Yesterday I wrote about Sterling Dickinson and Leonard & Riva Brooks how they were major forces in shaping San Miguel de Allende into the artist colony it is today. James Pinto was another artist that had a tremendous influence on San Miguel.Pinto was born in Yugoslavia and came to live and work in the United States. While in the US, he worked for Walt Disney Studios. He and his wife, Rushka, moved to San Miguel in 1948.
He taught painting at the Bellas Artes and later at the Instituto Allende where he became Head of the Art Department from 1961 - 1969 and Dean from 1969 - 1979 .
This one of my favorite paintings of Pinto, "Golden Bridge." Pinto's paintings were described as "Abstract Expressionism." He had such a talent on how he interpreted shapes, colors and light. 
Pinto's wall sculpture is at the Instituto Allende. It's fairly large, about 15 feet in width.
These impressive murals painted by Pinto are also at the Instituto Allende.
One night, many years ago, I saw Pinto and his wife at dinner at Sierra Nevada in San Miguel. He had a tremedous sense of humor and I always loved asking him if he was still "finger painting."
Hi Robin, do you happen to know if James Pinto and Rushka had any children? I'm working on a family tree of Fames Haim Pinto. Thank you and God bless.
ReplyDeleteHello Mike, James and Rushka did not have any children. I am cousins w Jim's brother-in-law, Otto Englander.
DeleteCan I contact you? I have a question about a lady Verna in Belgrade who Erna knew before she died. utahisc@yahoo.com Cathy
DeleteHI Robin
ReplyDeleteI too love the painting you call the golden bridge. I was lucky enough to see it at Harle Montgomery's home in La Jolla, and I took photographs. I think your photo might be upside down as my photos show James Pinto's signature at the bottom. Harle mentioned that it is a painting of the Ponte Vecchio. Just thought you might like to know.
Thank you. I will turn it around. I scanned it from a catalog that my father, Bob Mullen, had put together and published for Pinto.
ReplyDelete