CONCORD — Like any other kid, Luciano Roque grew up watching cartoons — but instead of paying attention to the stories, he focused on the art.
“I was already thinking about animation as a kid growing up,” Roque said. “I remember watching cartoons and sitting there on the couch with a huge stack of printer paper and a pencil drawing Inspector Gadget and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
He focused on drawing and painting in high school thinking about how he could further express his perspective on life and the world through art. Through the years, he painted murals and portraits of people, expanding his repertoire to include watercolors, acrylics and oils.
Then he began to experiment, “pushing the envelope,” a bit and eventually, after mastering various art techniques, the stories behind his subjects began taking shape, influencing his artistic direction.
“I found as I could make portraits, I could tell stories — make a face that shows emotions,” said Roque, who holds a degree in illustration from Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Since moving to Contra Costa County four years ago, from his Pacifica home, Roque has delved into the art scene with relish, the change of scenery inspiring him to explore new ground artistically, he said.
He’s painted on canvases, walls and boards, and thought, why not skateboards?
“People want to know what goes on beyond the surface,” he said. “I wanted to try skateboard art but wasn’t so sure how the surface would take with the paint.”
And by skateboard art, he means using a skate deck, without wheels, to paint on rather than designing a functional skateboard, he said.
To make the painted decks stand out, he chose two designs — inspired by sketches with whimsical concepts. “Intertwined,” in acrylic and ink, shows an intricate lace pattern that he said, “zooms in” on the freckles of the subject’s face.
“This shows the subtleties of a woman’s face as something people can relate to. It’s part of the beauty of a female face,” Roque said.
Whether a painting is on a skate deck or an oil on canvas like his work, “Vigil,” depicting two hands clasped, there’s a story behind each subject. Anyone can give new life to his paintings by simply providing their own interpretation of what they see, he said.
“I depicted a woman’s hands as she prayed under a candle, but it can reflect what’s going on in the world,” Roque said. “It can capture a feeling of hope.”
Monica Duong, an artist and previous owner of Mama de Luna Art Gallery, which was located in Crockett before it closed, said she had gotten to know Roque’s work when he exhibited there.
“His use of imaginary and vivid colors captures the viewer’s attention, and has people wondering about the subjects in his works and their stories,” Duong said.
Roque paints people in a majestic and almost whimsical style, creating a sense of mystery, she said.
“He is able to create a sense of symbolism and meaning with many of the images he creates,” Duong said.
“His work feels very personal, and that’s important when you’re an artist, because every piece you create, is a small window for others to see into who you are,” Duong said.
It was at Duong’s gallery where artist Raquel Amaral first saw Roques’ artwork. She invited him to display work at her Concord gallery, where his work is currently on display.
“Several of his pieces have sold in my gallery,” Amaral said. “I would love for him to teach (at the gallery) but I understand that he is extremely busy with his art and now has a YouTube channel.”
Roque’s work has been steadily gaining attention not only in Contra Costa County, but also beyond, said Duong and Amaral.
Irene Hernandez-Feiks, owner of Wonderland SF, a San Francisco-based gallery whose purpose is to discover and support Bay Area artists, said she admires how Roque “always thinks outside the box,” and has seen how his work has evolved in the seven years she’s known him.
“Not only is he an incredible artist but we love how when we give him a theme, he always makes something special and surprising,” said Hernandez-Feiks. “I love that his style is very urban and at the same time beautiful and delicate. His work is so strong that we have turned some of his art into T-shirts that represent our gallery.”
For more information, visit www.lucianoroque.com