By Ángel Mendoza

Art runs through his veins; dreamlike images flow from his hands amidst brushes, dyes, and splashes of water. Like a magician of the arts, his brushstrokes come to life, transforming into longed-for spaces that invite the viewer to delve into this world of grays, culminating in a spectacular watercolor artwork.

Hegel said that "the young are called to change the world, to devour, literally, the world," and Nicolás López has taken the words of this German philosopher to heart. At 37, he has already traveled to some thirty countries to showcase his watercolor art in urban settings.

Nico, as his critics and admirers often call him, still has vivid memories of his alma mater, the "Daniel Alcides Carrión" National School of Commerce in Cajas Chico, Huancayo. Its classrooms served as inspiration for him to sketch the paths of his life on small sheets of drawing paper that always accompanied him.

He is the second of seven siblings, nicknamed "Crooked" by his uncles because he was the only left-handed child and there was no history of left-handedness in the family. Within his family, he quietly nurtured his dreams, and despite financial difficulties, he never wavered in his pursuit of them.

Shy and introverted, as he describes himself, he always sat at the back of the classroom, rarely going out to recess, always playing with his pencil, lost in his own little world of dreams and musings.

His school memories bring a smile to his face when he recalls doing art projects for his classmates, who would pay him with a candy or a soda after school.

His desire to excel and become a great artist compelled him to leave his native Huancayo and move to the Andean city of Ayacucho, the cradle of Peruvian handicrafts, to find inspiration and immerse himself in Andean folk art.

This is how he began his art studies at the School of Fine Arts in Ayacucho. Not satisfied after completing the five-year program, he moved to the city of Arequipa to pursue professional artistry. It was there that he found the freedom to create, to let his grand dreams flow. He was, quite literally, a fish in water.

Arequipa had become his base of operations, from where he embarked on his first trips to participate in watercolor competitions throughout Latin America. In Argentina, he found a legion of admirers who were captivated by his exquisite technique. Therefore, he didn't hesitate to represent Argentina at a watercolor festival in Fabiano, Italy. It was in Argentina that he honed his skills and abilities as a watercolor artist, and Europe became his window to the world.

Today, his years of sacrifice and perseverance have borne fruit. Nico López exhibits his work in renowned art galleries in Spain, Greece, France, Italy, Serbia, Argentina, Brazil, and the Far East. He travels the world leading watercolor workshops and courses, becoming a privileged ambassador of Peruvian art.

Nico López has a distinctive and unique style in his black and white works. His creativity flows on that small, special piece of paper, like a gentle spray of water, and he is gradually gaining recognition and admiration from curators and art critics who readily invite him to exhibit his work.

One of the events he will be participating in is the Confluence International Festival, 2021, from October 9th to 24th in France.

This Peruvian artist of Andean origin has carved out a niche for himself in the competitive and challenging world of watercolor, and with great humility, he doesn't claim to have revolutionized the technique in Peru. Today, he is the Peruvian artist of the moment, appearing on social media endorsing various brands of watercolors, papers, brushes, and frames.