Andres Valencia: The Young Prodigy Redefining Art

A 13-year-old stands on a step ladder, working on a canvas twice his height. His paintings sell for six figures.

Andres Valencia broke into the contemporary art scene at age 10, becoming the youngest artist ever to exhibit solo at Art Miami. All 17 paintings sold opening night. His work draws comparisons to Pablo Picasso and George Condo, but with a bold color palette that’s entirely his own.

This young painter from San Diego combines oil painting, acrylic paint, and oil stick to create large-scale abstract portraits. Celebrity collectors include Sofia Vergara and members of BTS. He’s raised over $750,000 for charity through his art.

What makes Valencia different? His Cubist-influenced style fragments faces into geometric planes while keeping raw emotional power intact. This article examines his techniques, influences, notable works, and rapid rise in the art market.

Identity Snapshot

Full Name: Andres Valencia

Born: October 1, 2011 (San Diego, California)

Primary Role: Painter, Contemporary Artist

Nationality: American

Movements: Contemporary Art, Cubism-influenced, Abstract Figurative

Mediums: Oil painting, acrylic painting, oil stick on canvas

Signature Traits: Fragmented facial compositions, bold primary colors, large-scale format (often 48×60 inches or larger), knife-applied texture, geometric face deconstruction

Iconography: Fragmented human faces, geometric facial planes, expressive eyes, bold color contrast between warm and cool zones

Geographic Anchors: San Diego (birthplace, current studio), New York (Chase Contemporary gallery), Miami (Art Miami breakthrough)

Representation: Chase Contemporary (Bernie Chase, director), represented since age 6-7

Key Mentors/Influences: Pablo Picasso, George Condo, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Salvador Dali, Francisco Goya, Vincent van Gogh, Amedeo Modigliani, Francis Bacon

Collections: Private collections include Sofia Vergara, Tommy Mottola, Kim Tae-hyung (V of BTS), Channing Tatum, Brooke Shields, Diane Keaton, Jessica Goldman Srebnick, Jordan Belfort, Logan Paul

Market Signals: Auction debut at Phillips Hong Kong realized $160,000 (3x estimate). Charity piece sold for $230,000 at Capri gala. Exhibition works range $50,000-$125,000. Over $750,000 raised for charity

What Sets The Artist Apart

Valencia paints standing on a step ladder. He’s 13 years old and works on canvases twice his height.

His compositions split faces into Cubist fragments but keep emotional intensity that older practitioners of the style often lose. Each eye gets its own geometric plane. Mouths twist across multiple angles at once.

The color palette stays bright. Not pastel, not muted. Full-throttle complementary colors that vibrate against each other (orange against blue, red against green).

Most young painters work small until they learn control. Valencia started small at age 4 but jumped to 60-inch canvases by age 8. He builds up surface with oil stick first, then layers acrylic paint and oil paint on top. The result has knife-edge impasto in places, flat color fields in others.

Gallery director Bernie Chase calls him the youngest artist to ever exhibit solo at Art Miami. All 17 paintings sold opening night in 2021. He was 10.

Origins & Formation

Early Discovery (2015-2017)

Valencia picked up paintbrushes at age 4 after watching a documentary about Jean-Michel Basquiat. Told his father: “I can do that.”

Started with acrylic markers and small canvases. Teachers in San Diego’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) program noticed him right away. While classmates drew stick figures, Valencia drew surrealist compositions with multiple faces overlapping.

His mother visited school for pictures. Other kids rushed over to watch him draw.

Home Studio Development (2017-2019)

Paint got everywhere. Living room, parents’ bedroom, his own room.

Family converted the basement into a dedicated studio space. By age 6, Valencia shifted from watercolors ($20 each to family friends) to larger formats with professional materials. Requested linen canvas, gallery-quality supports, palette knives, scraping tools.

Bernie Chase (Chase Contemporary gallery owner) bought an early work. Offered $100. Valencia countered with $5,000. Chase paid it.

Self-Directed Training (2018-present)

No formal art school. YouTube became his academy.

Studied Pablo Picasso, George Condo, Gerhard Richter videos for hours. Copied master works to learn technique. Common practice for developing painters, but unusual for someone under 10.

Also studies sculpture at home. Has sculpted James Brown, Chuck Berry. Plays piano (since age 6), learning guitar.

First Public Recognition (2019-2021)

Parents resisted creating Instagram initially. Friends pushed them.

Posted only finished works. People accused them of helping. Started filming entire process start to finish. Response exploded.

Chase Contemporary began representing Valencia around age 7. Bernie Chase: “Andres is going to be an important artist.”

Movement & Context

Cubist Lineage Without Cubist Restraint

Valencia works within Cubism but doesn’t follow its rules. Picasso and Georges Braque used muted earth tones (ochre, umber, grey) in analytic Cubist works. Valencia uses electric blue, acid yellow, hot pink.

Classic Cubism fractured objects to show multiple viewpoints simultaneously while keeping emotional temperature cool. Valencia’s faces fragment but radiate feeling. Eyes stare. Mouths twist with expression.

Comparison to George Condo

Both Condo and Valencia work with what Condo calls “artificial realism.” Faces that couldn’t exist but feel emotionally true.

Condo’s approach: Smooth blending, refined edges, unsettling psychological depth in adult faces, often on smaller canvases (24×36 inches common)

Valencia’s approach: Rough texture from oil stick base layer, hard edges between color zones, childlike directness mixed with sophisticated structure, massive formats (48×60 inches standard)

Comparison to Basquiat

Basquiat and Valencia both:

• Started extremely young
• Use mixed media (oil stick + paint)
• Create immediate, urgent images
• Build thick surface texture

Key differences:

• Basquiat incorporated text, symbols, crown motifs. Valencia stays purely visual.
• Basquiat’s compositions sprawl across the canvas with all-over energy. Valencia centers faces with geometric precision.
• Basquiat used painting mediums to convey rage and commentary. Valencia seeks visual impact and emotional connection.

Position in Contemporary Art

Valencia represents a new type of emerging artist. Social media documentation from age 6 forward. Gallery representation before age 10. Six-figure auction results before finishing elementary school.

This trajectory was impossible before Instagram. The art world traditionally required years of gallery shows, critical reviews, museum attention. Valencia compressed that timeline through viral video documentation and celebrity collectors sharing his work.

Materials, Techniques, and Process

Support Choices

Works primarily on stretched linen canvas. Requests gallery-quality pre-stretched supports.

Sizes range from 12×9 inches (sketches, studies) to 60×48 inches (exhibition pieces). Most finished works sit at 48×60 inches or larger.

Occasionally works on paper for prints and studies. Paper pieces show more fluid, experimental approaches.

Ground Preparation

Uses pre-primed canvases. Doesn’t discuss custom gesso application, suggesting he works on commercially prepared supports.

Material Combination

Three-layer approach:

Base layer: Oil stick applied directly to canvas. Creates textured foundation, defines major shapes and compositional structure.

Middle layer: Acrylic paint for large color zones. Fast-drying, allows quick color decisions.

Top layer: Oil paint for details, refinement, final texture work.

This breaks traditional “fat over lean” oil painting rules (oil stick contains oil, then acrylic, then oil again). Works because he applies thick enough layers that adhesion problems don’t emerge.

Palette Architecture

Relies heavily on color wheel for guidance. Uses it during painting process to check color harmony.

Dominant hues: Primary colors (red, blue, yellow) used at full intensity. Secondary colors (orange, green, purple) mixed in.

Temperature bias: Alternates between warm and cool zones within single composition. Hot orange next to ice blue. Creates visual vibration.

Value distribution: High contrast between light and dark. Not much middle grey. Pushes lights toward white, darks toward black.

Saturation levels: Maxed out. Rarely mixes colors down to muted tones. Keeps everything at high chroma.

Brushwork and Application

Uses palette knives for scraping and texture creation. Also employs traditional brushes for detail work.

Edge quality varies: hard geometric edges between facial planes, softer edges within color zones.

No visible underdrawing in finished works, but starts with small sketches (often 12×9 inches) before moving to large canvas.

Studio Practice Pattern

Paints daily when possible. “Some days I paint, other days I don’t. It just depends on how much homework I get.”

Works in sessions of 1-2 hours, then breaks. Returns next day to add more. Typical painting takes 2 days to 2 weeks. Some pieces continue for longer periods.

Often works on multiple canvases simultaneously. Lets one dry while working another.

Gets ideas right before sleep. Sometimes gets out of bed at 10pm to paint when inspiration strikes.

Stands on step ladder to reach top portions of large canvases. Moves ladder around as he works different areas.

Listens to music while painting. Prefers painting at night.

Themes, Subjects, and Iconography

The Fragmented Face

Every major work centers on human faces broken into geometric planes. Not abstract to the point of unrecognizability. You see the face, but it’s split, rotated, viewed from multiple angles at once.

Eyes appear in different planes. One might face forward while the other tilts 45 degrees. Both remain expressive.

Emotional Directness

Despite geometric fragmentation, faces convey clear feeling. Not neutral Cubist studies. These faces stare, challenge, express.

The color psychology reinforces emotion. Red zones suggest intensity, blue zones create calm, yellow brings energy.

War and Social Commentary

“Invasion of Ukraine” (2022, 48×60 inches) marks a shift toward political subject matter. Painted after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Composition includes:

• Weeping eye above Ukrainian flag
• Broken heart with bullet casings
• Assault rifle
• Russian soldiers
• Ukrainian fighters on ground
• Hand of Ukrainian soldier showing strength

Valencia describes it as “the Guernica of today,” referencing Picasso‘s famous anti-war painting. Uses Cubism, Surrealism, and Symbolism combined.

Bullfighting Imagery

“Romero” features bullfighter in blue with jeweled chaquetilla (embroidered jacket). Face rendered in Cubist abstraction. References Spanish bullfighting tradition, echoing Picasso‘s early bullfighting paintings.

Shows influence of Francisco Goya‘s bullfighting prints and Picasso‘s “Le petit picador jaune” (1889).

Compositional Schemes

Most works follow centered, frontal composition. Face dominates canvas, pushed close to picture plane.

Limited background. Color fields rather than detailed settings.

Emphasis stays on the face. Everything else supports it.

Uses asymmetrical balance within the face itself. Left side might be warm colors, right side cool. Creates tension.

Notable Works

“Ms Cube” (2020)

Medium: Acrylic paint and oil pastel on canvas

Size: Approximately 40×30 inches (based on print dimensions)

Current Location: Sold at Phillips Hong Kong, June 21, 2022

Visual Signature: Female face split into multiple geometric planes. Primary color blocks (blue, red, yellow) dominate. Hard edges between facial sections. Oil pastel creates visible texture throughout.

Why It Matters: Auction debut. Estimated HK$200,000-400,000 ($25,600-$51,300), realized $160,000 (over 3x high estimate). First series of prints based on this image sold out immediately at Art Miami 2021. Portion of proceeds benefited Box of Hope charity.

Related Works: Print edition of 100, signed and numbered, with hand-painted additions in acrylic.

“Invasion of Ukraine” (2022)

Medium: Oil paint, acrylic paint, oil stick on canvas

Size: 48×60 inches

Current Location: Chase Contemporary, New York (original); 550 prints sold

Visual Signature: Complex multi-figure composition. Weeping eye (top left), Ukrainian flag, broken heart, bullet casings, assault rifle, Russian soldiers, Ukrainian fighters. Hand of Ukrainian soldier dominant in composition. Combines Cubism, Surrealism, Symbolism.

Why It Matters: Most ambitious work to date. Clear political statement. All print proceeds (550 editions at $950 each) benefit Klitschko Foundation for Ukrainian mental health programs. Direct homage to Picasso‘s “Guernica” (1937). Shows Valencia’s awareness of art history and social responsibility.

Related Works: Started with 12×9 inch marker sketch, then expanded to full canvas. Print edition sold September 2022.

“Romero” (2022-2023)

Medium: Oil stick, oil paint, acrylic paint on canvas

Size: Medium-scale (exact dimensions undocumented)

Visual Signature: Bullfighter in vibrant blue. Chaquetilla embroidered with flowers and jewels. Face in Cubist abstraction with multiple viewing angles. Blue dominates color palette.

Why It Matters: Shows Valencia engaging with Spanish painting tradition (Goya, Picasso). Demonstrates study of art history. Bullfighting as subject matter rarely appears in contemporary young artists’ work.

Related Works: References Picasso‘s “Le petit picador jaune” (1889), painted when Picasso was 8 years old.

Art Miami 2021 Collection (17 paintings)

Medium: Mixed media on canvas

Price Range: $5,000-$20,000

Location: Sold to private collectors opening night

Why It Matters: Made Valencia the youngest artist ever to have solo booth at Art Miami. Complete sellout. Launched his career publicly. Drew celebrity collectors (Sofia Vergara, Channing Tatum, Brooke Shields, Jordan Belfort). Featured on Good Morning America and international press.

Exhibitions, Collections, and Provenance Highlights

Major Exhibitions

Art Miami 2021 (November 30 – December 5)

• First major art fair appearance
• Youngest artist ever with solo booth
• All 17 works sold opening night
• Price range: $5,000-$20,000

Art Palm Beach 2022 (March)

• Complete sellout in one day
• Exhibition works priced $50,000-$125,000

“No Rules” – Chase Contemporary, New York (June 23, 2022)

• First solo gallery show
• All works sold before opening
• Included paintings and works on paper (2020-2022)
• Opening reception drew significant press attention

Auction Results

Phillips Hong Kong (June 21, 2022)

• “Ms Cube” (2020)
• Estimate: HK$200,000-400,000 ($25,600-$51,300)
• Realized: $160,000 (over 3x high estimate)

LuisaViaRoma x UNICEF Summer Gala, Capri, Italy (July 30, 2022)

• Untitled work sold for $230,000
• Live auction conducted by Simon de Pury
• Proceeds to UNICEF

Collections

Celebrity Collectors:

• Sofia Vergara (actress)
• Tommy Mottola (music executive)
• Kim Tae-hyung/V (BTS member)
• Channing Tatum (actor)
• Brooke Shields (actress)
• Diane Keaton (actress)
• Jordan Belfort (entrepreneur)
• Logan Paul (social media)
• Ryan Garcia (boxer)
• Thalia (Mexican singer/actress)

Private Collections:

• Robbi and Bruce E. Toll
• Jessica Goldman Srebnick (CEO, Wynwood Walls)

Gallery Representation

Chase Contemporary (New York, SoHo)

• Director: Bernie Chase
• Represented since age 6-7
• Primary gallery for exhibitions and sales

Charitable Work

Total raised: Over $750,000

Organizations supported:

• Klitschko Foundation (Ukraine mental health)
• UNICEF
• amfAR
• Box of Hope (underprivileged children in Asia)

Notable charity contributions:

• “Invasion of Ukraine” prints: 550 editions at $950 each, 100% to Klitschko Foundation
• Phillips Hong Kong auction: Portion of “Ms Cube” proceeds to Box of Hope
• Capri gala: $230,000 work to UNICEF

Market & Reception

Price Trajectory

2017-2019 (ages 6-8): Watercolors to family/friends, $20 each

2019-2020 (ages 8-9): First gallery sales through Chase Contemporary, $100-$5,000

2021 (age 10): Art Miami fair, $5,000-$20,000 per work

2022 (age 11): Art Palm Beach and Chase Contemporary solo show, $50,000-$125,000

2022 (age 11): Auction results, $160,000-$230,000

Media Coverage

Featured in:

• Good Morning America (December 2021)
• The New York Times
• Forbes
• The Times (London)
• NPR
• Artnet News
• Robb Report
• Smithsonian Magazine

Critical Reception

Bernie Chase (gallery director): “I’ve been in the art business for 20 years. I’ve worked with guys like Peter Beard and Kenny Scharf. Andres has the potential to be that big or bigger.”

Donnalynn Patakos (Portray Magazine): Valencia represents those “who, from a very young age, become naturally drawn to something and through their unwavering dedication to it, become exceptional.”

Authentication

All works come with certificate of authenticity from Andres Valencia Studio.

Process documented through video from start to finish. Posted to Instagram. Provides provenance documentation and proof of creation process.

Market Factors

Driving interest:

• Age/prodigy narrative
• Complete video documentation of process
• Celebrity collector interest
• Strong gallery representation
• Charitable giving component
• Social media presence

Potential concerns:

• Long-term career trajectory unknown
• Technical development still in progress
• Market may be responding to story rather than work quality
• Question of whether prices sustainable as he ages

Influence & Legacy

Upstream Influences (Who Influenced Valencia)

Pablo Picasso – Cubist facial deconstruction, geometric planes, multiple perspectives, bullfighting subjects

George Condo – Contemporary figurative distortion, “artificial realism” concept, face as emotional vehicle

Jean-Michel Basquiat – Mixed media approach, oil stick use, immediate gestural energy, young artist trajectory

Salvador Dali – Surrealist elements, symbolic imagery, technical ambition

Francisco Goya – Spanish painting tradition, dark themes, social commentary, bullfighting imagery

Vincent van Gogh – Bold color use, emotional directness, thick paint application

Amedeo Modigliani – Elongated faces, simplified features, psychological portraiture

Francis Bacon – Distorted faces, emotional intensity, existential themes

Gerhard Richter – Contemporary painting approaches, varied techniques

RETNA (Marquis Lewis) – Street art influence, contemporary urban aesthetic

Raphael Mazzucco – Contemporary figurative work

Downstream Influence (Who Valencia May Influence)

Still too early to assess direct influence on other artists. However:

Social media documentation model – Valencia’s family’s decision to video entire painting process creates transparency unusual in art world. May influence how young artists document and share work.

Charitable art model – Raising $750,000+ for charity by age 13 sets precedent for young artists combining commercial success with social responsibility.

Gallery representation timeline – Being represented at age 6-7 and exhibiting at major fairs by age 10 may shift how galleries consider very young artists.

Cross-Domain Impact

Art market structure – Valencia’s success raises questions about age, prodigy narratives, and market speculation in contemporary art.

Art education – Self-taught through YouTube and copying masters. Challenges assumptions about formal training necessity.

Social media and art careers – Instagram documentation became crucial to his visibility. Shows power of platform for emerging artists.

How to Recognize a Valencia at a Glance

Large format – If it’s under 36 inches, probably not a finished Valencia. He works big.

Centered face – Composition almost always built around frontal or near-frontal face pushed close to picture plane.

Geometric facial planes – Face breaks into distinct angular sections. Hard edges between zones. Not soft blending.

Primary color dominance – Red, blue, yellow at full intensity. Secondary colors present but primaries rule.

High contrast – Lights pushed toward white, darks toward black. Not much middle value.

Visible texture – Oil stick base layer creates rough surface. Some areas show thick impasto, others flatten out.

Expressive eyes – Even in geometric abstraction, eyes maintain direct emotional quality.

Mixed media surface – Look for oil stick, acrylic, and oil layered together. Creates distinctive surface quality.

Limited background – Color field behind face rather than detailed setting. All emphasis on central figure.

Signature placement – Check lower portion of canvas. Signed “Andres Valencia” with date.

Canvas quality – Works on gallery-quality stretched linen. Professional presentation even in early works.

FAQ on Andres Valencia

How old is Andres Valencia?

Andres Valencia was born October 1, 2011, making him 13 years old. He started painting at age 4 and had his first major gallery exhibition at age 10, becoming the youngest artist ever featured at Art Miami.

What painting style does Andres Valencia use?

Valencia works in a Cubist-influenced abstract style. He fragments faces into geometric planes while maintaining emotional intensity. His approach combines elements from Pablo Picasso, George Condo, and Jean-Michel Basquiat but uses bolder primary colors.

How much do Andres Valencia paintings sell for?

Valencia’s paintings range from $50,000 to $125,000 for exhibition pieces. His auction debut at Phillips Hong Kong realized $160,000, three times the high estimate. A charity piece sold for $230,000 at a Capri gala.

What materials does Andres Valencia use?

Valencia uses a three-layer technique combining oil stick, acrylic paint, and oil paint on stretched linen canvas. He works on large formats, typically 48×60 inches. The oil stick creates textured foundation layers beneath painted surfaces.

Who represents Andres Valencia?

Chase Contemporary gallery in New York represents Valencia. Gallery director Bernie Chase began representing him around age 6 or 7. Chase said Valencia “has the potential to be that big or bigger” than artists like Peter Beard and Kenny Scharf.

What celebrities own Andres Valencia art?

Celebrity collectors include Sofia Vergara, Tommy Mottola, Kim Tae-hyung (V from BTS), Channing Tatum, Brooke Shields, Diane Keaton, Jordan Belfort, and Logan Paul. Jessica Goldman Srebnick, CEO of Wynwood Walls, also owns his work.

Did Andres Valencia go to art school?

No formal art training. Valencia is self-taught through YouTube videos and studying master painters. He watched documentaries about Picasso, Basquiat, and George Condo. His Visual and Performing Arts teachers at San Diego public school identified his talent early.

What is Andres Valencia’s most famous painting?

“Invasion of Ukraine” (2022, 48×60 inches) is his most recognized work. Created after Russia invaded Ukraine, it references Picasso‘s “Guernica.” All print proceeds (550 editions at $950 each) benefited the Klitschko Foundation for Ukrainian mental health programs.

How does Andres Valencia create his paintings?

He stands on a step ladder to reach large canvases. Starts with small sketches, then applies oil stick for base texture, adds acrylic for color zones, finishes with oil paint details. Works 1-2 hours per session across multiple days.

How much has Andres Valencia raised for charity?

Valencia has raised over $750,000 for charitable causes. He’s donated to the Klitschko Foundation (Ukraine), UNICEF, amfAR, and Box of Hope. His “Invasion of Ukraine” print sales alone raised over $500,000 for Ukrainian mental health programs.

Conclusion

Andres Valencia represents something rare in contemporary art. A teenage painter working at professional gallery level, creating abstract paintings that collectors take seriously.

His painting technique combines traditional methods with instinctive color theory application. Standing on a step ladder, he builds each canvas through multiple sessions, layering different painting mediums to create distinctive surface texture.

The art market responded. Six-figure auction results. Celebrity collectors. Sold-out exhibitions at major venues.

But the charitable work matters most. Over $750,000 raised for causes including Ukraine relief, UNICEF, and underprivileged children. His studio practice balances commercial success with social responsibility, proving young artists can make meaningful impact beyond gallery walls.

Whether his trajectory continues remains unknown. For now, he paints daily, studies Vincent van Gogh and Salvador Dali, and pushes boundaries.