About Jesus
Photo Credit: Giano Currie
Jesús Emmanuel Villareal is a Miami-based artist painter and educator who
serves as an Associate Professor in the Master of Arts in Studio Art program at
The Florence Academy of Art. He has been recognized for his artistic abilities
since his early teenage years. He studied at South Miami School of the Arts while
also receiving additional studio instruction from Abdon J. Romero. He earned his
B.F.A. from Maryland Institute College of Art in 2006 and later spent three years
studying and graduating from The Florence Academy of Art.
Upon returning to the United States, Villarreal began teaching at Silvermine Arts
Center and served as a guest lecturer at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. He later
taught at the Florence Academy of Art in New Jersey.
Throughout his career, Villarreal has received numerous awards, scholarships,
and honors, including the Grand Prize in the 2011 Portrait Society of America
International Portrait Competition, the Art Renewal Center Annual Scholarship
Competition, and the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, among others.
His work has been featured in several group and solo exhibitions in the United
States and abroad. His artwork is included in the permanent collection of the
New Britain Museum of American Art, and he is currently exhibiting at Forum
Gallery in New York.
In addition to his studio practice, Jesus Villarreal serves as the Director of the
Visual Arts Magnet Program at South Miami Middle School, where he teaches
middle school visual arts and develops curriculum focused on observational
drawing, technical skill development, and creative problem-solving. His teaching
bridges classical studio training with contemporary art education, making
complex visual concepts accessible and engaging for young artists.
CV
Born on March 27, 1984 in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Became U.S. citizen in 2006.
EDUCATION
- 2006-2009 The Florence Academy of Art. Florence, Italy.
- 2002-2006 The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Baltimore, MD. B.F.A. in Painting.
- 2005 Studio Art Centers International (SACI.) Florence, Italy.
- 1999-2003 Romero-Hidalgo Artists’ Studios. Miami, FL. Study under Abdon Romero.
- 1998-2002 South Miami School of the Arts-Magnet Program for Art.
WORK EXPERIENCE
- 2021-present Director of the Visual Arts Magnet Program at South Miami Middle School.
- 2022-present Associate Professor for the Master's Degree Program at the Florence Academy of Art.
- 2025-2026 Guest Instructor at Regents School of Austin. Texas.
- 2020 Mural Project Workshop with the youth at the Miami-Dade Juvenile Detention Center in Miami.
- 2018 Guest Lecture at The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- 2015-2017 Instructor for the Intensive Drawing Program at The Florence Academy of Art, New Jersey
- 2010-2015 Drawing and Painting Instructor at The Silvermine School of Art, New Canaan, CT.
- 2010 Guest Lecture at The Lyme Academy College of Art, Old Lyme, CT.
- 2008-2009 Instructor for the Intensive Drawing Program at The Florence Academy of Art.
- 2000-2001 Assisted Abdon Romero with Mural Project at St. John Bosco Catholic Church.
SELECTED AWARDS AND HONORS
2011 Grand Prize at the Portrait Society of America. Recipient of the William F. Draper Grand Prize for the International Portrait Competition.
2024 Rookie Teacher of The Year 2024 at South Miami Middle School Center for the Arts.
2024 Third Place at the Guiding Hands, Creative Minds Exhibition hosted by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Barry University. Miami, FL.
2019 Third Place at the Annual Portrait Sketch Competition hosted by the Salmagundi Club. New York, NY.
2010 Third Place at the Annual Juried Exhibition hosted by the Ridgefield Guild of Artists.
Second Place at Faces of Winter hosted by the Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists.
2008 The Art Renewal Center (ARC) Annual Scholarship Competition. Fourth Place.
Student Teacher Scholarship from The Florence Academy of Art.
Best Composition of the Year from The Florence Academy of Art.
Honorable Mention for Still-Life and Figure Painting from The Florence Academy of Art.
Studio Keeper Scholarship from The Florence Academy of Art.
2007 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant.
Best Drawing of the Year from The Florence Academy of Art.
Studio Keeper Scholarship from The Florence Academy of Art.
2005 Bill Woody/ Tom Miller ’67, ’87 Scholarship.
2004 William Ferguson Scholarship.
2003 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant.
William Ferguson Scholarship.
2002 MICA Presidential Scholarship.
Honorable Mention from the Florida First Lady’s Art Recognition Scholarship.
Gold Key from the National Scholastics Art Award.
2001 Two Gold Keys from the Regional Scholastics Art Awards.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
- 2022 "Realísmo Mágico" Miami Art Society Gallery. Miami, Florida. November.
- 2012 "Mirrors" Haynes Galleries. Thomaston, Maine. August.
- 2007 "In the Spirit of the Tradition." Romero-Hidalgo Artists’ Studios. Miami, FL. September.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 "Guiding Hands, Creative Minds" Barry University, Andy Gato Gallery. Miami, Florida. November.
2024 "Vida Pastel" Miami Art Society Gallery. Miami, Florida. July.
2024 "Graphite" El Fresco Gallery. Miami, Florida. July.
2023 "Mürbia" Miami Art Society Gallery. Miami, Florida. December.
2023 "Aconite" Cornell Art Museum. Delray Beach, Florida. July.
2023 "Mentiroso Cupido" Miami Art Society Gallery. Miami, Florida. February.
2022 "Urban Legend" Miami Art Society, Miami, FL. July.
2021 "Beautiful Humanity" Williams Fine Art, Boston, MA. Nov.
2021 "Underdog Champion" Miami Art Society, Miami, FL. April.
2020 "American Re:Genesis" Miami Art Society. Miami, FL. November.
2020 "Scope New York" Miami Art Society Booth 69. New York, NY. March.
2020 "Art Wynwood" Miami Art Society Booth. Miami, FL. February.
2020 "Art Palm Beach" Miami Art Society Booth. Palm Beach, FL. February.
2019 "Biannual Figurativas Competition Show." MEAM Museu Europeu d’Art Modern. Barcelona Spain. December.
2019 "Aqua Art Miami” Miami Art Society Gallery Booth. Miami, FL. December.
2019 "Societas" Miami Art Society Gallery. Miami, FL. November.
2019 "Rhythmical Strokes" MIFA Gallery. Miami, FL. November.
2019 "Charcoal" Miami Art Society Gallery. Miami, FL. August.
2019 "Linden Frederick & Seven Contemporary Guest Artists" Haynes Galleries. Franklin, TN. May.
2018 "Meaningless" Juxtapose Clubhouse. Miami, FL. December
2018 "12 x 12" Florence Academy of Art US Gallery. Jersey City, NJ. January
2015 "Biannual Figurativas Competition Show." MEAM Museu Europeu d’Art Modern. Barcelona Spain. November.
2015 "Celebrating the Portrait as Art" Haynes Galleries. Nashville,TN. April.
2014 "Wives, Daughters, And Lovers" Forum Gallery. New York, NY. July.
2014 "Faces of Winter 2014" Connecticut Society of Portrait Artist. Stamford, CT. February.
2013 "Singular Vision" Forum Gallery. New York, NY. June.
"Art Wynwood" Forum Gallery Booth. Miami, FL. February.
2012 "Perception of Self" Forum Gallery. New York, NY. October.
2011 "International Portrait Competition" Portrait Society of America.
(Recipient of the William F. Draper Grand Prize. Grand Hyatt Hotel. Atlanta, Georgia. April.
2011 "110th Annual Juried Exhibition” (First Place) New Haven Paint & Clay Club. New Haven, CT.
“Pathways to Landscape” The Ridgefield Guild of Artists. Ridgefield, CT. March.
2010 "Annual Faculty Exhibition" Silvermine School of Art. New Canaan, CT. August.
"Annual Juried Exhibition" (Third Place) The Ridgefield Guild of Artists. Ridgefield, CT.
"Objects of Art" Beardsley Gallery. Wilton.
"Faces of Winter" hosted by the Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists.(Second Prize)
UConn Stamford Gallery. Stamford, CT. February.
2009 "The 10th Affordable Art Fair." Gladwell & Co. Gallery. Battersea Park, London, UK. October.
"Classical Realism" W.H. Patterson Fine Art Dealers. London, UK. October.
"I Exhibition of Classical Realism by Venezuelan Artists."
Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Rome. Rome, Italy. July
"Venezuelans in the World." General Consulate of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Milan, Italy.
"The Annual Young Collectors' Sale." Ann Long Fine Art. Charleston, SC. June.
"The Florence Academy of Art Fourth Alumni Exhibition." Palazzo Corsini. Florence, Italy.
2008 "The 9th Affordable Art Fair." Gladwell & Co. Gallery. Battersea Park. London, UK. October.
"Third Annual Florence Academy of Art Alumni Exhibition." W.H. Patterson Fine Arts Dealer.
2006 "Commencement Exhibition.” Meyerhoff Gallery. Baltimore, MD. October.
2005 "2-D Honor Studio Show." (SACI.) Florence, Italy, April.
2004 "MICA Juried Undergraduate Exhibition." Meyerhoff Gallery. Baltimore, MD, October.
2002 "MICA Remembers 9/11." Meyerhoff Gallery. Baltimore, MD. October.
"MICA Juried Undergraduate Exhibition." Decker Gallery. Baltimore, MD. October.
"Scholastics Art Awards Regional Exhibition." Miami Art Museum. Miami, FL. February.
"The Beaux Art Festival." Lowe Art Museum. Coral Gables, FL, January.
2001 "Scholastics Art Awards Regional Exhibition." Miami Art Museum. Miami, FL, February.
