John Nichols Gallery

The Late, Great Xavier Montes painted this oil on canvas. I'm posting it in honor of Black History Month. It is 24x20 inches, oil on canvas with a lath frame that Xavier made. It is titled and signed in a unique way. "Malcom X. Montes" contains both the name of the subject and the name of the artist. Read on about his biography. Viewing of this important painting available from the back of my Subaru. Biography . . . Xavier Raul (Big X) Montes was born and raised in Sa...nta Paula, California. He attended McKevett Elementary School and Barbara Webster Elementary School, Isbel Middle School and Santa Paula Union High School, all in Santa Paula. After two years at Moorpark College, Xavier transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he received his BA in studio art, as well as a teaching credential. In the two decades since that time, his profession and vocation as an artist has manifested in several overlapping areas: namely as a practicing visual artist (acrylics), as an educator which includes community activism, and as a musician (folk harp, guitar, and vocals). Xavier, known affectionately by his nickname, Big X, for both his size and talents, is an artist and muralist with works throughout Ventura County including Santa Paula. During the late 1990s, he and area youth created a colorful mural lauding education at Chino's Market on 12th Street in Santa Paula. Xavier has a deep interest and commitment to youth and the benefits they can derive through art and musical expression. A chicano artist, Xavier has exhibited throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara counties for years and has also been invited to exhibit his art in the areas of San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles. During the years of 1984-87, Xavier received an artist-in-residence grant from the California Arts Council in Sacramento. Xavier has traveled throughout Mexico and Cuba, and most recently traveled cross-country to New York City by train. He says he needs to see and feel much of what he paints. In 1998 Xavier received the First Place Judges Award in the 61st Santa Paula Art and Photography Exhibition (300 entrees) for "Going Home", a portrait of a contemporary Mexican revolutionary. In 1999, Xavier was honored by El Concilio del Condado de Ventura when they bestowed upon him the Cultural Arts Latino Leadership Award. In 2003, Xavier became a member of ARTINO Arts Group of Los Angeles. Members of the ARTINO work in a variety of mediums including Acrylic on Canvas, Oil on Canvas, Acrylic on Tortillas, Wood and Bronze Sculpture, Pastels, and other mixed media. Our styles vary from traditional to contemporary, with an emphasis on our Latino cultural roots. See more

https://virtualexhibit.squarespace.com/santapaulaportraitpr I am honored to be featured along with Gail Pidduck in this virtual exhibit of our Santa Paula Portrait Project at the Santa Paula Art Museum. Gail and I recently donated the entire project to the museum. Some of you might see portraits of people you know.

On line auction going on. I have a few photos in this auction.

I'm working on the web site and just added a few paintings by Douglas Shively. https://www.johnnicholsgallery.com/shively-oil-paintings-.h

https://www.mnha.lu/en/news/the-museum-just-a-click-away This is a fantastic way to view an exhibit.

One of the coolest parts of being with a Grand Canyon COA artist was having the secret gate code to get us into park roads that are closed to the public. The C...apn kept us sheltered during the darkest nights in the canyon and did it in style as seen here on Hermit Rd. near the village overlook. See more

I have a few pieces in this auction. Thousands more in the gallery here in Santa Paula.

A great photographer has passed

Gone to a good home.

Gone. To a good home. Free for the Asking Project. Must pick up in Santa Paula. "Havana Wall" 2002. Before I bought my own large format printers I had this image printed in Ventura. I liked how it came out so I bought a 24 inch wide printer and from then on printed my own photos. This one I signed and framed with no mat to keep the size down. Framed it is about 30x30 inches. It was taken on my first trip to Cuba with Bill Hendricks. ... One only available from the trunk of my Subaru. Posted Aug. 8

Free for the Asking Project. Must pick up in Santa Paula. Exhibited at the Museum of Ventura County in 2014 as part of "Cruel Season: Artists Reflecting on Drought and Fire". 12x12 inch frame. One only available from the trunk of my Subaru. Posted Aug. 8