Valecillos, who was born in 1969, describes his earliest
days half-jokingly, saying, “My childhood unfolded in
the golden fields of Barquisimeto, Venezuela.”
Barquisimeto isn’t exactly a tiny town, but it was too
small to contain his ambition and vision. He moved to
Caracas and then later to Miami, where he became a
widely known and sought after director and
production designer creating advertising and
promotional campaigns for Fortune 500 companies
and stage sets and visual images for some of the
world’s top performers, including Celine Dion,
Christina Aguilera, and Madonna.Tell us a little bit about your background. At what
age did you realize that art was something you
wanted to do professionally?"I think I was seven. I realized early—not because at
home I had any support or because my family was into
it; I just loved painting, music, film, and art, in general. I
took part in every play during my school years. I don't
do acting now, but growing up, it was something we
had to do at school, and I enjoyed it very much. During
high school, all I wanted to do was go away, to do
something different from what my family had planned
for me. My mother decided for me to be a lawyer—
crazy but true. I moved from my town to the capital,
Caracas, and started doing advertising and marketing,
which was the one thing I could do instead of going to
law school. I began working at the same time I went to
school, and that was hard but fun. I was doing
something creative and different every day. At thispoint, I needed a job to pay for school, and advertising
was paying very well. I learned a lot during those years
—marketing and publicity are very useful instruments,
especially if you are in the creative field. I met
fantastic people and learned from them and from the
challenges I was exposed to in my career.I had the chance to be creative, and sometimes, it felt
like I was doing art—at least, I like to think that. While I
was working, I started making collages. I called them
“family boxes,” and they were where I kept my family
memories. I would mix all of the particular objects
from my family with different elements, including
cardboard, wood, etc. I have one somewhere back
home.After four years in advertising, I needed a break. I was
going crazy in this big and fantastic city, Caracas—
France and art were the solutions to my crisis. I moved
to Paris and discovered the magic of the city, the
walls, the history. I used to walk for miles every day
just to feel more connected to the city and the vibe.
Sorbonne opens its doors for me, and I enjoyed every
minute I spent there.You have collaborated for over ten years with
Veneno, Inc., creating visuals for world tour
concerts of top artists like Madonna, Britney
Spears, Justin Bieber, Celine Dion, and Christina
Aguilera. You've also given color and shape to the
visions of famous fellow artists like DavidOrganic A” Photography by Cristobal Valecillos Copyright © 2013. All Rights
Reserved
“Family Room” Fine Art Photography by Cristobal Valecillos. Copyright ©
2013 All Rights Reserved.