Johny Castro

Johny Castro Gutierrez is a Mexican-American artist who is based in the Twin Cities. He works with a variety of different materials such as watercolor, woodblock prints, oil paints and photography. Castro was born on August 17th, 1999 in Minnesota, but has spent time with his family in Mexico throughout his life, allowing him to grow up immersed in both cultures and giving him the ability to see the world in two different ways. He also spent a fair amount of time in Mexico because his extended family lived there. Even though he’s not religious, he does draw influence from Mexican traditions such as the creation of ofrendas in his art. Castro was introduced to art because of his older brother when he was a child. Much of his influence came from his brother’s art, and cartoons. His creativity was sparked and he began to draw things that interested him. As a child, Castro was known to paint on walls of his home in Mexico, drawing inspiration from the murals on the buildings there. Being mostly self taught for many years, Castro has developed a personal style that takes inspiration from different parts of his life. Influences from cartoons, as well as a “punkish” aesthetic derived from the skating scene can be seen in his art. His family are big supporters of his endeavors as an artist and continue to encourage his passion.

Johny Castro Gutierrez graduated from Columbia Heights High School in 2017. While in high school, he was selected for two gold keys in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for his work, which further inspired his love for art. He graduated from North Hennepin Community College with a degree in Assorted Arts, and is now pursuing his generals at Anoka Ramsey Community College. He is currently working as a personal banker for Wells Fargo Bank.

In 2021, Castro had a painting displayed in the Art of Nature, a gallery showing in Arizona. This experience was a big step in exposing his work. He had a lot of support, notably from his older brother who attended the exhibition. Castro was able to receive a lot of helpful insights into his own work as well as his personal development. It was an experience that showed him that as an artist, people will create their own opinions on the styles and choices you choose to use in your art, but at the end of the day it is up to you what you will take out of it.