Author: leonardomontoyart

Montoya was born in Medellin Colombia in 1972. His love for art started as a child and grew stronger with time. At the age of 12, he went to Eladio Velez Art School to learn art techniques. Montoya graduated Valedictorian of his High school graduation class in 1990. Only a year later, he had his first art show in Medellin, Colombia. By 1992, Montoya showed once again his greatness for art by winning his first mural commission at Las Americas Movie Theater in his hometown Medellin, which still can be seen today. In 1993, He started to study art, advertising, and photography at the Eladio Velez Art School. Montoya worked as an illustrator for medical books for the University of Antioquia and published some comic illustrations for El Colombiano News Paper. Montoya moved to Ft. Lauderdale in 1998 in search of a better future for his family pursuing the American dream. Then, he moved to New Jersey for 3 years where he worked as a free lance artist. He moved back to FL in 2001 to make Tampa his home for over 10 years. In 2002, Montoya was awarded first place prize for the Hispanic Heritage poster contest and again in 2007. In 2004 and 2011, he won the second place prize for the same contest. In 2010, he went back to study classical drawing and painting atelier at the Grand Central Academy of Art in NYC, a turning point in his career. He had done more than 20 exhibitions between Colombia, NYC, Tampa and South Florida, all while he worked with interior designers as a free lance artist since he arrived to the US. Now back in Ft. Lauderdale, he continues pursuing his dream with the knowledge and the experience that can only be achieved with time and dedication. Now an adult, Montoya maintains the same great passion for art as when he was a child.