As the world around us changes, artists answer the call to give form to introspection, and through their work, we can investigate and interpret the human condition. Smyrna is home to two such artists, exploring our evolving relationship with technology, consumerism, objects, and time. They implement two different visual arts mediums: Saul Hernandez Quinarez paints and Olu Amoda works in sculpture. But they both tackle modern human experiences with a mastery of ancient artistic techniques. Techniques they mastered through extraordinary work ethic and discipline. Olu works in his shop five days a week, eight hours a day. Saul has painted every day for the last decade. Their resulting bodies of work have earned them the respect of their peers, many satisfied clients, and international recognition.
“I don’t describe myself as prolific, but I work a lot,” says Olu, outside his workshop in Alpharetta. He repurposes objects to tell new stories, while allowing the source materials to retain their history. His process can be an additive or a subtractive approach, utilizing scraps or detritus. He reflects on the origins of his found materials and enjoys creating a “forensic problem” by fusing together elements of different timestamps. When the idea is out of his head and in physical form, Olu says, “Then we can start having a conversation.”
Saul refers to his work as “Progressive Paintings,” infusing our relationship with technology into fine art realism. That juxtaposition gives the work an element of surprise. For Saul, every creation starts with an idea, or a “problem,” and the painting becomes the solution. He practices in all mediums from his Smyrna home studio, but his work is in oil paints. “To be an artist is a way to live. It is more than just painting pictures.”
For Olu, while the execution of a piece may take one to two weeks, “some of these objects stayed with me for close to a year waiting for the moment to be part of a sculpture.” Saul estimates a painting takes him 20-50 hours to complete, and he only works on one piece at a time. “You can feel it when it’s done,” Saul says. “When that thing you want to say is said.”
Both artists are buoyed by their families and communities. For Saul, Atlanta Artists Center has been a source of connection and affirmation. Olu credits Vinings Lake Church with being “instrumental in how I process things.” And they are both motivated by a desire for deeper understanding. “The more I learn,” says Saul, “the more I realize I don’t know.”
The Artists
Saul Hernandez Quinarez is a fine art oil painter originally from Mexico. His work is in the personal collection of Catherine Zeta-Jones and has been featured at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia Locally, he has won numerous awards from Atlanta Artists Center and was juried into Metro Montage at Marietta Cobb Museum of Art. Follow him on Instagram @saulhernandezq.
Olu Amoda is a multi-media artist and sculptor of repurposed materials originally from Nigeria. His work is included in many prestigious art collections including the Newark Museum and Fondation Blachère. Locally, he was the 2022 winner of the Hudgens Prize and featured in ArtAround: Pathways in the City of Roswell. Follow him on Instagram @wotaside_studio.