Eduardo Gardea is a suggestive and impressionistic artist. Born in Texas and raised in Nebraska, it is his Nebraska upbringing that influences his work. Gardea’s strength as a self-taught artist lies in his use of contemporary art principles, enabling him to vividly portray narratives of personal and societal challenges and triumphs – both modern and historical. Using a variety of mediums, Gardea summons a collective of ongoing ideas and feelings within the viewer.

Gardea’s intention lies in updating the narrative of those who have been denied involvement in mainstream economic, political, cultural, and social activities. He also shows how the contemporary experiences of immigration, citizenship, success, and adversity surpass the surface interpretations of worn-out narratives.

In Gardea’s art, intentionality isn’t about realism but about the subject’s essence. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing and elevating immigrant, indigenous, and blue-collar people from the confinement of society’s margins as these groups continue to make valuable contributions to our world.