <br><br> They represent human kind and the Toltec indigenous belief that we are strong like steel flowers awaiting to blossom in the garden of the Universe. explains the artists. <br><br> He depicts all things beautiful and perfect for his view of the world reflects the Toltec teaching that there is nothing in the realm that is unnecessary or worthless. Hence his love for rescuing scrap materials and giving them new dignity and meaning. <br><br> His work is currently being displayed through out various galleries and other venues through Southern California, the US, and in Japan. <br><br> <a href=statement.html target=_new onClick="return openStory('statement.html');" style="text-decoration:none;">the artist's statement [<b>more</b>]</a><br> <a href=bio.html target=_new onClick="return openStory('bio.html');" style="text-decoration:none;">the artist's bio and resume [<b>more</b>]</a><br> <a href=contact.html target=_new onClick="return openStory('contact.html');" style="text-decoration:none;">the artist's contact [<b>more</b>]</a><br> <a href=glossary.html target=_new onClick="return openStory('glossary.html');" style="text-decoration:none;">the artist's glossary of aztec/mayan terms used throughout his work [<b>more</b>]</a><br> <a href=artgifs/ target=_new onClick="return openStory('artgifs/index.html');" style="text-decoration:none;">the artist's work [<b>more</b>]</a><br> </td></tr> </table>
