Yes. Both private and group lessons are available. These include subjects like beginning, intermediate or advanced drawing, watercolor technique, and male nude drawing or painting.

Group lessons: one-day and multi-day group lessons are offered throughout the year. If you live in Puerto Vallarta or are planning a trip there, check the events calendar for the schedule.

Private lessons can be arranged with the artist, either in-person or online. Contact him by email here. Please include the subject you’d like to learn, your current skill level, and the dates / times that work best for you.

Yes. I accept commissions (custom art requests) when my schedule allows. Options include: portraits, couples portraits, pet portraits, and even full scenes like my non-commissioned work. Visit the ‘commissions’ page for more info and examples.

Click here for my current pricing chart. Prices listed are guidelines, and are subject to change without notice. Commission prices are set on a case-by-case basis, and depend on size, complexity and turnaround time.

A selection of my paintings are available as high-quality prints. My standard prints are on 8x10” paper with the image inset by a quarter inch, so that it fits with minimal cropping in a standard mat or frame.

Custom prints can be made in a size of your choice. Prices are based on rates from the print shop. Contact me for a quote. Please note: custom prints are only available for paintings that have already sold. Feel free to send an email if you are unsure if the image you want is eligible for a custom print.

If you’re near Miami, my work can always be seen at Claudia Castillo Art Studios in Fort Lauderdale/Wilton Manors, Florida. It’s lgbtq-owned and in an art district that has a number of gay-friendly galleries.

If you’re in Puerto Vallarta, contact me for a personal visit to my home studio, and check out the events calendar for other opportunities around town.

All other exhibitions will be listed on the events calendar page. Check it out.

The time a painting takes depends on a number of factors. These include the size, style and complexity of the painting. A smallish 8x10” painting in a less photo-realistic style and with less detail can be completed in two hours, if I’m really focused. I’ve even done live portrait painting that results in a quality likeness in about a half hour.

The majority of the medium to large paintings in my typical style tend to take anywhere from four days to a couple of weeks. This is because I’m often working on a few paintings at a time; going back and forth between them. The part that takes the longest is thinking through the next steps. As the painting develops and new layers of paint find their way onto the piece, I’m often pausing work to figure out what needs to happen next. The original plan rarely holds through to the end. It’s a process of reacting to each new addition. So, when the next step is unclear, the painting gets put aside.  Hence, why the paintings can take so long.

Sometimes a painting will get set aside and not get picked up again for a year or more!

My preferred materials have been pretty consistent over the past ten years. Unless otherwise noted, all watercolors are painted on Arches 300lb cold-pressed watercolor paper in either bright or natural white. This is an all-rag (cotton fiber) paper made in France. 

The palette used for most watercolors is shown in the chart below. The pigments are highly lightfast (resist fading). Occasionally, other paints or brands will be used to achieve certain effects. Examples include blues such as cerulean, cobalt, or prussian; as well as ivory black, payne’s grey or green gold. On very rare occasions, I’ll add in highlights using a chalk-like semi-opaque white. However, most white that in my paintings is the white of the paper itself. The chalky white paint is most often used for the signature.

I highly recommend framing watercolors, and including a mat to give the image room to breathe. When I display my work, it is usually in a 2cm black or dark brown ‘gallery-style’ wood frame with a 5-8cm mat in white or just off-white. This just gives everything a consistent and neutral look. 

For artwork you buy, do not feel constrained by what I do. A professional framer can lead you in a much more creative, personal and eye-catching direction, based on the specific piece.

Frames can be purchased in a wide range of prices and quality. You can also choose more expensive ‘glazes’ (the glass part) that are UV protectant or anti-glare. Plexiglass can be an acceptable lower-cost glaze in some very large frames. It’s up to you, your taste, and your finances. A great frame can sometimes cost nearly as much as the artwork itself, but can be a great investment.

Even small towns usually have a frame shop , and they would be my first recommendation for where to go. However, for lower cost frames, hobby stores like Michael’s also offer custom framing. Often the people working there have a pretty good eye for it, too. Use an app like google maps for reviews of your specific store and filter to the reviews including the word ‘frames’ to see what the reputation is like for that location. 

You can order custom frames through a variety of specialty companies online, as well. Just be careful when specifying the dimensions of the artwork. It’s best to measure the artwork yourself before ordering, since there can be some variation in the sizes (e.g. a painting listed on my site as 8x10” could be slightly larger or slightly smaller by about a quarter inch.

Lastly, there are mass-produced frames that can fit your needs either at a store like Michael’s, Target, or IKEA. Be aware, though, that these are the lowest quality options. Be sure to note whether hanging hardware is included with your frame, since adding the hardware yourself could erase any savings.

If you buy a painting directly through me or this website, it probably does not include a frame. Unframed, my paintings up to 12x18” are usually shipped flat. 16x20” and larger are usually shipped rolled (see below). This ensures safe transportation at a reasonable price.  If you buy a painting through a partner gallery, it may come framed. Framed paintings are shipped boxed. Inquire with the gallery with any questions.

Because of the costs and logistics of shipping art from Mexico, it can take a month or longer for artwork you’ve bought to arrive. Customs, fees and tariffs on packages shipped through standard methods can end up costing the recipient hundreds of dollars - sometimes more than the artwork itself! So, please be patient with your orders. In ten years of selling art online, only one purchase has ever had to be refunded for shipping mishaps.

If rush delivery is needed, please email me before making the purchase and we can see whether the delivery can be expedited.

There's a simple way to flatten it at home using a steam iron:

1. Fully clean off a large flat surface, like a table (make sure there are no deep grooves or designs in the surface)

2. Unroll the artwork face-down onto the surface and cover it with clean, flat, colorfast linens (a bath towel that you've owed for a couple years will work fine)

3. With the clothes iron on a medium-to-low steam setting, press the artwork through the linens - the steam will not harm it, or affect the color

4. Avoid wrinkles in the linen, as those can get transferred into the artwork in rare cases

5. While the artwork is still warm, and with the linens still in place, put some heavy books  near the corners to keep it flat.

6. When the paper cools, it will be flat. 

If any wrinkles or indentations get pressed into the paper, don't panic. Just re-iron it, like you would wrinkled clothing, using the method above.